Single-site procurement is mostly about price. Multi-site procurement is about operations, consolidated billing, single account management, and frameworks that can absorb new sites without renegotiation.
Here's the playbook our procurement desk runs for portfolios of 10+ sites.
Step 1: consolidate the data
Pull every MPAN, MPRN, supplier and contract end date into one schedule. Most clients underestimate the complexity of their portfolio until they see it on a spreadsheet, sites missed during acquisitions, deemed rates that never got switched, exit fees that weren't flagged.
Step 2: framework, not piecemeal
Negotiate one master framework contract with each supplier and add sites to it as their existing contracts expire. Same unit rate, same standing charge, same T&Cs across the portfolio.
This avoids the death-by-renewal scenario where you're managing 47 different contract end dates across 12 different suppliers.
Step 3: consolidated billing
Push for one consolidated invoice per supplier per month, with per-site cost allocation. Most major UK suppliers will agree for portfolios over 10 sites.
This single change typically saves 5-10 hours of finance team admin per month.
Step 4: dedicated account management
Insist on a named account manager and an SLA on response times. Portfolios over 20 sites should expect monthly portfolio reviews and quarterly market briefings.
Sarah Whitfield
Procurement Director
Part of the Scottish Prime Energy procurement team, 500,000+ UK businesses switched, £150M+ saved.