Education Buying

St Bartholomew’s CE Multi Academy Trust's Energy Contract

Overview:

St Bartholomew’s CE Multi Academy Trust approached Education Buying (part of 2buy2) to streamline their energy procurement processes. With the responsibility of managing their energy contract, transitioning from Local Authorities to the Trust, the goal was to bring all contracts under one supplier, ensuring operational efficiency and cost savings.

Objective:

The Trust’s primary aim was to consolidate multiple energy contracts across their sites into a unified agreement. This alignment was essential to simplify management, achieve better pricing and enhance financial forecasting capabilities.

The Challenge

Misaligned contract end dates

Some contracts had longer terms than others, making alignment difficult.

Data retrieval issues

Collecting information from LAs and suppliers proved complex due to varying authorised contacts at each supplier and school.

Diverse supplier arrangements

Managing the details of multiple contracts required significant time and coordination.

Our Solutions

Data consolidation

Collated all the Trust’s site and meter information, current suppliers, annual consumption data, and contract end dates into a single, comprehensive document.

Tracking variables

Provided the Trust with a tool to manage and monitor different variables, ensuring clarity and transparency.

Contract alignment

Developed a strategy to align contract end dates, streamlining future energy procurement and simplifying the renewal process.

The Results

The collaboration delivered significant benefits for St Bartholomew’s CE Multi Academy Trust:

• Cost savings: Secured new energy contracts for eight meters due to expire in 2024/early 2025, resulting in annual savings of approximately £11,800.
• Operational efficiency: Aligned the contract end dates of these meters to match the Trust’s existing longer contracts, with a unified end date in 2027.
• Supplier selection: Awarded the eight new energy contracts to Pozitive Energy, ensuring competitive pricing and reliable service.

The Impact & Benefits

The savings of £11,800 per annum have provided the Trust with additional funds to allocate toward educational initiatives and enhancing facilities for the children. By simplifying the energy procurement process, the Trust’s administrative burden has been significantly reduced, allowing staff to focus on strategic planning and other priorities. The unified contract end date also ensures greater predictability in financial planning, offering long-term stability and peace of mind.

“Working with 2buy2 Energy and Education Buying has been a game-changer for our energy procurement process. Their expertise and thorough approach made a challenging task manageable. The alignment of our contracts and the cost savings achieved have been invaluable. We are delighted with our new contracts with Pozitive Energy and highly appreciate the support provided throughout the process.” Christopher Dryer - Director of Finance & Operations.

Education Buying’s and 2buy2 Energy’s proactive and collaborative approach enabled St Bartholomew’s CE Multi Academy Trust to overcome significant hurdles, resulting in measurable cost savings and streamlined energy management. This case study highlights the value of tailored procurement solutions in achieving operational efficiency and financial benefits for educational establishments.