Procurement Transformation Delivers Approximately 10% in Savings for Capital-backed Waste Management Company

A capital-backed waste management company built through years of acquisitions operated with no centralized procurement function, leaving sourcing decisions fragmented across local sites with no enterprise visibility or leverage.  

CrossCountry Consulting partnered with executive leadership to stand up a new procurement organization and execute targeted category sourcing. The engagement delivered approximately 10% in total annualized savings while building a scalable procurement operating model to support continued acquisition-driven growth. 

The challenge: no centralized procurement function across a fragmented, acquisition-built organization 

The company had grown through years of local acquisitions, leaving it with a highly fragmented and decentralized purchasing model. Supplier relationships and sourcing decisions were managed at individual operation sites with no enterprise-level governance, even for major categories such as transportation and operating supplies. 

With no combined negotiations, sites purchased the same items at different prices and terms, and purchase orders were placed by phone, email, or in person. Leadership had no visibility into third-party spend, contract coverage, or program compliance. The general value of a procurement function was understood, but unquantified. With sponsor expectations rising around cost discipline and scalability, the company needed both procurement capability and near-term supplier savings. 

What CrossCountry delivered 

• Conducted a full enterprise spend assessment 

• Built category-level visibility across supplier and operational data 

• Designed a centralized procurement operating model and governance structure 

• Developed category strategies across top spend areas  

• Executed multi-round RFPs across transport, tire, and MRO categories 

• Negotiated improved payment terms and key commercial commitments 

• Supported the stand up of procurement roles, playbooks, and reporting tools 

• Established policies for purchasing and supplier compliance 

How we built a centralized procurement function through targeted category sourcing 

CrossCountry partnered with executive leadership, finance, and operations to launch a centralized procurement function in four phases: spend baselining, strategy and governance design, category execution, and operating model stand-up.  

Phase 1: Establish spend intelligence and baseline 

The team consolidated fragmented supplier, contract, and operational purchasing data into a single, reliable view of spend by category, supplier, and buying channel. Normalized purchasing data revealed savings opportunities across approximately 60% of total indirect spend and shaped prioritization across the highest-impact categories. 

Phase 2: Build procurement strategy and governance 

CrossCountry Consulting conducted a procurement diagnostic evaluating sourcing maturity, supplier management practices, and organizational readiness. From those findings, the team defined a transformation roadmap and designed core procurement policies, established sourcing processes, and targeted decision rights to move the organization from reactive, site-level buying to a more centralized, strategic model. Category strategies were developed across priority indirect spend areas, addressing incumbent reliance, supplier fragmentation, and pricing visibility gaps. 

Phase 3: Execute strategic sourcing across target categories 

Sourcing execution ran across three primary waves and a set of parallel quick-win initiatives: 

• Transportation and hauling: The team defined more than 50 major hauling routes, ran a multi-round competitive RFP, and negotiated savings that more than doubled initial projections. New pick-up schedules also reduced site-level congestion, wait times, and safety risks. 

• Tires: The team analyzed supplier spend history, identified national and regional alternatives, and executed a competitive RFx that delivered savings and improved pricing transparency. 

• MRO: The team normalized more than 2,000 SKUs and executed a market basket RFP across 300 representative items, delivering savings and establishing a new framework for ongoing category management. 

• Catalyst initiatives: Parallel quick-win efforts spanned aggregate materials, print and mailing, first aid, safety signage, and portable restrooms. 

Throughout all sourcing waves, the team taught client staff repeatable sourcing patterns using structured RFP and negotiation processes they could sustain independently. 

Phase 4: Stand up the procurement operating model 

CrossCountry Consulting supported the stand-up of the incoming procurement team, from role onboarding to advising day-to-day execution during early adoption. The team partnered with the new procurement leadership to finalize the target operating model, including organizational design, role definitions, hiring strategy, and technology requirements. Sourcing playbooks, templates, reporting tools, and category-specific implementation plans were handed off as repeatable assets for the team to own going forward.  

Results:10% in annualized savings and a scalable procurement function 

CrossCountry’s procurement transformation delivered immediate, measurable savings and lasting capability across the organization: 

• Drove approximately 10% in total annualized savings (weighted average across targeted spend) through sourcing, negotiation, and category optimization 

• Achieved 9% in annualized freight savings by more than doubling projected category savings from initial bids 

• Achieved 17% in tire category savings while maintaining service levels 

• Achieved 12% in MRO category savings across more than 2,000 standardized SKUs 

• Reduced supplier duplication and improved purchasing leverage across priority categories spanning approximately 60% of total indirect spend 

• Established a scalable procurement operating model with standardized governance and tools to support continued acquisition integration 

As the company continues to grow through acquisitions and organic expansion, it now has an established procurement foundation to drive disciplined spend management and deliver sustainable value aligned to sponsor objectives. 

Working with a capital-backed company on procurement transformation? 

CrossCountry has deep experience standing up centralized procurement functions for capital-backed companies scaling through acquisition. The team knows how to turn fragmented, site-level purchasing into a governed function that delivers measurable savings fast. 

Connect with our Procurement team to learn how CrossCountry Consulting can help your organization capture category savings and stand up a scalable procurement model built for long-term growth.