Method

With the support of BlueTree Group, Mott Macdonald ensures a cost-efficient and quality book development, procurement and delivery of these new materials.  

BlueTree has conducted a Book Supply Chain assessment of all the stakeholders involved in the book supply chain of Malawi. These stakeholders included the Ministry of Education (MoEST), print suppliers and distribution suppliers. A procurement plan for print and distribution has been developed, with input from the program staff and other stakeholders.  

During the project, several training and workshops have been given. The first training was on book creation and PDF preflight. During the course of the project, it was noticed that some of the files delivered were not ready to print, eventually causing delays in the printing process. The goal of the training was to make the printing process more smooth and more efficient. Workshops were also given to local printers in Malalwi on their bid responses to the RFQ. The printers were debriefed by presenting a gapy analysis of their submitted technical proposal and the RFQ requirements.

BlueTree has developed a procurement plan for print and distribution, which involved the construction of an RFQ for printers and distributors. By implementing international best practices related to paper innovation, the price for the production of the books has decreased by 40%.