Energy Procurement and Contract Strategy Training Course

Duration 10 days 19 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Procurement Managers, Category Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-P-119

Before you join: Participants should have practical experience in procurement, contract management, facilities, finance, energy management or a related commercial role.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Energy procurement sits at the intersection of volatile commodity markets, operational demand, regulation, sustainability commitments and major cost exposure. Buyers must secure reliable electricity, gas and fuel supplies while controlling budget risk, meeting governance requirements and avoiding contractual positions that create hidden liabilities. Decisions on fixed, indexed, blended and renewable supply arrangements can affect operating margins, capital plans and service continuity for years.

This course develops the commercial and analytical skills required to plan, source, negotiate and manage energy supply contracts. Participants examine energy market fundamentals; demand and load-profile analysis; spend segmentation; price-risk management; sourcing strategy; tender design; supplier evaluation; contract clauses; renewable procurement; and supplier performance management. They apply tools including total cost of ownership, the Kraljic Portfolio Matrix, ISO 50001 concepts and power purchase agreement structures to practical procurement decisions.

Teaching combines focused briefings with sector-based cases from manufacturing, banking, public services, transport, property and extractives. Participants work with consumption data, price scenarios, tender responses and contract extracts, then discuss decisions with peers and receive instructor feedback. Throughout the course, each participant develops an energy procurement strategy pack for a realistic organisational requirement, including a demand baseline, risk position, sourcing route, evaluation model, negotiation plan and contract-management approach.

The course is suited to procurement and supply professionals who buy or manage energy, facilities leaders responsible for utility expenditure, finance staff involved in budget risk, and sustainability professionals contributing to renewable-energy commitments. It is particularly valuable where energy contracts are large, decentralised, due for renewal or subject to heightened price volatility.

What you will be able to do

  • Analyse energy consumption, load profiles and spend data to establish a sourcing baseline
  • Segment energy categories using the Kraljic Portfolio Matrix and supply-market evidence
  • Model fixed, indexed and blended energy-price exposures using scenario analysis
  • Develop an energy sourcing strategy aligned to demand, risk appetite and sustainability targets
  • Design energy tenders, supplier scorecards and total cost of ownership evaluations
  • Negotiate energy contract clauses covering pricing, volume, flexibility and change control
  • Assess renewable procurement options including certificates, green tariffs and power purchase agreements
  • Produce and present a complete energy procurement strategy and contract-management plan

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Make defensible recommendations on energy buying routes and contract structures
  • Explain price-risk trade-offs clearly to finance, operations and senior management
  • Build stronger tender documents for electricity, gas, fuel and renewable supply
  • Identify contract clauses that affect cost exposure, flexibility and service continuity
  • Develop a portfolio-ready energy procurement strategy pack for workplace use

For your organisation

  • Improved control of energy spend through clearer demand and price-risk analysis
  • More competitive supplier awards supported by transparent evaluation criteria
  • Reduced exposure to unsuitable volume commitments, index formulas and pass-through charges
  • Better alignment between energy contracts, decarbonisation targets and operational needs
  • Stronger supplier governance through measurable service levels and contract-management routines

Course modules

19 modules over 10 days

Participants can define the energy procurement scope, stakeholders and commercial priorities for a sourcing requirement.

  • Energy spend taxonomy separating electricity, gas, fuels, steam, and renewable certificates
  • Stakeholder mapping for procurement, operations, finance, legal, sustainability, and facilities
  • Cost, resilience, carbon, and compliance objectives translated into sourcing requirements
  • Procurement operating models: centralised, decentralised, hybrid, and managed-service arrangements
  • Energy category boundaries between supply, network charges, metering, and demand services
  • Category charter defining scope, decision rights, objectives, milestones, and governance

Participants can interpret the market factors that influence energy prices and supplier offers.

