Collaboration in procurement and supply chain management: Cooperative strategies for ensuring continuity of supply

Supply chain management and procurement processes are a crucial element within every organisation, both public and private. Behind every company or government success story, there is generally a supply chain process that helped deliver that success. Whether delivering the goods to keep operations running smoothly, ordering equipment and materials for a new project or working with suppliers in finding solutions to address unique problems, procurement is at the centre of most organisational plans and processes. Supply chain management took centre stage during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, as many jurisdictions across the United States vied for the same products over a very short timeframe. Companies which produced such products were caught off-guard by the sudden demand and any stockpiled resources were quickly consumed. The resulting effects were hoarding behaviours by purchasers who did not know when supplies would be restocked, or territorial disputes as the federal government or states often pulled rank over smaller entities by confiscating or rerouting incoming deliveries to serve their own priorities. During the past few years, many governments and companies built their supply chain on ‘next day’ delivery from suppliers, minimised their warehousing operations, or relied heavily on bids and request for proposal (RFP) processes that often take months to complete. The new challenges presented throughout the pandemic required updated supply chain strategies and contracting methodologies to serve the ever-changing operational and safety demands of their customers.