Successful kitting and other 3PL solutions for the public sector
3PL logistics brings clarity, structure and achievable results within reach for public sector organisations. It’s a specialist role filled by a supply chain partner that designs the delivery plan with you and sits at the centre of operations to make sure it happens.
Projects are diverse but they incorporate workflows for despatch, replenishment and collection. This often includes 3PL solutions like kitting, barcoding, warehousing, inventory management, and tracking items and assets.
3PL logistics brings clarity, structure and achievable results within reach for public sector organisations.
As well as satisfying procurement and budgetary needs, your logistics partner needs to:
- Meet the requirements of the Social Value Framework
- Be an ISO-accredited Crown Commercial Service supplier.
Let’s look deeper into how we use these frameworks to facilitate excellent project outcomes, plus how they support collaboration between SMEs and public sector procurement.
Snapshot – 3PL and the largest ever UK Census
What may seem like an impossibly complex task on paper was planned and carried out by Granby and the Office for National Statistics, the body responsible for the Census in England and Wales.
- 97% completed on time, in full
- 52,000,000 items into Granby
- 2,800+ pallets of stock held in warehouse
- 22,000,000 items collated into kits
- 85,000 items despatched
- 21,000 delivery stops
- 269,725 delivery miles
- Zero items sent to landfill
The 2021 Census was the largest on record and shows the capabilities of efficient 3PL solutions – a large national project with complexity and dependencies. The ONS started to publish findings from the 2021 Census in June 2022.
The pressures on public sector procurement
Public sector spending is under pressure in a post-austerity, post-Brexit, post-pandemic landscape to:
- Spend budgets efficiently
- Added value/Social Value
- Work with experienced, accredited SMEs
In meeting the requirements of the Social Value Framework, procurement is hyper focused on spending budgets well and ensuring they add long-term value. It’s increasingly critical to engage a 3PL supplier who, like Granby, has a Social Value policy in place.
It’s worth noting that the government’s Crown Commercial Service framework assesses its approved suppliers on their approach to meeting Social Value.
Other challenges – a survey
We surveyed the public sector about problems they need solutions to, for which 3PL might offer solutions. Beyond budgets and Social Value, amid the wider data, here’s what is causing most stress around warehousing and kitting.
Challenges identified
Q: What are the biggest challenges you believe that your organisation faces when handling logistics and warehousing? (tick all that apply)
- 42% Ability to track resources effectively
- 27% Modifying processes for unique projects
- 25% Managing digital devices
- 22% Risk and compliance management
- 10% Mapping workflows and data
- 10% Mobile connectivity
Q: How do you feel that your organisation can improve the way in which it carries out its logistics and warehousing? (tick all that apply)
- 39% Better asset and resource tracking
- 32% Easier procurement routes
- 19% Project management tool that can be tailored to requirements
- 17% Improved risk and compliance management
- 14% Better auditability and transparency
- 10% Centralised management and oversight
It’s clear that asset tracking of high value items like mobile phones, laptops and so on is a big concern. Managing and using data was revealed as a broader theme.
42% of public sector survey respondents cited the ‘ability to track resources effectively’ as one of the biggest challenges in logistics and warehousing.
How 3PL solves these pain points – some examples
The Office For National Statistics 2021 Census project summary (above) shows how complex a project can be – field teams comprising thousands of field agents, laden with thousands of laptops, mobiles, confidential Census forms and other paperwork…
Good 3PL is a combination of people power and technology.
- From design to despatch and collection, our people knew what they were doing at all times through experience, good internal communications and investment in training.
- We invest heavily in the development of our fulfilment system and warehouse management system. Our technology is a robust framework that supports timescales, budgets and risk management as well as business intelligence and customer data.
Crown Commercial Service
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is a government organisation that fosters a beneficial working relationship between the public/third sectors and the private sector.
The CCS framework is free for public sector organisations to use to find 3PL partners – and everything else, for that matter! However, our survey revealed that almost half (44%) had not heard of it.
Kitting and 3PL for the public sector
Granby is a CCS partner for Storage, Distribution, Kitting and Associated Service (RM6282). It’s not an award given lightly – CCS suppliers under RM6282 are required to have the accreditations below, plus the CRP; each agreement will have its own requirements specific to the area.
- ISO 27001 secure data management
- Cyber Essentials accreditation or equivalent
- Carbon reduction policy (CRP)
Under RM6282, we are a 3PL supplier of UK and international storage (warehousing) and transportation which includes, among other things:
- Kitting and fulfilment solutions/services
- Transport and distribution
- Specialist collection and delivery services
- Packaging including cardboard, security and medical
- Recycling and disposal services
- Dispersal and recycling services
- Print services
Takeaways
- Budgets and Social value add weight to already pressured public sector procurement processes
- A 3PL partner that has Social Value policies and is a Crown Commercial Service supplier is crucial
If you need kitting, warehousing or any other 3PL service , please get in touch – we’ll be happy to give you a demo of our technology and talk over your requirements.
Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash
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