Unite’s e-procurement platform to provide the public sector with a Tail Spend Solution

CCS’s Tail Spend Solution framework aims to help public sector end-users efficiently manage their long tail spend via a cohesive e-procurement solution that will facilitate accelerated purchasing of ad-hoc, low-volume, low-spend goods to meet their specialist or complex procurement requirements.

Crown Commercial Service supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2020/21, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits equal to £2.04 billion – supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.

Through Unite’s Procurement Portal, Mercateo, buyers across the public sector have single and immediate access to a diverse and extensive supplier base of pre-qualified businesses. In turn, the portal is helping them to streamline bulky search and purchasing activities into one intuitive, standardised digital process.

With over 11 million listed articles, Unite’s Mercateo Procurement Portal offers customers an expansive range of product categories, from industrial goods to catering supplies. In addition, backend technology and smart features allow for better control of ad-hoc procurement. As a result, buyers get efficient and transparent indirect spend and data management.

The Unite platform allows for seamless compatibility with over 40 ERP and third-party solutions without the need for IT integration. It enables procurement managers to assign clear user rights, controls, and spend limits for specific users, and offers basket optimisation at checkout to ensure best price and shipping across multiple suppliers.

Unique to Unite’s Mercateo Procurement Portal is the ability for buyers to create a customisable marketplace by curating a network of preferred suppliers, beneficial for repeat purchases and building cost and value-led supplier relationships.

Cardiff-based Unite offers the UK’s leading B2B e-procurement platform. Headquartered in Leipzig, Germany, Unite has strong European foundations and data sovereignty. The platform connects buyers to a network of highly regarded local, national, corporate, and household brand-name suppliers and manufacturers.

Simon Roberts, Managing Director of Unite UK, said:

“It’s an honour to support the UK’s public sector and its complex procurement needs and purchasing strategies. Our bespoke technology and platform enable any buyer to take control of their product assortment and indirect spend, and create a customised B2B marketplace to meet individual requirements. The platform also enhances opportunities to embrace social value and sustainability considerations relating to localism, environmental standards and minority suppliers, which is a core value to Unite. We’re proud to support and align with this and the wider values of CCS.”

Unite UK is rapidly expanding and will be recruiting up to 15 new sales and CCS customer relationship roles over the next 12 months to support suppliers and public sector buyers.

In addition, Unite UK is committed to supporting and embracing the aims and objectives of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. For example, the company is providing work experience opportunities for young people in Wales. It is collaborating with the University of South Wales and Cardiff University to provide internships and mentoring for first-year undergraduates studying Business Management degrees. The company is also participating in the UK Government’s Kickstarter Scheme, which offers employers funding to create new jobs for 16-24 year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment.