The recent elections in Belgium have led to a significant reshuffling of the boards of directors in contracting entities, marking a turning point for public organisations. These adjustments, dictated by new political balances, are influencing governance, strategic priorities and, consequently, Purchasing and Public Procurement departments.
Changes to the Boards of Directors
The arrival of new directors, often from new political coalitions, has led to significant changes in organisational objectives. This means redefining strategic priorities and adapting the rules of governance. In addition, responsibilities are redistributed, implying a necessary transition phase to enable new directors to take ownership of current projects and ensure effective continuity in decision-making processes.
Impact on the Purchasing and Public Procurement departments
Political changes are having a direct impact on purchasing and procurement departments, often with immediate effects. Firstly, revisions to strategic priorities mean that Purchasing departments have to align themselves with new orientations, such as a greater emphasis on environmental and social criteria, the development of collaboration with local suppliers, or budget management geared to specific political objectives. Secondly, changes in administrative teams can slow down decision-making processes, leading to delays in approving budgets and purchasing projects.
At the same time, compliance and transparency requirements are being stepped up, necessitating a review of processes to ensure that they meet increased expectations in terms of ethics and regularity. These political realignments are also accompanied by budgetary readjustments, often guided by new priorities, which can affect the continuity of ongoing projects. Finally, relationships with suppliers are also being affected, with some long-standing partnerships being called into question in favour of collaborations aligned with the new strategic priorities.
Adaptation and resilience
To meet these challenges, purchasing departments need to adopt a flexible and proactive approach. Regular dialogue with directors is essential to anticipate and align with changes. Internal processes need to be updated to meet new strategic and regulatory requirements. In addition, teams need to identify critical projects to prioritise, even in the face of budgetary constraints, to ensure business continuity and efficiency.
Conclusion
The post-election changes represent both a challenge and an opportunity to reinvent purchasing and public procurement processes. With a strategic approach and the right tools, these departments can not only adapt to the changes, but also become levers of transformation for their organisations. Aria Partner is here to guide you along this path.
- Source : SPF Economie - Nouveautés législatives 2023-2024 en matière de marchés publics
- Source : Portail des Marchés Publics - Guide pratique pour les nouvelles exigences de transparence
- Source : Agoria - Indice salarial et impact sur les budgets publics
- Source : L'Echo - Les conséquences des élections communales et fédérales sur la gouvernance des entités publiques
- Source : Centre de Connaissance en Marchés Publics - Outils pour une gestion durable des achats
How can Aria Partner support these transitions?
Aria Partner, a specialist in public procurement, offers solutions for navigating these periods of change. We support public bodies in: adapting to new regulatory requirements and ensuring compliance; training teams to integrate new governance criteria; optimising processes to reduce the impact of budget adjustments; strengthening procurement practices in favour of sustainability and transparency.
We use our expertise to help turn these challenges into strategic opportunities. Contact us to find out more.
The impact of post-election changes on public procurement