By
5th Mar 2018

The Procurement Advisory Group (PAG) which was formed on 23rd February 2010 consists of professionally qualified or part qualified procurement professionals from across the UK and was set up to help advise and make recommendations to the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) Board reflecting the procurement requirements of all Colleges given the consortium is owned by the Further Education Sector. PAG is currently chaired by Noel Cassidy, Procurement Manager at Cambridge Regional College and minutes of meetings are available to view via the CPC website.

PAG remit extends beyond CPC and its terms of reference are as listed below:

  • To encourage professionalism within the sector.
  • To provide professional procurement advice and to promote the importance of procurement to the sector.
  • To support and promote CPC contracts and the benefits of consortia contracting to colleagues to increase contract throughput.
  • To advise CPC on training requirements to continue upskilling within the sector.
  • To make and feedback contracting recommendations to the CPC.
  • To provide expert procurement advice to the CPC for specific procurement areas.
  • To work with the CPC and others to develop and enhance benchmarking within the sector.
  • To share examples of best practice within the sector from consortia.
  • Raise awareness of PAG and its role within procurement.
  • To support and obtain feedback from regional PAG groups.

With all the changes which have occurred within the FE Sector over the last couple of years, PAG is undertaking a survey to ascertain the current state of procurement within our sector. Whilst we appreciate surveys are not a priority in a very busy environment, we would appreciate it if you can take a few moments out of your busy timetable to complete the survey. Statistical results will be fed back through the CPC Newsletter and via Regional Procurement Advisory Group meetings, however no individual College will be identified.

Take the State of Sector Survey