How August Consulting helps aged care and healthcare providers unlock value
Procurement in aged care, healthcare, and community services is evolving – from a focus on transactional buying to strategic value creation. An expert in the field, August Consulting is helping its clients turn procurement insights into measurable impact.
Founded and led by managing director Tracey Shearer, August Consulting works with health providers across the country to improve procurement effectiveness, reduce unnecessary spend, and build smarter, more agile supply chains.
“In many organisations, procurement is still seen as a back-office function,” says Shearer. “We’re helping clients reframe it as a lever for business performance – one that supports service delivery, compliance, and cost sustainability.”
Getting go-to-market right
One of key success factors for any form of procurement is setting up for success before going to market. Too often, organisations rush to tender without defining what they actually need. “The biggest missed opportunity is failing to define success upfront,” notes Shearer. “We work with clients to clarify business needs, engage stakeholders, and ensure they’re not just following process – but solving real problems.”
“We help our clients align their internal expectations, build robust evaluation criteria, and engage early with the market, which enables them see stronger outcomes and avoid costly missteps.”
Making smarter choices
Another key insight from August Consulting’s work with clients across healthcare is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. In some cases, a formal market process is essential. In others, direct negotiation delivers faster – and better – results.
“It’s about choosing the right tool for the job,” explains Shearer. “If you’re buying something highly commoditised, going to market makes sense. But if you’re renewing a complex, high-performing supplier arrangement, negotiation might be the smarter path.”
August Consulting’s decision framework helps organisations weigh commercial risk, market maturity, urgency, and relationship value – ensuring procurement decisions support long-term outcomes.
The hidden cost of poor contract management
With an extensive track record in contract management, Shearer says that the firm’s experience reveals that value in the area is often lost not at the point of contract award – but after.
“We see too many organisations put in the work to secure a great deal, only to let it erode through lack of ownership, visibility or poor implementation” says Shearer. “Strong contract management is not about micromanagement – it is about making sure you’re getting the value secured.”
The firm advocates for structured reviews, accountability, and better use of data to prevent leakage and ensure supplier performance is monitored and optimised.
Real outcomes, real impact
This approach has helped August Consulting deliver impressive results and achieve award-winning status. In one engagement with a large private healthcare provider, the consultancy identified over $5 million in procurement savings across categories such as clinical consumables, capital, and pharmacy.
“We’re not just writing reports – we’re on the ground with clients helping them implement change,” says Shearer. “Our goal is to leave them in a better position than we found them: more confident, more capable, and more in control.”
“With our sector experience and a commitment to practical, insight-led approach, at August Consulting, we are helping Australian organisations rethink procurement as a driver of value – not just cost. Whether it’s aged care, healthcare or education, the challenges are the same – limited resources, growing expectations, and the need to do more with less. That’s where good procurement makes all the difference,” concludes Shearer.
