Category management services

Empowering procurement excellence through category management solutions

With thousands of products and suppliers in the market, it can become overwhelming and time-consuming for funders, donors, foundations, and other buyers to easily and affordably source and procure the best quality health products suited to specific demographics, regions, or health programs.

As a procurement services agent (PSA) and supply chain solutions provider, PFSCM helps our clients navigate the vast and complex pharmaceutical and medical device market. We reduce the complexity and act as category managers, helping funders and donors develop sustainable procurement strategies that reduce risk, save costs, enable efficiencies, and strengthen partnerships with suppliers.

Our offering

PFSCM is a value-adding partner, assisting clients in market analysis, managing external resources, enhancing supplier performance, and achieving business objectives. We incorporate category management services into our broader PSA offering and can provide our clients with standalone services or complete supply chain solutions. Our overall approach to category management is shown in the graphic to the right while key elements of that approach are described in the table below.

Understanding clients’ needs

We collaborate closely with our clients to synchronize business strategies with sourcing initiatives. Our role involves translating business strategies into clear category targets and deliverables. By assisting clients in grouping products and services based on similar characteristics like supply and demand drivers, we empower them to pinpoint consolidation opportunities and generate additional business value.

Spend management & analysis

We help our clients aggregate and validate spending by category and provide insight into spending patterns. Spend analysis helps clients identify consolidation opportunities, which generates savings, improves quality management, creates more favorable contracting terms, and helps reduce off-contract and tail-end spending.

Risk mitigation

We help our clients understand the characteristics of different product categories and the external factors that may impact them. By addressing category-specific issues such as product regulatory compliance, registration, importation, and transport handling requirements, we help reduce and manage associated supply chain risks, ensuring supply meets demand and products are delivered without delays.

Market Intelligence

We analyze the market dynamics that affect the behavior and performance of various product categories. We continuously assess the fast-evolving global health market and use data to help our clients better understand the industry, identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and make more informed programmatic and investment decisions.

Supplier relationship management

We manage supplier relationships on behalf of our clients, and by taking a strategic view of the market, we establish and strengthen relationships with suppliers. Dedicated points of contact work directly with suppliers to negotiate contracts, undertake due diligence, do onboarding, and eventually manage administrative matters and performance.

Sustainability

We collaborate with our clients to implement sustainable category management strategies that promote market health and equitable access through activities like local sourcing. We work with our suppliers to review key category specifications
and identify opportunities to reduce the environmental impact wherever regulatory and clinical use parameters allow.

Solutions

We develop portfolio or product strategies, create sourcing strategies, and manage supplier relationships for donors and other clients.

3

Cross-functional teams

2

Our experienced category managers analyze the market to understand pricing trends, regulatory changes, and innovation for the entire category.

3

Experience and expertise

2

With more than 15 years of experience, we have extensive knowledge of the global and local supply markets and emerging trends.

3

Best-practices and processes

2

We adhere to supply chain best practices and continuously evaluate our processes to streamline operations.

3

Digital supply chain

2

We use software to optimize the category management process for our clients and establish and foster relationships with suppliers.

3

Routine engagement

2

We regularly connect with our clients to transfer market intelligence and align business and sourcing strategies.

3

Continuous improvement

2

Continuous improvement is embedded in our organization and driven by our ISO 9001:2015 QMS.

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