Outsourcing of procurement functions is on a "see-saw" growth path fueled by an enhanced value proposition and strong movement towards global sourcing and offshoring, according to an Everest Research Institute study of the procurement outsourcing (PO) market. The analysts also find procurement outsourcing redefining itself with the emergence of a "phased" sourcing approach. Free whitepaper explaining Everest's updated PO market definition, in addition to standard study report.

See-Saw Growth Path

Companies signed fewer procurement outsourcing deals in 2007, a number slightly below the landmark 2006 figures; however, market growth was evident as managed, non-core PO spend crossed $50 billion (US) last year, according to the Institute’s study, Procurement Outsourcing (PO) Annual Report. The study explores and defines three key factors that are enhancing the value proposition for PO and driving market growth: expansion of existing engagements, a shifting adoption pattern away from “big bang” contracts towards more “phased-approach” engagements, and an increased focus on the operational components of procurement that appeals to a broader set of potential PO buyers.

“Procurement outsourcing is redefining itself with the emergence of a ‘phased’ sourcing approach that benefits both buyers and suppliers,” said Katrina Menzigian, Vice President, Everest Research Institute. “This phase-in approach is allowing the opportunity for testing of synergies, scaling up operations, developing industry-specific capability which, in turn, delivers better results and savings. Buyers are also able to ‘experiment’ with procurement outsourcing as they potentially migrate towards a full Source-to-Pay (S2P) strategy.”

New "Value Proposition"

The study also identifies strong movement towards global sourcing and offshoring, thereby providing buyers with new levers for addressing issues that are related to operational costs, technology management costs, and enhanced analytics, among other factors. The newly emerging PO value proposition also represents the convergence of the traditional PO value proposition around sourcing efficiencies with the traditional Finance & Accounting Outsourcing (FAO) value proposition centered upon operational effectiveness.

Additional Research Highlights

• Increasing leverage of technology in PO solutions is driving more standardization, vertical best industry practices and tighter compliance protocols.

• Pricing structures are stabilizing towards a combination of managed service fee and gain-sharing contracts.
• Manufacturing continues to be the dominant adopter of PO; however, demand in financial services and consumer products sectors has risen.

• The top five suppliers are Accenture, IBM, Ariba, ICG Commerce, and Xchanging.
• While the top five PO suppliers continue to command 75 percent of market share, PO “specialists” (such as buyingTeam, DSSI and Provade) and offshore-centric suppliers (such as Genpact, HCL, Infosys BPO and Wipro) have captured a growing number of new contracts over the past two years.

• Few suppliers today have end-to-end S2P service capabilities, but they are making concerted efforts to acquire capability through acquisitions partnerships and internal enhancements.

“New market segments are emerging, and global sourcing for PO is gaining traction, which is creating medium-term market differentiation for suppliers capable of delivering the services,” said Saurabh Gupta, Research Director, Everest Research Institute and co-author of the report. “PO suppliers with existing capabilities in finance and accounting and offshoring are well positioned to service present buyer requirements. With the influx of new suppliers, buyers need to carefully assess their organizational readiness to take on this very complex undertaking as well as assess suppliers’ service delivery capabilities, procurement expertise and performance records.”

About the whitepaper and study

Whitepaper: The Everest Research Institute redefined multi-process procurement outsourcing to enhance its ability to track emerging PO market trends. The new definition acknowledges the rise in phased-in approach contracts, an increased focus on the operational components of procurement and an expanding supplier landscape. Complimentary whitepaper: "Procurement Outsourcing (PO) Market Definition Update - Tracking the Next Phase of the PO Market Evolution" Registration required.

Study: The Everest Research Institute report, "Procurement Outsourcing (PO) Annual Report 2008" (ID: ERI-2008-1-R-0234), analyzes the PO market from multiple dimensions, including by market size, buyer adoption, transaction characteristics, supplier landscape, and value proposition. This report will assist both companies considering outsourcing procurement to a third-party and suppliers of PO services to understand in detail how the market dynamics and value proposition for PO are evolving. Does not include shared services or captives.

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