Overcoming the barriers to effective procurement
In the highly regulated and safety-critical world of aviation, procurement is especially challenging. Systems are subject to strict regulations, and compliance can be both costly and time-consuming. These are niche and complex systems that must integrate with other systems and services. It’s rare for the breadth, depth, and currency of market knowledge needed to exist in-house within ANSPs or Airports.
System lifecycles are also longer than in other industries. For example, Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems are renewed typically every 10-15 years, so the system that is supplied will have a long-term strategic impact both locally and at the network level.
For that reason, when the time comes to plan and procure their next systems, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), airports, and service suppliers will often need expert help with some, if not all, of the procurement process.
With procurement support extended to over 30 airports, government agencies and ANSPs globally, we’ve witnessed recurring challenges in public procurement processes:
- Requests for visionary systems that don’t yet exist
- Safety-driven vendor lock-in inhibiting bold change
- Resource limitations stalling innovation and slowing down the procurement process
- Strategic directives from leadership that rarely cascade into procurement execution
- New regulations (such as EASA Part-IS and DPO) impacting on supplier certification and compliance.
