OUR SERVICES
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PE Procurement Advisory
Procurement is one of the most powerful value creation levers in any PE-backed business. Most investors haven't touched it yet.
In pharma and life sciences private equity and M&A, speed to value is everything. Financial and legal due diligence validate the balance sheet - but they consistently miss one of the largest, least visible levers in any cost base: procurement and supply chain architecture.
At Collaborative Sourcing, we bring deep sector expertise - API sourcing, CDMO management, packaging and device supply chains — to help investors and PE-backed businesses turn procurement from a transactional overhead into a measurable driver of enterprise value. Every saving in the supply chain drops directly to the bottom line. In a PE context, that's not just cost reduction. It's multiple amplification.
$7.4M
Combined savings delivered in Years 1–2 for a single international pharmaceutical client - using the same methodology we bring to PE-backed engagements.
Procurement is consistently underscoped in private equity — and the cost of that gap compounds throughout the investment lifecycle.
EBITDA is the direct lever
A saving that's a nice-to-have for a privately owned business becomes a multiple-amplified increase in enterprise value for a PE-backed one. Every euro left on the table in the supply chain is a euro that doesn't compound at exit.
Hold periods are time-boxed
There's urgency to capture value inside a defined window. Building a procurement function from scratch during the hold period is slow, expensive, and risky. A proven playbook, deployed fast, changes the maths entirely.
Leverage creates cash flow pressure
Where there's debt service to meet, working capital and cost efficiency matter more urgently. Procurement improvements — across payment terms, stock optimisation, and contract renegotiation — release cash quickly and with low execution risk.
Lean post-buyout structures lack procurement expertise
Most PE-backed pharma and life sciences businesses don't have a senior procurement function in-house. That capability gap is precisely what our methodology is built to fill — quickly, without adding permanent headcount overhead.
$7.4M
Combined savings delivered in Years 1-2 for a single pharmaceutical manufacturer
95%+
OTIF achieved by Year 2 — up from 51.7% at the start of engagement
$1.6M
Cash released from safety stock optimisation across a single API portfolio
The Value Creation Framework
We align our work directly with your investment lifecycle — eliminating information asymmetry pre-deal and executing rapid operational improvement post-close, across mature buyouts, growth-stage investments, and early-stage scale-ups.
Pre-Close & Due Diligence
Rapid spend cube analysis, contract risk auditing, and supply chain validation — mapping EBITDA upside and red flags before you price the deal. Deliverable: a clear Opportunity & Risk Report.
First 100 Days Post-Close
Fractional surge capacity deployed immediately — spend baseline, quick-win identification, PO compliance, and supplier governance — protecting the asset without adding permanent headcount.
Growth, Hold & Exit Preparation
Ongoing SRM, spend aggregation across the portfolio, and institutional-grade documentation — building the kind of procurement function that impresses the next buyer and protects your exit multiple.
Tailored to Your Investment Strategy
PE firms and PE-backed portfolio companies face different procurement challenges. We work across both sides of the investment relationship.
PE Firms & M&A Advisors
Pre-deal diagnostics that validate synergy assumptions and surface supply chain risk before close. We give deal teams the procurement intelligence they need to price accurately and plan integration effectively.
PE-Backed Businesses & Scale-Ups
Embedded procurement expertise through the hold period — from 100-day quick wins to sustained EBITDA improvement and exit-ready supplier governance. No permanent headcount required.
Contract Harmonisation & Leakage Control
Instantly aligning supplier terms across bolt-on or buy-and-build strategies, and implementing PO compliance from Day 1 — stopping maverick spend before it becomes a board conversation.
Greenfields Procurement Build
For scale-ups without an established procurement function — building the policies, approval workflows, and supplier selection frameworks that turn reactive purchasing into a lean, investor-ready operation.
“Collaborative Sourcing have become strategic thought-partners for my team. They bring a depth of industry knowledge but most importantly take the time to understand our business needs, resulting in tailored solutions and workshops that directly impact how we do business with suppliers.”
Vice President of Sourcing — Pharmaceutical Sourcing Services Company
Flexible Engagement Models
Deal timelines are dynamic and post-buyout budgets must remain lean. Our engagement models are structured to match transaction speed and asset maturity.
01
Pre-Deal Diagnostic
Rapid procurement due diligence during exclusivity — scoping risk, validating synergy assumptions, and delivering a clear Opportunity & Risk Report. Fixed fee per target asset.
02
Operational Surge & Setup
Embedded procurement leadership through the 100-day integration or greenfields build — from spend baseline to supplier governance setup. Flexible daily rate (€950/day).
03
Portfolio Synergy Programme
Cross-portfolio spend aggregation and ongoing supplier relationship management — delivering sustained EBITDA improvement across multiple assets. Custom scoped milestones.
Want to discuss an upcoming deal or audit an asset’s supply chain?
Whether you’re pre-close or mid-hold, we can identify where the procurement opportunity sits — for a single portfolio company, or across several.
Case Study 1
Facing a million-dollar profit hit? How Collaborative Sourcing delivered a multi-million dollar turnaround.
Case Study 2
How Collaborative SRM Liberated $1.6M in Working Capital for a Mid-Sized Pharma Leader
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL