EASI Procure NFC

An initiative launched by NTUC First Campus (NFC), in support of the Early Childhood Industry Transformation Map (ITM), to boost productivity and manage costs for the preschool sector.

 

Besides nurturing and teaching children, our early childhood educators also need to attend to day-to-day administrative duties, including procurement. A reliable IT system that can support centres in their procurement needs, such as ordering office and food supplies or arranging transport for field trips, would be most useful.

NTUC First Campus (NFC) launched EASI Procure last year to streamline their procurement process to better support the operations of their preschools. With this productivity tool, the preschools are able to devote more quality time to their children.

EASI Procure has been well-received by the centres as it is efficient and easy to use. So far, 160 NFC centres and 100 other preschool centres have adopted the IT solution.

WHAT IS EASI-PROCURE?

EASI Procure is a cloud-based e-procurement software platform that allows operators to order commonly used items for preschool operations. Supported by the Education Services Union and NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), EASI Procure offers a one-stop solution for preschool operators to simplify routine tasks. Through the system, operators can purchase food supplies, ranging from rice and milk powder to infant care items and stationery products. They can also arrange for transport such as bus services for preschool field trips and excursions. Centres can also schedule maintenance of amenities and facilities such as air-conditioners, pantry equipment and pest control, among others.

 

4 WAYS EASI-PROCURE CAN SAVE TIME AND MANAGE COSTS

1. Assurance of good price and quality without the need to manage suppliers and multiple quotations.

   Suppliers on EASI Procure are curated by NFC to ensure that they provide quality goods and services at a competitive price.

   “MY World Preschool Ltd has subscribed to EASI Procure as it is a web-based system that allows access anytime anywhere. The vendors are also carefully selected through tender and subject to quality evaluation. This gives us the assurance of quality and savings,” - Adeline Ng, Purchasing Manager, Metropolitan YMCA Singapore




2. Faster decision-making processes for routine purchases by using data analytics to track past purchasing trends and improve budgeting processes.

   “The system allows us to save the items that the centre needs in an order template. This is convenient as it eliminates the need to locate the same items for future orders. Overall, the EASI Procure platform makes procurements a breeze for us. We will recommend EASI Procure to other centres,” - Jessica Lim, Director, Star Learners Group.




3. Easier budgeting and expenditure tracking as e-invoices from suppliers are automatically uploaded into back-end accounting systems.

   “The system provides a clear view of the order amount from different vendors, without the need to calculate manually. It also shows a clear description and image of the items, which can minimise the chances of miscommunication between vendors and the Principals.” - Jessica Lim, Director, Star Learners Group.




4. Simple evaluation and feedback system to ensure services delivered met centres’ needs and expectations.

   NFC conducts annual evaluation surveys on suppliers and invites operators to provide feedback in EASI Procure itself. Through this simple feedback system, centres and operators can evaluate suppliers on timeliness of deliveries, quality of products, and responsiveness to feedback and product replacements.

Early Childhood Industry Transformation Map (ITM)

EASI Procure is an initiative which supports the Early Childhood ITM. The ITM includes initiatives that are co-developed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), Association of Early Childhood and Training Services (ASSETS), the unions, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and preschool operators to meet the need for quality manpower in a sustainable manner. The ITM focuses on three key strategies to support the sector’s growth. These include: a) productive processes to improve and simplify operations; b) innovative services to better support parents and children; as well as c) more jobs with a focus on skills to grow and uplift the profession.

 

Other ITM initiatives by the Early Childhood sector to Boost Productivity

SMART Solutions:

• A joint initiative by Association of Early Childhood and Training Services (ASSETS), Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and ECDA.

• SMART Solutions are an integrated package of IT solutions to support the operations and management of preschools by streamlining day-to-day processes and administrative duties for educators (e.g. digitise attendance-taking and parent-teacher communications).

• With the reduction of administrative workload through these productivity tools, preschools and teachers are able to have a better focus on the child’s learning and improve parent-engagement.

 

Demand Aggregation Projects initiated by ASSETS to support productivity in preschools:

• Meal catering service: Provides consistent food quality and healthier food options that meet Health Promotion Board’s standards. Increase productivity through redeployment of manpower and providing economies of scale. Saves time and money for operators.

• Bulk purchasing: A bulk ordering programme for stationary and supplies.

• Preschool Bus Portal: A programme to bus children from different centres together. Matches preschool children’s transportation needs with bus operators servicing within the neighbourhood that the preschools are located.

EASI Procure Early Bird Special

“To assist and encourage the adoption of technology for preschool operators, EASI Procure is offering the WAIVER of the one-time setup fee worth $200 per centre, if operators sign up before 31 Jul 2019”

To find out more about EASI Procure, contact easiusers@ntucfirstcampus.com or 68481273.