White Paper - Global CRE Sourcing Strategies in 2026: Thriving Through Disruption, Tariffs & Opportunities in a Transitioning Market I am pleased to have co-authored the following document with Priyadharshini S of Beroe Inc If anyone wishes to discuss with me directly please get in touch

This week, I had the pleasure of delivering the first session of my new 'Innovation and Future Trends in Facilities Management' course in partnership with Quadrilect (www.quadrilect.com)

Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs), known as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the USA, were used extensively in the UK from the late 1990s until their abolition in 2018 to finance infrastructure such as schools and hospitals. These long-term contracts (typically 25-30 years) encompassed design, build, and operate phases. While PFIs enabled capital investment in the public sector without immediate government funding, they have faced issues with high interest costs and inadequate focus on operational delivery beyond initial construction. THE CASE FOR REVISITING PFI With continued pressure on government borrowing, PFIs merit reconsideration for several reasons: - Enabling projects that would otherwise remain unfunded and simply not happen - Minimising the impact on government borrowing - Transferring risk to the private sector - Government policy objectives can be built into specifications (a secondary benefit) HOW CAN WE MAKE PFIs WORK FOR THE FUTURE After 33 years of experience wit

Why SMEs Matter Including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in your supply chain can deliver significant advantages: diversity, innovation, alignment with CSR / ESG goals, and potentially better value through lower operational overheads. Social enterprises within the SME sector can also strengthen your ESG credentials However, successful SME integration requires careful consideration based on your organisation's specific needs and the services being sourced Core Evaluation Criteria Whether dealing with SMEs or large suppliers, buyers should always assess four core capabilities: Value - Pricing that reflects true cost-effectiveness Quality - Consistent delivery standards that meet your requirements Assurance - The ability to operate safely, legally, and compliantly Reliability - Service delivery when and where needed The key is supplier confidence: can the supplier consistently deliver the right service at the right price? What SMEs Want Remember that successful partnerships are recip

In procurement, few elements are as critical—or as frequently mishandled—as the specification. Despite its pivotal role in determining contract success, specification development often falls victim to shortcuts and assumptions that undermine the entire process. Common Specification Pitfalls 1. A copy and paste mentality Existing specifications are recycled with only superficial changes—names and locations updated while fundamental requirements remain misaligned with actual needs. 2. Inexperienced developers Junior or inexperienced staff are tasked with specification writing without adequate support. While involving them in the process has huge developmental value, expecting them to capture complex organisational needs and nuances sets both them and the client up for failure. Also, don’t think that AI can write the spec for you – it can’t grasp the subtleties and details that make the difference in a people focused service (yet!) 3. ‘One-size-fits-all’ thinking Success stories from othe