Procurement

Our procurement team places thousands of contracts each year on behalf of hundreds of clients in all sectors. We have a proven track record in outperforming utility markets for clients.

100% independent, we always tender out to the whole market, ranging from all the big suppliers to smaller trusted providers, and we always work on a like-for-like basis: commission rates are the same. At all times we work to reduce costs, remove uncertainty, eliminate risk and optimise supplies by negotiating, preparing and recommending the optimum contracts.

In fact, we have more experience in the buying marketplace than any other similar provider, for fixed, flex and basket contracts. With all negotiations, processes and documentation open and transparent, three factors make us different:

• We work harder to understand your environment and then tailor supply contracts accordingly: cost, duration, risk strategy and more.
• We are one step ahead of the competition in market intelligence and tender documents; we only using clean validated data from independent sources.
• Maintaining our independence and market objectivity, we are also supplier-friendly: suppliers value our professionalism and want to work with us.

Our consulting approach means we can see the bigger picture in terms of markets, pricing and net zero while simultaneously focusing on your specific  requirements. This includes taking a detailed look at your energy and water portfolio, and your operational and financial objectives.

International capability

We have cross-border expertise to procure, manage and optimise utilities. No other provider has more experience and know-how working with the quirks of multiple  markets and suppliers. Uniquely, we can ‘roll up’ individual national services and solutions in any combination.

When to buy and when not to buy? Our consulting approach means we can confidently advise in-house purchasing and operations teams, helping to define and deliver the most effective buying strategies for a business and its changing requirements.

This can range from advising on the timing of purchase for fixed procurement and ensuring all contracts are accepted and countersigned at the right time, to strategic and tactical flex buying as part of a wider approach to utility management and costs.

We proactively track wholesale markets to advise on the right time to purchase, so you can profit from beneficial changes while minimising risk.

Businesses are facing spiralling energy costs, while also trying to achieve their sustainability goals. A Corporate PPA (CPPA) might be a viable option for some large companies, however, the vast majority lack the volume and ‘investment grade’ credit required to access these types of products. The Consultus Buying Club offers a unique solution to this dilemma…

The Consultus Buying Club (CBC) provides flexible energy procurement to smaller mid-market companies. It works by aggregating the volume of a group of companies with similar approaches to energy purchasing under one portfolio, allowing members to benefit from:

• Economies of scale
• Ongoing market changes and flexible pricing
• More agile purchasing and lower costs with no cross-subsidy
• Access to bespoke risk strategies
• Optimised procurement by an industry leader

Why join?

As an award-winning consultancy, Consultus has a proven track record of outperforming the market minimums for over a decade. Based on our longstanding relationships with suppliers and transparent ‘open book’ approach with clients, we can negotiate the best terms available and provide unbiased and transparent recommendations.

• Avoid being tied to inflexible and potentially costly fixed-price energy contracts
• Designed specifically for mid-market energy users wishing to buy energy in a more sustainable way but don’t have access to a CPPA
• Robust risk management strategies supported by up-to-the-minute market intelligence
• Members have access to transaction reports, daily market updates and monthly position reports via their bespoke myEnergy client portal
• Bill validation included at no added cost to ensure members are always charged accurately by a supplier
• Enjoy a consistent billed rate throughout the year, followed by an annual reconciliation based on market performance

Consistency in energy costs

Buying club members have a choice of purchasing approach, dependent on their need for budget certainty and risk appetite. This gives members total control of their energy purchasing:

Budget Guard

This provides price certainty while enabling you to take advantage of any downward market movement. Budget Guard sets a maximum commodity price at the outset of trading, above which the price will never exceed – subject to market volatility – providing budget certainty and peace of mind.

Market Tracker

Our best performing strategy versus the market minimum, Market Tracker covers a member’s energy needs in a rising market, protecting them from further rises.

When the market falls, Market Tracker seeks to take full advantage by allowing you to re-enter the market.

Both strategies have proven to be hugely successful in recent years providing an average annual saving of 46% versus the market between April 2020 and March 2023.

Click here for a detailed report

Simplifying complexity and protecting clients from market volatility, our fixed price energy options bring total certainty throughout the lifespan of an energy contract: organisations can better understand and control budgets with more accurate forecasting of expenditure.

Contracts can be fully fixed for up to five years ahead and reviewed up to 12 months in advance of the contract end date – giving absolute certainty over costs for the agreement’s duration.

Flexible procurement: fully managed buying

If you want more freedom and choice in your buying, our flexible procurement options are a way to take advantage of changing market conditions and fluctuating prices while spreading the risks associated with buying over multiple purchase points. Our negotiating team takes care of the complexity while you retain complete control over more flexible purchasing, capitalising on upward and downward market trends to optimise and reduce costs.

Basket contracts: bulk buying power

Our fully managed approach to consortium and group purchasing, for non-financially linked companies, means every organisation can now benefit from economies of scale and optimised pricing in business electricity, gas and water – driving more flexible purchasing, reduced risk and lower costs.

Aggregating volumes and guaranteeing no cross-subsidies, our approach delivers measurable financial benefits year after year, saving our clients the time, effort and resources required to seek out the right contracts.

Our market intelligence, procurement and risk teams constantly monitor and track utility markets, prices and products. We have a deep understanding of market trends and direction of travel at all times, in terms of the risks and  opportunities. This means we can advise you on the best course of action to meet your specific demands.

These insights are particularly useful for organisations that require a fully managed service and do not have specialised buying expertise in-house but nevertheless want to access the best value support contracts.

We are proud to set the benchmark for an open, ethical and transparent approach to procuring business electricity, gas, water and net zero services.

While many Third Party Intermediaries are trustworthy, bad practices such as fee stacking, re-quoting and ‘double dipping’ have been reported regularly, and not all suppliers audit the brokers they partner with.

A pioneer in deregulated utility markets, we have built a reputation for openness, honesty, trusted market intelligence and ethical practices – an approach that has resulted in client retention levels of more than 97 percent. Suppliers regularly say our fees are among the lowest they see, our charges are transparent, and our hedging performance is market-leading.

Consultus Code of Practice

Willing to go further than most providers, we have formalised a Code of Practice that gives current and prospective clients assurances around our working practices, systems, staff and training. Taken in conjunction with our values, processes and operating model, the code confirms:

• We are not an agent of any supplier but a wholly independent company that works with all major suppliers on behalf of our clients and prospects
• We operate an open book policy as a core ethos: a fully transparent pricing and payment arrangement between our clients and suppliers
• We ensure consistent interactions with all suppliers across the board: we do not have ‘favourites’, we do not have preferred suppliers or operate any preferential terms
• We do not operate any private commercial arrangements with any suppliers and always encourage our clients and prospects to contact suppliers should they wish to confirm this policy or clarify that fees are as stated
• We do not enter into any confidentiality agreements with any suppliers – such agreements between brokers and suppliers should flag a concern
• We apply the same rules and fees to all, providing client and prospects with a balanced and realistic assessment of costs.

We believe our approaches and Code of Practice should be adopted industry-wide.