Process Step 1:

Assess

This first Process Step, Assess, will help you conduct a review of current supply chain performance in order to identify potential functional areas that could be outsourced.

In this Process Step you will learn:

  • How to prioritise and analyse key performance indicators
  • Which supply chain assessment option is appropriate for your purposes
  • What tools and technology are available to assist you with your assessment

A supply chain assessment aims to provide a qualitative and quantitative perspective of supply chain performance.

This first step, Assess reinforces the importance of overarching key performance indicator (KPI) development and analysis techniques to inform whether an outsourcing opportunity exists or whether further analysis is needed.

There are three options for supply chain assessment that you will learn about. The first, refresh, is the option to update a previous assessment. The second is a light review which involves a self-assessment and basic supply chain mapping. The third option is a comprehensive self-assessment or deep dive of the entire supply chain. The option you choose will depend on whether an assessment has recently been conducted, the availability of resources, costs and timeframe expectations.

Finally, you will learn what tools and technology is available to assist you with your assessment.

To complete the Assess Step you will need to:

Prioritise and analyse KPIs

Select a supply chain assessment approach

Identify supporting tools and technologies

Assess will help you to determine:

  • The level of assessment required
  • Whether an outsourcing opportunity exists
  • Who needs to agree
  • How long the process will take
  • Whether more analysis needed?
  • What product considerations (e.g. cold-chain), data collection methods and assessment benefits and costs are needed

During Assess you will undertake the following activities:

  • Identify stakeholders 
  • Determine which level of assessment is needed
  • Collect data to prepare for the relevant work-stream
  • Set up workshop sessions
  • Review assessment options and benefits  
  • Prepare a mandate for the assessment
  • Conduct the analysis

To conduct the Assess Step you will need to form a cross-functional project team.

Suggested team design:

Department or skillset

Required for process step (Yes/No)

Typical role

Requisite responsibilities

Policy and Planning

YES

Chief Planning Officer

  • Ability to analyse procurement policy position towards outsourcing

Procurement

NO

Chief Procurement Officer

  • N/A

Finance

YES

Senior Finance Officer

  • Determines budget, resources to supply proposed assessment

Logistics Agency

YES

Director of the Central medical Store

  • Conducts data collection, collates existing assessments, prioritise KPIs

Local Logistics Agency

Department on approach

District Health Officer

  • Supports head of Logistics Agency in respect to geographic needs

Provincial Logistics Agency

Department on approach

Provincial Health Officer

  • Supports head of Logistics Agency in respect to geographic needs

Logistic: Functional Supply Chain

YES

Functional activity specialist

  • Supports head of Logistics Agency in respect to functional needs

Enabler Department - Legal, Human Resources, Technology

  • Human Resources
  • Technology

Legal Counsel

Human Resource Director

IT Director

  • Assesses the impact of prospective outsourcing change to the organisation
  • Pre-assesses technology gaps and opportunities for outsourcing

At the end of the Assess Step you will have:

  • Clarity about which parts of the supply chain are underperforming
  • Clarity about which parts of the supply chain might become bottlenecks to achieving goals
  • Consensus to investigate potential outsourcing options further
  • A baseline dataset as input to the outsourcing investment case in the next Process Step, Evaluate