Undertaking an industry survey to identify product options for procurement

The client’s challenge was quickly assessing and procuring commercial handheld radios to support civil emergency services operations.

The task was to find suppliers operating in Australia that could readily provide 1,000 commercial off-the-shelf Ultra High-Frequency handheld analogue radios, otherwise known by the client as ‘black radios’.

Chatham Square was engaged through an industry partner to undertake a time-limited industry market scan to identify potential providers and a recommended procurement strategy. Our approach involved several steps, starting with an initial online market survey to identify potential providers, followed by market analysis and subsequent desktop analysis.

Our detailed market analysis found twenty different black radios from twelve manufacturers. We then conducted a thorough desktop analysis to narrow down the options to three candidate radios based on supplier engagement to verify data, radio performance, environmental qualifications, pricing, and available support. One notable difference among the three radios was their country of origin: one was designed, manufactured, and supported in Australia, while the other two were imported.

As a result of our work, the client was able to swiftly progress to procurement. The client feedback was positive, serving as a testament to the success of our engagement: “…thank you for your efforts on the Black Radio Market Scan. It enabled us to move quickly on an acquisition…”

Some of the key aspects that led to the successful outcome of this task were:

• Provide a clear and concise executive summary.
• Use industry and technical knowledge for effective analysis.
• Establish clear criteria, with client buy in, for shortlisting.
• Avoid dismissing options prematurely.
• Regularly update the client on progress and any issues to be resolved.

Do you need support in market intelligence, product benchmarking, or solicitation? Contact us to discuss how we can collaborate with your team to develop the best outcome for your organisation.