  • Wholesale market participants: generators, retailers, traders, networks, and large consumers
  • Merit-order pricing and marginal generation effects on electricity market prices
  • Gas market fundamentals: hubs, storage, liquefaction, transport, and balancing
  • Fuel price drivers including crude benchmarks, refining margins, freight, and taxes
  • Weather, outages, geopolitical events, and policy changes affecting energy markets
  • Forward curves, spot prices, basis risk, and market liquidity explained

Participants can create a reliable demand baseline from energy consumption and operational data.

  • Interval-meter data cleaned, validated, and reconciled against supplier invoices
  • Load-profile analysis identifying baseload, peak demand, seasonality, and anomalies
  • Consumption drivers linked to production volumes, occupancy, weather, and operating hours
  • Energy intensity metrics calculated per unit, site, employee, or revenue
  • Forecast assumptions documented for planned assets, closures, efficiency, and growth
  • Demand baseline separating controllable consumption from contracted supply obligations

Participants can distinguish energy cost components and identify priority savings opportunities.

  • Invoice decomposition into commodity, capacity, network, tax, balancing, and service charges
  • Total cost of ownership comparing quoted rates and non-commodity cost exposure
  • Spend cube analysis by commodity, site, supplier, tariff, and contract term
  • Demand charges and power-factor penalties assessed from billing and metering records
  • Cost-to-serve differences between high-load-factor and intermittent consumption profiles
  • Should-cost models built from consumption forecasts, tariffs, and index assumptions

Participants can formulate a category strategy using supply-market evidence and business priorities.

  • Kraljic Portfolio Matrix positioning electricity, gas, fuels, and renewable attributes
  • Supplier market mapping by ownership, geographic coverage, capability, and credit strength
  • Porter's Five Forces applied to regulated and competitive energy markets
  • PESTLE analysis identifying policy, carbon, infrastructure, and technology influences
  • Make-buy decisions for self-generation, storage, aggregation, and retail supply
  • Category strategy choices linked to risk appetite and procurement objectives

Participants can assess energy price exposure and select risk-management responses.

  • Fixed-price, indexed-price, and blended contracts compared under market scenarios
  • Volume risk measured against forecast error, minimum commitments, and take-or-pay clauses
  • Scenario analysis testing budget outcomes under price, demand, and currency movements
  • Hedging ladders scheduling staged purchases across defined future delivery periods
  • Value-at-risk concepts applied to energy budget exposure and risk limits
  • Risk register assigning owners, triggers, controls, and escalation thresholds

Participants can select and plan an appropriate sourcing route for energy requirements.

  • Competitive tendering, reverse auctions, bilateral negotiation, and framework call-offs compared
  • Sourcing route selected using spend value, urgency, market liquidity, and complexity
  • Procurement timetable aligned with contract expiry, hedge windows, and approvals
  • Lotting strategy separating sites, commodities, terms, and renewable requirements
  • Prequalification criteria covering licences, credit, technical capability, and service capacity
  • Market engagement plan testing supplier interest before formal tender release

Participants can prepare tender documentation that produces comparable and actionable supplier bids.

  • Statement of requirements specifying volumes, sites, meters, services, and term
  • Pricing schedules separating commodity rates, indexation, fees, and pass-through charges
  • Bid instructions controlling assumptions, exceptions, validity, and clarification procedures
  • Supplier questionnaire assessing financial health, regulatory status, and operational capability
  • Service-level requirements covering billing accuracy, data delivery, and incident response
  • Tender governance documenting conflicts, approvals, audit trail, and confidentiality

Participants can evaluate energy proposals using weighted criteria and documented commercial analysis.

  • Weighted scorecards balancing price, risk, service, sustainability, and implementation capability
  • Bid normalisation correcting differing assumptions, units, taxes, and index dates
  • Total cost comparison across contract terms, forecast volumes, and scenarios
  • Supplier financial assessment using credit ratings, accounts, guarantees, and parent support
  • Clarification logs separating permissible clarifications from material bid changes
  • Award recommendation records linking evaluation evidence to approval requirements

Participants can structure an energy supply contract around key commercial and operational risks.

