Outsourcing Strategic procurement projects: why engaging a procurement consulting partner still makes sense

Many businesses with in‑house procurement teams rightly ask: why pay a consultant when we already have capable people on staff? It’s a fair question. Outsourcing any activity carries cost and perceived risk. The decision should be pragmatic - not emotional - and focused on outcomes. Here’s why bringing a specialist procurement consulting firm like HunterStone can be a strategic accelerator for procurement projects, even where internal capability exists.

Respecting your internal team is the first priority, leaders and business owners need to engage early with key stakeholders across procurement and operation teams, clearly stating that outsourcing isn’t a vote of no‑confidence in our people. It’s a way to augment capacity, access niche skills quickly, and create space for your team to focus on core supplier relationships and operational delivery.

Selecting the right consulting team is super critical, assessing the skills, experience and capacity to deliver is important, but equally as important is the communication style and approach to the project. Collaboration, Transparency & Partnership with internal teams to align on strategy, leverage internal systems and adhere to governance frameworks will allow for frictionless delivery and add a real strategic advantage to the business. Additionally, over and beyond the project scope, the consulting team selected should offer and promote:

• the transfer of industry knowledge and networks

• supplier partnerships that are not anchored to the firm or the consultants

• pass on tools that leave a durable capability behind

The next question is, how do you identify the right projects to outsource to a consulting partner?

Below we have shared a simple guide for selecting projects to outsource:  

• Speed and scale (tight timelines or simultaneous, multi‑category sourcing).

• Specialist technical or market expertise (global sourcing, complex manufactured goods, regulatory compliance).

• Independent commercial leverage for negotiations or stakeholder management in sensitive contracts.

• Program governance and change management for cross‑functional transformation.

• Managing conflicts of interest

  
  

Concrete benefits you should expect:

• Faster delivery: consultants mobilise proven frameworks, supplier networks and project governance to meet compressed deadlines.

• Better outcomes on cost and risk: independent market access and competitive tenders drive stronger commercial terms and supply‑chain resilience.

• Technical rigor and quality assurance: specialised teams deploy quality engineering, factory audits and TCO modelling that internal teams may not routinely use.

• Objectivity and stakeholder management: consultants provide neutral facilitation across procurement, legal, operations and executive stakeholders, speeding decisions.

• Capability uplift: structured handover, training and playbooks leave internal teams stronger and more autonomous.

Cost vs Value - assessing ROI Yes, consultants cost money. The right question is whether the engagement unlocks value greater than its price. Typical measurable returns include cost savings from sourcing, avoided project delays, reduced rework/quality failures, and accelerated time‑to‑revenue - often delivering multiples of the consulting fee. For strategic or time‑sensitive procurement, the risk of doing nothing (or under‑resourcing) can far outweigh the consulting spend.

Reducing perceived risks of outsourcing

• Scope clearly: define outcomes, KPIs and acceptance criteria up front.

• Use phased engagements: pilot, scale, transfer - this controls cost and demonstrates value early.

• Insist on knowledge transfer: require documentation, training and ownership transition as contract deliverables.

• Align commercial incentives: link payments or bonuses to milestone achievement and measured savings.

  
  

How to choose a partner: look for demonstrable experience in your sector, transparent methodologies, strong supplier networks, and references for similar projects. Prioritise firms that emphasise capability transfer and measurable KPIs over one‑off firefighting.

Just remember, engaging a procurement consultant is not about replacing internal teams; it’s about amplifying their impact when the stakes are high. For projects that demand speed, specialised market insight, rigorous quality assurance and governance, the right consulting partner turns cost into strategic value — delivering savings, reducing risk and building lasting capability for your business.

If you’d like a quick framework to decide whether to engage a consultant for a specific procurement project, HunterStone can provide a free, no‑obligation assessment tailored to your needs.