Procurement: Time to Break the Cycle

We all know the system is broken. So why are we still playing the game?

At the recent Poole Dick Question Time event, procurement came under the spotlight — and rightly so. Across the board, panelists voiced frustration at the inefficiencies, redundancies, and risks built into the UK’s procurement process.

As Tom Higgins of Laing O’Rourke put it,
“Our procurement processes are so protracted and convoluted… sometimes we ask ourselves, can we even afford to get involved?”

This wasn’t just a throwaway comment. For major contractors, bidding on a single scheme can cost upwards of £1 million, often against long odds and uncertain timelines. And yet, clients continue to demand complex, competitive tenders from multiple parties, with limited engagement upfront.

We’re still seeing a race to the bottom — and no one’s winning.

False economies, real consequences

Tom’s point was echoed by developers, consultants, and local authority voices alike.

Karen Hirst from Maple Grove Developments summed it up: “You’ve got to be patient, but also tenacious. Things take far longer than they should, and sometimes we’re forced back to the drawing board due to affordability.”

The bigger issue?

Procurement often focuses on cost first, value later. That leads to design compromises, misaligned expectations, and — ironically — costlier outcomes. Projects stall. Risk multiplies. Teams fall apart before a spade hits the ground.

We’re not giving ourselves the tools to succeed.

So, what’s the answer?

From the lively discussion, a few consistent recommendations emerged:

✅ Early contractor involvement – Bringing delivery partners in at the concept stage isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. It reduces design risk, improves cost certainty, and builds trust.

✅ Clear briefs, fewer changes – “What do you want? Tell us what you want, then leave it alone,” said Tom. Constant redesigns are the enemy of efficiency.

✅ Streamlined frameworks – When done well, frameworks reduce cost and complexity. But as Karen noted, they need to be fair, collaborative, and truly competitive.

✅ Balanced risk sharing – The sector is too fragile to absorb uncontrolled risk. As Sean Stafford highlighted, “We still pay market rates to build every home, but we’re being asked to cut our rents. That’s not sustainable.”

Changing the mindset

Perhaps most powerfully, the panel challenged clients to rethink what they value. Procurement isn’t just about compliance — it’s about partnership. And partnership is built on respect, clarity, and shared goals.

As Tom said, “Contractually, we need to make money. It’s not a dirty word. We’re not going to make a killing — we’re operating on wafer-thin margins.”

In an industry crying out for sustainability — in both senses of the word — we can’t keep cutting corners at the start and expecting miracles at the end.

It’s time to stop breaking the system… and start rebuilding it.

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