Changing out a Supplier- Planning and Execution
The effective planning of a Food Service supplier change is fundamental as the RFP process takes a significant amount of time, effort, and resources to implement. Sourcing resource availability may also be a challenge, thereby advanced planning will ensure a smooth and effective process. The Supplier Operating Standards should be used within all future Food Service Supplier RFP’s and subsequent supplier contracts. Allowing sufficient time will ensure that the most appropriate solution is identified, robustly validated, and a "best-fit and best-value" supplier partner for the future.
3 Months out
1 Month out
- Engage Client and Key Stakeholders
- Identify Client requirements
- Identify potential roadblocks and other considerations
- Identify Financial impact
- Brief Supplier partner on objectives
- Brief sourcing on objectives
- Create RFP timeline
- Identify Account and Supplier partner Liabilities
- Draft Scope of Services
- Agree upon sourcing strategy and approach
- Issue RFP to target Supplier partner's
- Implement balance of Sourcing activities
Typical supplier Change drivers;
- End of the contract term
- Unsuccessful supplier re-bid for the services
- Supplier performance issues - early termination by GWS / Client
- Supplier commercial viability - early termination by supplier/ GWS / Client
- Change of supplier ownership through acquisition
- Supplier goes into receivership / liquidation
- The need for change in the service due to complacency or menu fatigue
- Breakdown of the supplier relationship
- Client request due to alternative supplier relationship
- Perception of the services
6 Months out
9-12 Months out
- Review Sourcing RFP outputs
- Attend Supplier meetings to align mutual objectives and resolve questions
- Short-list final supplier partner subset
- Analyse and Evaluate RFP's
- Secure stakeholder approvals
- Award contract, commence transition plan with supplier and coordinate the exit strategy for the incumbent, if applicable
- Serve notice to the existing Supplier partner
- Finalise timelines for completion, implement schedules and communications plan
- Sync existing Supplier partner with new supplier partner for coordination transition planning
- Agree upon responsibility for incoming Supplier partner to ensure stock management, recruitment (outline their plan on managing appropriate staffing levels for Day 1 accounting for local legislation, if it exists such as Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) or Acquired Rights Directive (ARD), and financials)
- Approve branding, signage, marketing, websites and uniforms
- Approve staffing strategy, selling prices and menu content
- Finalise equipment expenditure, supplier partner investments and innovation agreements
- Commence internal communications
- Finalise updates to all published tariffs, signage, websites and printed collateral
- Ensure TUPE and transition processes are on-track
- Go-Live Day 1 activities
- Plan Stabilisation for thirty (30) and sixty (60) days
Reference Templates:
Food Services Project Transition Plan
Food Services Responsibility Matrix
Food Services RFP Template
Food Services KPI Template Food Services Standard CBRE SOW
Food Services Developing a RFP Guideline
Food Services Vendor Opening Checklist
FS-038 Ver 1.2 (Aug 23)