i+solutions' procurement services: a unique supply solution

Procurement & Supply Services
Our goal is to serve as a major Procurement Supply Agency (PSA) for pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment.

PSA Services
Bringing quality essential medicines to the most urgent locations and patients poses a series of challenges. Products must be procured at the best possible supply conditions, and must be delivered to the final destination, while ensuring the integrity of the supply chain. Local knowledge must be available for effective deliveries. Necessary procedures, facilities, and systems have to be in place. These must be implemented correctly to achieve efficiency and quality control.

i+solutions faces these challenges together with our clients by delivering PSA services for pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment. We offer:

Procurement support: advice on quantification, forecasting and requirement planning, procurement, distribution, and evaluation
Procurement services: comprehensive services based on the use of modern tools and methods to realize favorable contract conditions and achieve transparency.
Project design and implementation: improvements in national pharmaceutical supply chain management, in particular for HIV/aids, food and RH programs.
Logistical support: active support and input to ensure that products do arrive in good condition
at the desired location of use.

On an operational level this means we can deliver the following services/steps:

Procurement plans are drawn up at the beginning of each project, together with key performance indicators and a milestone planning.
Product specifications are prepared in collaboration with the client.
On-site meetings and visits are organized as required to provide the necessary advice and information directly to the clients.
Preparation of tender documents, with non-prescriptive specifications to avoid favoring specific suppliers. We avoid proprietary names whenever possible. The negotiated purchase approach is used for direct purchases
Identification of the minimum number of suppliers (best of five), in accordance with the relevant procedure.
Supplier selection on the basis of their suitability.
Invitations for quotations, tenders, Requests for proposals in accordance with the procedures and terms and conditions defined.
Technological and commercial evaluation of tenders and quotations including best and final offers and planning of awarding to vendors including (draft) contracting.
Ordering for the client, in accordance with the agreed specifications.
Managing procurement contracts, blanket purchase agreements, indefinite quantity contracts
Managing inventory services (sold and unsold stock, reordering levels etc) Regular standardized procurement-progress reports, including vendor on time reporting.
Arrangements for the packing, consolidation, and transport of goods to their destination, as well as insurance.
Organizing or supervising the logistical solution, which fits the client’s need including advice on the appropriate use of Incoterms.
Forwarding of all shipping/airfreight details and shipment documents in good time for the clearance of goods. (Advance shipping notes/Good received notes/expediting reports)
Liaison with or organize the pre-shipment inspection and clearing.
Order administration, settlement of invoices, payment obligation reporting, claim reporting and credit note reporting.
Maintenance of statistical records of the procurement processes, spend analysis, per commodity, per period, per vendor.
Enforcement of supplier compliance and client support.
Staff for on-site assistance in emergencies and recalls.

Where do we work?
i+solutions has international experience with suppliers and product sourcing. i+solutions’ clients are comprised of a wide range of donors: bilateral donors as the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark’s Danida, Germany’s DEG, international donors such as the WHO and World bank, major project implementers and NGOs such as Oxfam/Novib, Partners against Aids, PSF, ICCO, and private companies including Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and Siemens. We also have many major clients in Africa, including several ministries of health. We have offices in the Netherlands, USA Washington DC, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda and, in 2009, in Madagascar.

i+solutions’ procurement experience
i+solutions management has more than thirty years’ experience in building procurement knowledge and capacity, and in managing the storage and distribution of medical supplies and equipment with assured quality.

i+solutions is a partner in SCMS the implementer of the USAID funded HIV/AIDS program which aims to finance the treatment of 2 million patients in 16 target countries. The program’s objective is to guarantee the availability of products and to increase national (technological) capacity. This entails appropriate exit strategies in the 16 target countries.

Our main contribution to the project was based on our in-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical production including API sourcing, GMP and QA, as well as our databases of reputable suppliers and ready supplies of products. The procurement strategy is partly based on supplier framework long-term agreements. We developed these agreements, which are designed to minimize procurement lead times for common or vital medical products, on the basis of international and/or client directives.

Examples of delivered PSA Services
Procurement improvements in Lesotho
i+solutions helped Lesotho improve the National Drug Service Organization’s procurement operations. We gave local support to the procurement of essential medical supplies and ARVs. i+solutions’ unique contribution extended to the development of new procedures and active support to the procurement department staff. i+solutions’ experts organized a Procurement Masterclass for the Ministry of Health and NDSO in procurement policies, global financing, managing tenders, quality assurance, and evaluating procurement operations and suppliers.

During the 18-month project we reviewed and upgraded the systems to comply with the new Lesotho public procurement regulations and international standards. We developed and implemented standard procurement procedures and trained the staff. We introduced a system to prequalify suppliers according to WHO criteria, and gave active support to procurement planning, inclusive of the procurement of ARVs with Global Fund financing.

Pooled procurement of ARV’s
Our staff’s input into market research, planning of requirements and pooling of the demands resulted in the negotiation, under stringent donor restrictions, of savings in excess of USD 100 million for our customers’ budget – almost doubling the number of patients that could be treated.

Pooled procurement of family planning products
Our staff’s input into procurement and development of family planning products, including (female) condoms as a member of the UAFC public private partnership project.

Our Fees
i+solutions charges a fee based on Level of Effort (hours worked) or a margin on the value of the goods, or a combination of the two. The fee can also be determined on the basis of quantifiable data, such as the number of orders placed per period or shipments realized. Our transparent fees, set in consultation with the client, are specified in advance.

Our fees are usually standardized for procurement processes below 500,000 Euros. Fees for procurement audits or appraisal services are agreed with the client on a case by case basis. The agreed fees are guaranteed for one year.

Contact details PSA Services
For more information on our Procurement Supply Agency (PSA) services, please feel free to contact us by e-mail or phone:

Ard van Dongen
Phone +31 348 489 630
E-mail: avdongen@iplussolutions.org