Three Commercial Excellence projects from three individual firms have been chosen as finalists for the 2017 MCA Awards. This project demonstrates work that helps clients to improve their value – either directly in their supply chain, through excellence in procurement and supplier management or in creating new commercial models and/or new business strategies.
The winners will be announced at the MCA Awards Ceremony & Dinner, held at the Park Plaza Westminster on 27 April 2017. All MCA awards are judged by an independent expert panel of judges who have experience of working in the public and private sectors, universities, consultancy or journalism.
The summaries of all the finalists can be found below:
Arcadis with National Grid Property 
National Grid Property (NGP) (a subsidiary of National Grid plc) specialises in managing and disposing of the company’s surplus UK property portfolio.
Arcadis was appointed by NGP to deliver a second generation outsource contract which meets the future real estate and facilities management services required by NGP. Working collaboratively with NGP, Arcadis designed and implemented a best in class procurement event, with a scope of services and unique commercial model which fully aligns with NGP’s requirements and incentivises the supply chain. NGP have now successfully mobilised a new provider that is delivering a step change in performance.
Atkins with Highways England
In April 2015 Highways England took responsibility for the country’s Strategic Road Network. This new organisation, which replaced the Highways Agency, is tasked with delivering £15 billion of improvements over five years – four times previous funding levels.
To ensure the benefits of the investment were fully realised, Highways England wanted to establish greater direct control over its assets and strengthen its relationships with suppliers. Atkins worked in partnership with Highways England in the East Midlands – that is, ‘Area 7’ – to enable the transformation, including a new ‘asset delivery’ approach. Following its success, the programme is now being rolled out nationally.
Pearson Ham Consulting with Welcome Break Group Ltd
Determined to deliver ambitious targets of strong business performance and value to customers, Welcome Break (the second largest UK motorway services operator) selected Pearson Ham to help review, redefine and implement a pricing strategy.