The awards, which are organised by Kelly’s Directories in association with CIPS, are sponsored by Visa Purchasing and supported by Supply Management, Infobank and the Confederation of British Industry-led best-practice campaign Fit for the Future.

The new categories for this year are retail, financial services, smaller businesses and construction.

The judges will be looking for, among other things, how purchasing and supply has contributed towards competitive advantage, improved customer satisfaction and developed effective supplier relationships.

John Needell, a Kelly’s Awards judge and supply manager at last year’s overall winner, BOC Gases, said he is looking for innovative supply chain projects that are part of wider business plans and issues.

BOC Gases won the award for its restructured fleet management operations. The firm, which spent around £50 million a year on its fleet, analysed its processes for the supply of vehicles, tyres and diesel. It then cut its supplier base from 100 to fewer than 20 in two years.

BOC has continued to refine its supply chain since winning last year. “We have achieved a 20 per cent discount from vehicle excise duty by having CAT exhaust systems fitted to our fleet,” said Needell. “We used a BOC annual forecast to brief our vehicle suppliers to achieve a 2 per cent rebate on each truck.”

The firm’s spares contract has also been extended to cover goods from third-party service providers and second-tier suppliers, said Needell. He expects the introduction of a bar-coding system for spare parts to reduce BOC’s, and its suppliers’, administrative tasks.

And service companies including emergency repair charges on a single invoice to BOC will allow for these fees to be incorporated into the firm’s new costing system.

Winning last year “raised the profile of BOC’s supply management internally and externally”, added Needell.

The 10 category winners and overall winner of this year’s awards will be presented with their trophies at a black-tie dinner at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on 1 November.

The Kelly’s Awards shortlist

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS AGENCIES

NHS Purchasing & Supply Agency (4 entries), Salford Royal Hospital NHS Trust

CONSTRUCTION

Coflexip Stena Offshore, Crown House Engineering, Drake & Scull Technical Services, Kvaerner Construction UK Building, PJ Walls

EDUCATION

Anglia Polytechnic University, The Robert Gordon University, University of Derby, University of Wales College of Medicine

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Barclays Bank, Capital One, National Savings, Royal & SunAlliance

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Authorities’ Buying Consortium, Belfast City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation, Northumberland Suppliers

MANUFACTURING

Aventis Pharma, BAe Systems, Bass Brewers, BOC Gases, Caterpillar (UK), Oleo International

RETAIL

Debenhams - food services division, Homebase, Londis, Matalan Retail

SERVICES

Banner Business Supplies, Eldis, Independent Manufacturers’ Alliance, Partners in Purchasing

SMALLER BUSINESSES

Chapman’s Farm Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, Davis Schottlander and Davis, Frederick Woolley, Spraybake, Wellington Welding Supplies

UTILITIES

Anglian Water Services, BT Northern Ireland, BT (2 entries), Yorkshire Electricity Group