What if there were no such thing as a “perfect moment” to launch a VMS project, only the right methodology?
That is the conviction shared by Pierre-Yves Kapfer, IT & Engineering Global Category Manager at Equans, during a webinar held in partnership with the Conseil National des Achats and hosted by Quentin Saint-Maxent, Head of Sales at Eleven VMS.
This testimonial builds on the transformation journey already undertaken by Equans, previously shared in an Eleven Story dedicated to structuring and securing Professional Services Procurement.
A real-world experience from a large international group for which procurement digitalization has become a direct lever for performance, governance, and value creation.
A context of transformation and strong ambition
With €19 billion in revenue, nearly 100,000 employees worldwide, and €12 billion in procurement spend, Equans naturally places the Procurement function at the heart of its strategy. Following its integration into the Bouygues Group, expectations are clear: structure, secure, and improve profitability, particularly across high-impact categories such as IT professional services.
Procurement is clearly being challenged by top management to deliver additional margin gains.
In this context, a structuring question emerges: how can such a strategic, heterogeneous, and risk-exposed category be managed without adding organizational complexity?
To align its procurement strategy with operational reality, Equans implemented a structured and digitalized framework. The adoption of a VMS made it possible to turn strategic objectives into concrete actions: processes are secured, rules are automated, and business teams regain autonomy while maintaining a high level of control and performance.
VMS and procurement maturity: moving beyond the false debate
Equans’ return of experience made it possible to contrast two common situations faced by Procurement departments:
Organizations that are already mature, with an approved vendor panel and a clear procurement strategy;
Others that are less structured, with limited visibility over spend, practices, and profiles.
The shared conclusion is clear: regardless of an organization’s level of maturity, a VMS acts as an accelerator for structure, governance, and performance.
In a scenario where procurement maturity is already high
The VMS acts as a centralization and governance tool for the procurement strategy, enabling in particular:
The systematic application of negotiated rate cards with suppliers, ensuring consistency of practices and effective cost control;
The direct application of supplier rankings at the operational level, translating framework agreements into everyday operational reflexes;
End-to-end traceability, from the initial expression of need through to mission renewal, ensuring transparency and securing processes.
The VMS further enhances performance by strengthening compliance with procurement rules and strategy.
When procurement maturity is still developing
The VMS becomes a structuring tool, capable of quickly generating actionable insights by delivering:
A detailed and consolidated analysis of spend, going beyond total amounts to understand actual usage patterns;
A precise typology of profiles, assignments, and expertise mobilized, making needs more objective and easier to structure;
A clear view of daily rates, engagement models (time and materials vs. fixed price), and real-life practices, which is essential to building a relevant procurement strategy.
Within six to twelve months, organizations gain access to highly valuable, high-quality data that enables them to build a relevant and effective procurement strategy.
Business autonomy, a secure framework: a new balance
One of the most significant benefits of the VMS project at Equans lies in the evolution of the relationship between Procurement and operational teams.
By leveraging the VMS, business teams are now able to initiate and structure their needs independently, while benefiting from full visibility into process progress. This transparency allows them to track each step without relying on informal follow-ups, and to actively participate in supplier selection within a framework clearly defined by Procurement.
Operational teams regain control through guided autonomy, while buyers free up time to focus on higher value-added activities.
Reduced administrative workload for business teams
Full transparency across approvals and decision-making
Stronger adoption of procurement rules
Sustainable alignment between performance and compliance
The Equans and Eleven VMS approach: rapid deployment, immediate ROI, a clear trajectory forward
At Equans, the expansion of the VMS scope was approached as a results-driven project. In just two months, the solution was brought into production across a strategic perimeter, supported by a clear upfront vision, strong sponsorship up to COMEX and C-level leadership, early data preparation, and close support from the Eleven VMS teams.
No overruns, neither in timelines nor in costs. The announced cost was the final invoiced cost.
This controlled execution quickly dispelled any remaining hesitation. The investment is under control, deployment is fast, and a short-term return on investment is clearly achievable.
These are low-risk projects with a very high impact. We would not go back.
At Equans, the VMS was used as a structuring foundation for an ambitious expansion roadmap: onboarding new service categories, rolling out fixed-price projects, expanding internationally, and further integrating AI to continue turning procurement into a lever for sustainable performance.
