AN IRISH firm claims it could help the Government to save up to €1.7 billion every year by improving efficiencies in the public sector. Supply management solution provider Supplierforce says it could help the Government significantly to cut costs in the public sector by transforming procurement.

“We are engaging at senior level with the Government on procurement transformation for the public sector,” explained chief executive of Supplierforce Declan Kearney. “It will only work if the Government at the most senior level – Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan – embrace this.”

The company has had some success in the public sector in the UK, and is planning expansion of its business thanks to a recent influx of funding from Enterprise Ireland and investor Derek Quinlan.

Mr Kearney said the recent establishment of the national operations unit is recognition of the need to transform public sector procurement in Ireland. Supplierforce claims to be Ireland’s only total supply management solutions provider. It recently bought procurement services firm Clearview and has seen a boost to its business, with new blue-chip customers added to the mix, including Royal and SunAlliance, An Post, SEC and the VHI.

The acquisition follows a working relationship between the firms that stretches back about three years. Clearview acted as the strategic procurement domain experts for Supplierforce, helping the firm deliver services to customers. The acquisition was a natural step, which Mr Kearney said was taken with relative ease.

He describes it as “software and services coming together”.

With the focus on reducing costs and increasing efficiencies, other firms are feeling the pinch. However, Supplierforce is confident it can grow this year

Mr Kearney said revenue would cumulatively double in 2009, with evidence of that target already being achieved in the first qurter of the year.

“A business like ours can and will benefit from the downturn, said Mr Kearney. “We’re very optimistic for this year.”