Introduction
Around a third of UK government spending goes on the procurement of goods and services from third-party suppliers, ranging from paper clips to major infrastructure projects.
Some of these suppliers are deemed so critical to the delivery of essential public services that the Cabinet Office designates them as 'Strategic Suppliers' to the government.
As of November 2024, there were 39 Strategic Suppliers.
In this blog, we provide an overview of:
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What are the pros and cons of becoming a Strategic Supplier?
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What were the biggest contracts awarded to Strategic Suppliers in 2021?
A much more extensive analysis of the Strategic Suppliers can be found in our full 2024 Strategic Suppliers Report. To download the full report, click here.
Who are the Strategic Suppliers? Watch our explainer.
❓ What is a Strategic Supplier?
The Strategic Suppliers are private sector companies whose relationship with the government is centrally coordinated through the Cabinet Office, due to the strategic importance of the goods and services they provide.
Though not an official requirement, the government typically spends over £100 million per year with these suppliers.
The Cabinet Office manages the Strategic Supplier programme as part of its responsibility for supporting 'collective government' and promoting efficiency and reform through better procurement and project management.
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Since 2011, each Strategic Supplier has had a 'Crown Representative' within the Cabinet Office. Crown Representatives act as a focal point for suppliers and help the government to act as a single customer. They ensure that the government is communicating a consistent message to its suppliers, identify areas for cost savings and coordinate cross-departmental procurement issues.
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Since 2019, the Cabinet Office has operated a 'Memorandums of Understanding' approach with the Strategic Suppliers. The MOU approach puts the onus on suppliers to provide the government with the information it needs to monitor and manage risks. The Cabinet Office argue this policy is more efficient and flexible, and increases the accountability of these suppliers to the government.
💡 What are the pros and cons of becoming a Strategic Supplier?
Making it onto the government's Strategic Supplier list is a major accomplishment for any company.
With a dedicated Crown Representative, Strategic Suppliers' relationships to the government are managed more centrally and strategically. Their close proximity to the heart of government will offer unrivalled liaising opportunities with key procurement stakeholders.
On the other hand, becoming a Strategic Supplier comes with much greater scrutiny and oversight. The Strategic Supplier programme's use of MOUs means, as the Cabinet Office describe, "strategic suppliers will agree to provide the government with the information it needs to monitor and manage risks", with the aim of increasing "accountability".
👥 Who are the Strategic Suppliers?
As of November 2024, there were 39 companies designated as Strategic Suppliers.
This is a dynamic list. In October 2024, for example, construction firm Equans was replaced by Bouygues Group UK, after being acquired by that company.
The Strategic Suppliers operate in sectors across the UK economy, including telecoms, defence, IT, consultancy, facilities management and construction.
How are they performing recently?
Tussell's 2024 Strategic Suppliers Report found that in FY23/24 the public sector spent £222 billion on public procurement (excluding capital spending).
10% of this - £22.1 billion - went directly to the Strategic Suppliers.
Although this is a substantial amount, their market share actually declined for the third consecutive year. This reflects success in the government’s effort to diversify its suppliers, and to disaggregate large contracts.
Some of the key findings from our Strategic Suppliers Report include:
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2/3rds of Strategic Suppliers saw their public sector revenue decline
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7 of the 39 Strategic Suppliers had direct public sector revenue of £1b or more in FY23/24.
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Central government remains the Strategic Suppliers' top customer
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6 Central Government bodies allocated more than 30% of their procurement to the Strategic Suppliers
To dig deeper into our analysis, download our 2023 Strategic Suppliers Report.
📝 Which frameworks are the Strategic Suppliers using?
Data shows that, across the public sector, framework agreements are becoming more popular as an alternative to open competition.
The Strategic Suppliers exemplify this trend. In FY23/24, nearly half of the contracts won by the group were awarded via a framework.
The wider market, by contrast, won 1 in every 4 contracts via a framework over the past few years.
Below is a breakdown of the top frameworks, by value of contracts awarded, used by the Strategic Suppliers, by sector, in FY22/23:*
Sector |
Framework |
Value of Contracts awarded to Strategic Suppliers in FY23/24 |
Outsourcing & FM |
£2.1b |
|
Technology |
£1.1b |
|
Construction & Engineering |
£1.3b |
|
Consulting |
£196m |
|
Telecoms |
£230m |
|
Aerospace & Defence |
£20m |
* Data is correct as of 26th November 2024
Profiles of the 39 Strategic Suppliers
(Data covers FY18/19 - FY22/23; Listed alphabetically)
Below is a list of all 39 Strategic Suppliers to the UK Government, containing the total number of contracts they've been awarded since FY18/19; their total value; the number of public sector organisations that buy from them; their largest public sector contract by value, a list of the frameworks they are a member of, and their Crown Representative.