  • Contract schedules separating supply terms, pricing, sites, service levels, and reporting
  • Definitions controlling delivery points, contracted volumes, imbalance, and force majeure
  • Term, renewal, termination, and exit provisions aligned with sourcing strategy
  • Change-control procedures governing site additions, load changes, and tariff amendments
  • Order-of-precedence clauses resolving conflicts between tender documents and contract schedules
  • Contract risk allocation assessed through likelihood, impact, ownership, and mitigation

Participants can review pricing and volume clauses for financial exposure and operational fit.

  • Index formulas tested for reference source, timing, units, and adjustment mechanics
  • Pass-through charges defined with evidence requirements, notice periods, and audit rights
  • Volume tolerance bands calibrated against forecast accuracy and operational flexibility
  • Take-or-pay provisions assessed against shutdown, growth, and demand-reduction scenarios
  • Price reopening clauses linked to material regulatory or market changes
  • Invoice dispute provisions setting timelines, payment rules, and escalation routes

Participants can prepare and conduct structured negotiations on energy supply terms.

  • Negotiation mandate defining objectives, walk-away points, authority, and concession limits
  • BATNA analysis comparing alternative suppliers, extensions, and self-supply options
  • Issue matrices ranking price, volume, credit, service, and termination priorities
  • Package proposals trading contract term against pricing, flexibility, and service commitments
  • Supplier claims challenged using market evidence, bid data, and contract language
  • Negotiation records capturing agreements, open points, owners, and closing actions

Participants can evaluate renewable-energy procurement options against cost, claims and delivery requirements.

  • Renewable electricity claims distinguished by location, market boundaries, and certificate ownership
  • Green tariffs evaluated for additionality, pricing premium, traceability, and contract term
  • Energy attribute certificates assessed for issuance, transfer, retirement, and verification
  • Corporate power purchase agreements compared: physical, virtual, sleeved, and synthetic
  • Additionality, hourly matching, and avoided-emissions claims examined for procurement decisions
  • Renewable procurement roadmap aligning contract dates, targets, budgets, and governance

Participants can assess procurement implications of distributed energy and flexibility options.

  • Solar photovoltaic business cases incorporating yield, degradation, tariffs, and maintenance
  • Battery storage economics evaluated through peak shaving, arbitrage, resilience, and degradation
  • Demand response arrangements reviewed for availability, performance, penalties, and revenue sharing
  • Behind-the-meter generation impacts on load forecasts and supplier volume commitments
  • Energy-as-a-service contracts compared with capital purchase and operating lease structures
  • Interface risks mapped between asset providers, utilities, retailers, and site operations

Participants can specify data, reporting and governance controls for energy procurement decisions.

  • Meter-data management controls for completeness, timeliness, estimation, and correction
  • Energy dashboards tracking consumption, cost, emissions, hedges, and supplier performance
  • Data quality rules identifying duplicates, gaps, unit errors, and abnormal readings
  • Approval workflows separating analysis, trading authority, contracting, and payment controls
  • Audit trails retained for tender decisions, contract changes, hedges, and certificates
  • Cybersecurity requirements assessed for metering platforms and energy-management systems

Participants can establish contract-management routines that protect service and commercial value.

  • Contract-management plan defining governance forums, reporting cadence, and accountable owners
  • Key performance indicators covering billing, data, switching, service, and issue closure
  • Service-credit mechanisms linked to measurable failures and verified performance evidence
  • Supplier business reviews examining performance trends, risks, improvement actions, and disputes
  • Obligation register tracking notices, renewals, certificates, guarantees, and reporting dates
  • Dispute escalation ladder moving from operational resolution to formal contractual remedies

Participants can identify compliance requirements and control evidence supporting energy procurement decisions.

  • ISO 50001 procurement requirements linked to energy performance and purchasing criteria
  • Regulatory obligations mapped for licences, consumer protection, reporting, and market conduct
  • Carbon reporting evidence traced from supplier data through calculation and disclosure
  • Environmental claims reviewed for substantiation, certificate retirement, and double-counting risks
  • Sanctions and anti-bribery controls applied to international fuel and energy suppliers
  • Records-retention schedule covering tenders, contracts, invoices, certificates, and approvals

Participants can assess emerging market developments and incorporate them into procurement plans.

