We have written for some time about the opportunities in the school purchasing market. It continues to be dominated by companies like Findel and The Consortium and most sales are still by catalogue. However it now seems that ProcServe, part of PA Consulting, will get some serious traction in the education market with their e-procurement software for the public sector.

Over 1500 schools and a number of suppliers are already using a pilot system called the Online Procurement for Educational Needs (OPEN) – a joint venture between the then DfES and Procserve (using their Zanzibar software). In theory all schools should be able to use OPEN by the start of the 2007/8 school year.

This is being driven from the highest levels within the new DCSF. According to Darren Cox, the DCSF Deputy Commercial Director, ‘OPEN offers schools a real opportunity to generate short and long term savings, and access to a wider range of contracts and suppliers. In the longer term, it will also contribute towards Becta’s strategy to standardise ICT delivery in schools’. That’s why we think e-procurement will be one of the most interesting markets to watch over the next 18 months.

www.procserve.com