The Australasian Procurement & Construction Council Inc (APCC) recently hosted a Procurement Capability Workshop, bringing together government procurement leaders for a strategic session on shaping the future of procurement and defining what success will look like by 2030.
“Procurement is evolving and so must we. To stay relevant and deliver greater value to government and to communities we serve, we formed a shared vision of what procurement capability should look like by 2030,” said the APCC.
“But before shaping the future, we first needed to understand the forces reshaping procurement today.”
Acknowledging that procurement is at a crossroads and can’t ignore the change surrounding it, the APCC noted that adapting and acting with foresight is key, revealing four forces that are reshaping procurement today:
- Digital transformation: Advancements in AI, automation and data analytics are redefining how procurement buys, manages and delivers, which is demanding new skills such as digital confidence and innovation mindsets
- Economic pressures: Economic trends and fiscal constraints mean increased scrutiny for procurement, with a focus on doing more with less while ensuring resilience
- Government reforms: As the pace of reform accelerates, procurement needs to be agile, accountable and transparent to keep up to speed with expectations from ministers, agencies and citizens
- Broader outcomes: Procurement is no longer just about value for money. Instead, it’s about maximising taxpayer value by embedding social, environmental and economic outcomes into every dollar
With these forces in mind, participants of the workshop collaborated on several key areas, including:
- Mapping today’s capabilities to identify existing strengths, gaps and variations across jurisdictions
- Envisioning tomorrow’s aspirations by defining the skills, systems relationships and leadership behaviours that will make procurement strategic, resilient and future-focused
- Creating a roadmap by drawing a clear line of sight from where procurement is today to where it needs to be by 2030
“The result is a shared, evidence-based view of where procurement capability stands today and what must be built, strengthened or reimagined to meet the demands of 2030,” said the APCC.
But why does this matter?
According to the APCC, there are four main reasons:
- Context is shifting: Fiscal pressures, citizen expectations, disruptive technologies and broader ESG outcomes mean procurement must evolve to remain effective
- People are at the centre: Tools and processes matter, but capability is ultimately about people – including their skills, leadership and collaboration
- Impact matters: Procurement’s future lies in being a strategic lever that drives innovation, productivity and better outcomes for people, places and the planet
- Collaboration ownership: This is about a shared journey across all governments, with a joint vision that will guide investment, professional development and system reform in the coming years
“Participants were bold and forward-looking, meeting challenges head-on and seizing the opportunities that these forces bring,” said the APCC.
“Together, they crafted a capability map that is clear, aspirational and achievable, setting a foundation for a stronger procurement profession.
“By understanding where we stand today, recognising the forces shaping tomorrow and building a roadmap for the journey ahead, we are positioning procurement as a strategic, impactful and future-ready profession – one that delivers more value, more trust and more outcomes for all.”
Expert voices included Emma Cooper, Director Policy Development, NSW Procurement, NSW Treasury; Vanessa Pilla, Founder & Impact Strategist, PATHMAKER; Nic Hillier, Principal Director, Sourcing & Procurement Advisory, KPMG and Geraldine Carter, Deputy Secretary, NSW Treasury Economic Strategy & Productivity, Treasury NSW.