  • Electrification demand growth affecting capacity planning, tariffs, and procurement timing
  • Decentralised energy resources changing supplier roles, flexibility markets, and contract models
  • Hourly carbon accounting implications for renewable procurement and reporting claims
  • Artificial intelligence forecasting applications assessed for data quality and governance risks
  • Grid constraints, curtailment, and connection queues incorporated into renewable sourcing decisions
  • Future-scenario planning testing procurement strategy against policy and technology changes

Participants can build, review and present a complete energy procurement strategy and contract-management plan.

  • Demand baseline, spend analysis, and supplier market findings consolidated into evidence
  • Risk appetite translated into fixed, indexed, renewable, and flexibility procurement choices
  • Sourcing route, tender timetable, and evaluation model assembled for approval
  • Commercial terms prioritised through pricing, volume, service, and governance requirements
  • Implementation roadmap assigning milestones, owners, dependencies, and decision gates
  • Peer review testing strategic logic, commercial assumptions, and contract risk controls

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Energy procurement category strategy template
  2. Consumption baseline and load-profile analysis model
  3. Energy price-risk scenario and hedging worksheet
  4. Energy tender specification and weighted supplier scorecard
  5. Energy contract clause review checklist
  6. Supplier performance and contract-management plan

Who should attend

  • Procurement Managers — responsible for energy sourcing decisions and supplier contracts
  • Category Managers — managing electricity, gas, fuel or utility spend portfolios
  • Strategic Sourcing Specialists — preparing energy tenders, evaluations and award recommendations
  • Facilities Managers — accountable for utility consumption, service continuity and site requirements
  • Finance and Treasury Managers — assessing budget exposure and commodity-price risk
  • Sustainability Managers — translating renewable-energy commitments into procurement requirements

Skills and tools covered

Energy market analysisPrice risk managementEnergy sourcing strategyContract negotiationRenewable energy procurementSupplier performance management

Tools and standards

Kraljic Portfolio Matrix, Porter's Five Forces, ISO 50001, Total Cost of Ownership

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce market concepts, procurement methods and contract structures. Participants analyse consumption datasets, price scenarios, supplier proposals and contract extracts drawn from realistic organisational settings. Group exercises test sourcing choices, bid evaluations and negotiation positions, while simulations show how changing market prices and demand forecasts affect decisions. Participants apply each method to an energy procurement strategy pack, receiving structured instructor and peer feedback before refining their final capstone submission.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have practical experience in procurement, contract management, facilities, finance, energy management or a related commercial role. They should be comfortable reading supplier quotations, basic contract clauses, consumption reports and spreadsheet-based cost calculations. Prior experience buying electricity, gas, fuel or renewable-energy products is useful but not essential. The course does not require engineering qualifications, commodity-trading experience, advanced financial modelling, legal training or prior knowledge of power purchase agreements. Participants benefit most when they bring a current or upcoming energy procurement challenge.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants need working familiarity with procurement, contracts, facilities, finance or energy-related responsibilities. Prior energy buying experience is helpful but not required; the course explains market and contract concepts before applying them.

Participants should bring a laptop for data analysis and document work. Where permitted, they should also bring a non-confidential energy contract, recent invoice, consumption summary or upcoming sourcing requirement.

It is designed for procurement managers, category managers, sourcing specialists, facilities managers, finance staff and sustainability professionals. It suits people responsible for electricity, gas, fuel, utility or renewable-energy procurement decisions.

General procurement courses cover broad sourcing methods, while energy management courses often focus on technical efficiency and consumption reduction. This course concentrates on energy markets, price exposure, supply contracts, renewable procurement and supplier governance.

Participants develop an energy procurement strategy pack using reusable templates throughout the course. The pack can support an upcoming tender, contract renewal, supplier review or budget-risk discussion after the programme.

The first week establishes demand analysis, market knowledge, price risk, sourcing strategy and tender design. The second week focuses on contracts, negotiations, renewable options, supplier management, compliance, future developments and the final capstone presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.