At the Art of Procurement, we get many press releases – usually detailing client wins, technology updates, or company acquisitions. However, there was one that came across my desk recently announcing the launch of an Indirect Procurement Standard.
With my interest piqued, I reached out to the author of the Standard – Sime Curkovic – to learn more. Sime is Professor of Supply Chain Management at Western Michigan University, and joins me on the show today to share more details about the Indirect Procurement Standard – what was the need, how was it developed, and what does the final output looks like.
“It’s a detailed written document that provides a performance management system for purchasing organizations responsible for indirect spend. The standard offers a set of management practices and key metrics covering five areas – leadership in planning, business processes, support processes, people processes and performance.”
In this episode, you will learn:
- How the in-demand procurement and supply chain skills are evolving and impacting curriculum design.
- Why demand for students with Indirect Procurement skill sets are increasing.
- What is the Indirect Procurement Standard.
- What kind of companies the framework is built for.
- What was the approach to building the framework, and how companies like Microsoft played a pivotal role.
- Key components of the Standard
- How can organizations start implementing the Standard
- What are the two keys, in terms of skill set and experience, that Sime recommends professionals pursue to stand out from the crowd.
Links and Resources:
- Subscribe to the Art of Procurement podcast.
- Sime Curkovic on LinkedIn
- Western Michigan University Integrated Supply Management
- Indirect Procurement Standard
