In 2024, Tribus Advisory was engaged by a major Australian city council to lead a procurement transformation project aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and strategic alignment across the function. With increasing service delivery pressures and tightening budgets, the council recognised the need for a more agile and standardised approach to procurement operations.

We were tasked with reviewing and redesigning four critical elements of the procurement operating model - team structure, spend authority caps, workflows, and documentation - to build a more consistent and high-performing function, grounded in local government requirements.

Laying the Groundwork for Lasting Change

Our engagement began with a current-state assessment, involving deep consultation across the procurement, legal, finance, and contract management teams. We observed that roles were inconsistently defined, approval pathways were overly complex, and documentation varied widely in quality and format.

Working closely with stakeholders, Tribus Advisory designed a revised procurement operating model that clearly defined roles and responsibilities, introduced risk-based spend caps, and streamlined workflows across procurement categories. We also overhauled the suite of templates and guides to support best practice and ensure alignment with local government legislation.

A Collaborative, Transparent Approach

From day one, our transformation approach was built on transparency and engagement. Internal teams were not only consulted - they were partners in the process. Through regular working sessions, leadership updates, and document co-design, we ensured that the new framework reflected on-the-ground realities and was readily adopted.

We delivered:

• A refreshed team structure aligned to procurement complexity

• Clear, risk-based spend caps with defined escalation protocols

• End-to-end workflow maps covering planning to contract award

• A full set of modernised procurement templates

• Stakeholder training and implementation support

Outcomes That Last

The city council now operates with greater confidence in its procurement processes. Workflows are simpler, approvals are faster, and internal teams have the tools and clarity they need to deliver value to the community.

By partnering with Tribus Advisory, the council didn’t just improve procurement processes - it built a foundation for long-term capability, consistency, and strategic procurement outcomes.

Tribus Advisory understands the unique pressures of local government. Our tailored procurement transformations help councils build compliant, efficient, and future-ready procurement functions - with real, measurable impact.