Opening up compliant procurement to local SMEs

How Matrix Milestone and Keele University created a more inclusive, outcome-based procurement model for project delivery 

The client

Keele University partnered with Matrix Milestone to create a more accessible, compliant and outcome-focused route to market for project delivery across estates, technology and specialist services. 

Together, the partnership has shown how public sector procurement can support both robust governance and wider supplier access. By moving away from paperwork-heavy processes and creating a more open, auditable framework, Keele University has been able to engage a broader range of local SMEs, microbusinesses and community-rooted suppliers, while maintaining the compliance and transparency required in a public sector environment. 

The partnership has now onboarded more than 80 local SMEs and supported the delivery of over 100 projects, helping Keele University access specialist capability while strengthening supply chain diversity and local economic impact. 

The impact of the partnership has also been recognised externally, with Matrix Milestone and Keele University high commended at the GO Awards in the Supply Chain Diversity category.

The challenge

Like many public sector and higher education organisations, Keele University needed a procurement model that could support a wide range of project requirements while maintaining compliance, value and transparency. 

Traditional procurement processes can often be difficult for smaller suppliers to navigate. For SMEs, microbusinesses, voluntary organisations and community-based providers, the administrative burden, framework complexity and perceived barriers to entry can prevent capable suppliers from competing for opportunities. 

For Keele University, the challenge was to create a route to market that could: 

• Improve access for local and specialist suppliers  

• Maintain a compliant and auditable procurement process  

• Support outcome-based project delivery  

• Increase supplier diversity without increasing risk  

• Deliver projects efficiently across a range of service areas 

• Scalability to support more service areas over time 

• Strengthen social value through local economic participation  

The goal was not simply to broaden the supply chain, it was to build a procurement model that made inclusion practical, structured and compliant, and one that could scale with the university’s unique needs. 

Our solution

Through Matrix Milestone, Keele University adopted an outcome-based procurement model designed to make it easier for suppliers to participate while giving the university the governance, visibility and control it needed. 

The framework created an open-access route for suppliers, enabling local SMEs and specialist providers to engage with project opportunities through a more accessible and structured process. 

Rather than relying on traditional input-based procurement, Matrix Milestone supports projects through clearly defined outcomes. This helps Keele University focus on what needs to be delivered, while giving suppliers the opportunity to demonstrate capability, value and local expertise. 

The model has helped to reduce paperwork-heavy barriers, support compliant supplier onboarding and create a more transparent way to procure project-based services across areas including estates, technology and specialist delivery. 
 

The impact

The partnership between Matrix Milestone and Keele University has delivered measurable impact across procurement, supplier diversity and project delivery. 

Key outcomes include: 

• 80+ local SMEs onboarded through a more accessible and compliant route to market  

• 100+ projects delivered across estates, technology and specialist services  

• Improved access for smaller, local and community-rooted suppliers  

• Stronger alignment between procurement compliance and social value  

• Greater visibility and auditability across project-based spend  

• A more outcome-focused approach to project delivery  

• Highly commended at GO Awards for Supply Chain Diversity  

By opening up access to a more diverse supplier base, Keele University has been able to support local economic participation while maintaining the standards expected of public sector procurement. 

Why it matters

Inclusive procurement is not simply about adding more suppliers to a framework. It is about creating fairer access to opportunity, improving resilience in the supply chain and enabling public sector organisations to work with suppliers that reflect the communities they serve. 

For Matrix Milestone and Keele University, the partnership proves that compliance and inclusion do not need to sit in opposition. With the right structure, public sector procurement can be both rigorous and accessible. 

The result is a model that helps smaller businesses compete, supports social value outcomes and gives buyers a compliant, auditable way to deliver projects through outcomes. 

Shaun Toner, Head of Business Development for Matrix Milestone shared, “What we’ve built with Keele is a genuine reimagining of who gets a seat at the table. Too many capable, community-rooted businesses have historically been locked out not because of what they can deliver, but because of how procurement was designed. This partnership has changed that. Together, we have created real and structured routes for local SMEs to participate, grow and thrive.” 

The partnership between Matrix Milestone and Keele University demonstrates what is possible when procurement is designed around access, outcomes and accountability. 

By creating a model that supports compliant project delivery while opening up opportunities for smaller and local suppliers, Matrix Milestone is helping public sector organisations build supply chains that are more inclusive, more resilient and better connected to the communities they serve. 

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