E-procurement portals underpin this model by providing auditready records, spend visibility and contract controls. For finance teams, this supports stronger forecasting, budgetary control and assurance to boards and regulators. THE BOTTOM LINE Dynamic markets, used collaboratively and supported by e-procurement, allow housing providers to stabilise cash flow, protect margins and reinvest savings into homes and services, without sacrificing governance. MANAGING RISK UNDER THE PROCUREMENT ACT 2023 The Act’s remedies regime allows suppliers to seek damages, suspension or contract set-aside where procurement duties are breached. For smaller housing associations, even a single successful challenge can have a disproportionate financial impact. A consortium dynamic market reduces this risk by concentrating complexity into one well-governed process, standardising documentation and evaluation approaches, and reducing the frequency of high-risk full procurements. A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE Consider a group of five SME housing associations procuring repairs and compliance services. Individually, each might run full procurements every four years, rely on interim extensions, and maintain separate governance processes. As a consortium, they could establish a shared dynamic market once, admit suppliers continuously, and run lighttouch minicompetitions as needed. The result is lower cost, improved assurance and stronger market engagement—without sacrificing organisational independence.
and redirect savings into core services, without sacrificing governance or local control.
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HOW WE CAN HELP Altair supports Local Authorities, Charities, Housing providers and other clients at every stage of the procurement journey, combining deep sector expertise with practical delivery. Our procurement and commercial services focus on helping organisations strengthen compliance, improve value for money and embed a commercial mindset that stands up to regulatory and audit scrutiny. We have supported housing associations to design and run compliant procurement strategies, develop and operate DPS style solutions, and transition confidently towards Dynamic Market models under the Procurement Act 2023. This includes work alongside sector partners involved in ongoing Dynamic Market development activity in Scotland, where collaborative and flexible procurement routes are already delivering efficiencies at scale. To help organisations get started, Altair offers a free 30 minute procurement and commercial clinic , providing an opportunity to discuss current procurement processes, compliance challenges, explore options such as Dynamic Markets or consortium approaches, and identify practical next steps with no obligation.
A Strategic Opportunity for the Sector
The Procurement Act 2023 was designed to simplify procurement while increasing accountability. Its real potential lies in how flexibly it can be applied. Dynamic markets, supported by e-procurement and used collaboratively, offer SME housing associations a route to achieve economies of scale without loss of control, reduce procurement and legal costs, improve cashflow predictability, and demonstrate value for money more convincingly. Dynamic markets, supported by e-procurement and used collaboratively, offer SME housing associations a route to protect margins, stabilise cash flow
Written by Kevin Harding, Head of Procurement
kevin.harding @altairltd.co.uk
APRIL 2026 | ISSUE #2
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