1️⃣ Accenture
Accenture is a professional services company that operates primarily in the IT and digital consulting sector. It is headquartered in Dublin and was founded in 1989.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
62 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£350m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Award of Digital Platforms Run - £306m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Nick Griffin |
2️⃣ Amey
Amey is an Oxford-based infrastructure support service provider that primarily operates in highway and rail transportation and facilities management. Since 2003, Amey has been a subsidiary of the Spanish transportation company, Ferrovial.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
36 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£1.1b |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Boris Adlam |
3️⃣ AtkinsRéalis
Atkins is multinational engineering, project management and consulting company. Founded in 1938, the company was acquired by Canadian company SNC-Lavalin in 2017.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
192 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£546m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
STARThree - £20.9m |
Crown Representative |
Anne Peddler |
4️⃣ Atos
Atos is a French IT and consulting company that specialises in communications, cloud-computing and cyber-security. Its subsidiaries operate in healthcare and outsourcing. Atos was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Bezons, France.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
29 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£897m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Shared Application Service - £72m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Technology Services 3 - £73.5m |
Crown Representative |
Beverley Tew |
5️⃣ Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon providing on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs. It was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Seattle.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
25 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£274m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
G-Cloud 13 - £945m |
Crown Representative |
Jay Chinnadorai |
6️⃣ Babcock
Babcock is a multinational engineering company that specialises in managing complex assets and infrastructure. Founded in 1891, the company does the bulk of its business with public bodies.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
37 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£1.1b |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
ARMOUR Centre Support Contract - £7.6b |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Armoured Vehicles Framework - £10.7m |
Crown Representative |
Joanne Thompson |
7️⃣ BAE Systems
BAE Systems PLC is a British multinational defence, aerospace and security company. It is the largest defence contractor in the UK by sales. BAE Systems was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
44 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£1.8b |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Provision of qualified ammunition, gun simulation (...) - £19.8m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Technology Services 3 - £20m |
Crown Representative |
Matt Wiles |
8️⃣ Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty is a multinational construction company that operates in the infrastructure sector. The company was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
67 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£1.8b |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Jane Bristow |
9️⃣ BT
BT is a British telecommunications company that provides fixed-line, broadband and mobile services. Formerly known as British Telecom, the company was privatised in 1984.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
202 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£695m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
SWAN NHS Call off contract - £228m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
SWAN Re-procurement - £230m |
Crown Representative |
Beverley Tew |
1️⃣ 0️⃣ Capgemini
Capgemini is a French multinational company that was founded in 1967. The company primarily provides technology, consulting and outsourcing services.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
89 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£902m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Award of Digital Platforms Run - £246m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
DALAS - £246m |
Crown Representative |
Nick Griffin |
1️⃣ 1️⃣ Capita
Capita is a business processing and outsourcing company. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
141 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£779m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Enforcement Agency Services DPS - £30.5m |
Crown Representative |
Meryl Bushell |
1️⃣ 2️⃣ CGI
CGI is a Canadian IT company that operates in consulting, systems integration and outsourcing. The company was founded in 1976 and its headquarters are in Montreal.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
37 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£210m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Technology Services 3 - £192m |
Crown Representative |
Beverley Tew |
1️⃣ 3️⃣ Computacenter
Computacenter is a British multinational that operates in IT. It was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Hatfield.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
333 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£297m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
End user services - £194m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Matt Wiles |
1️⃣ 4️⃣ Deloitte
Deloitte is a multinational professional services firm and one of the “Big 4” auditing companies. Deloitte also provides tax, consulting, and financial advisory services. Founded in 1845, the company has its headquarters in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
166 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£374m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Technology Services 3 - £148m |
Crown Representative |
Boris Adlam |
1️⃣ 5️⃣ DXC
DXC is a multinational IT company. The company operates in outsourcing, consulting and managed services. DXC was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Virginia.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
10 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£181m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Service Desk (SD) and End User Compute (EUC) Services - £69.4m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Technology Services 3 - £75m |
Crown Representative |
John Clarke |
1️⃣ 6️⃣ Bouygues Group UK
This year, parent company Bouygues has replaced Equans as the UK Government's 16th strategic supplier. The French engineering group acquired Equans in 2022, and has been involved in major construction projects such as the Channel Tunnel, HS2 and the French National Library.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
32 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£1.03b |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Major works investment programme - £350m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Framework Agreement for Installation and Repair Works - £15.6m |
Crown Representative |
Jane Bristow |
1️⃣ 7️⃣ EY
EY is multinational professional services firm, and one of the “Big 4” auditors. EY also provides assurance, consulting and advisory services. The company was formed by a merger in 1989 and is headquartered in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
117 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£201m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Provision of DDaT Resources for DWP Engineering Practice - £22.8m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Nick Griffin |
1️⃣ 8️⃣ Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a multinational ICT equipment and services company that offers a diversity of products across computing and telecommunications. The company is headquartered in Tokyo and was founded in 1935.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
16 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£458m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Strategic Partner Services and School Management System - £485m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
G-Cloud 13 - £1m |
Crown Representative |
Vincent Kelly |
1️⃣ 9️⃣ G4S
G4S is a British security services company that operates in secure transportation, the provision of security personnel and monitoring equipment. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
19 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£445m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Electronic Monitoring - £175m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Cash Collection and Cash & Valuables in Transit Services - £1m |
Crown Representative |
Meryl Bushell |
2️⃣ 0️⃣ IBM
IBM is a multinational IT company that offers hardware, software and cloud computing services. The company was founded in 1911 and is headquartered in New York.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
49 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£404m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Project Maxwell - £1.08b |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Technology Services 3 - £148m |
Crown Representative |
Jay Chinnadorai |
2️⃣ 1️⃣ ISS
ISS Facility Services is a multinational company that operates primarily in facilities management and the provision of catering, security, support and property services. ISS was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Copenhagen.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
17 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£242m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
DWP Estates Workplace Services Total Facilities Management - £1.36b |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Jane Bristow |
2️⃣ 2️⃣ Jacobs
Jacobs is the world’s largest engineering firm. The company operates primarily in the provision of technical, professional and construction services. Jacobs was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Dallas.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
151 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£299m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
The Provision of a Highways and Environment Professional Services Contract - £290m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Ann Pedder |
2️⃣ 3️⃣ KBR
KBR is an American engineering, procurement and construction company. Formerly a subsidiary of Halliburton, KBR was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Houston.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
25 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£424m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Dstl Visualisation Framework - £93m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Robin Hughes |
2️⃣ 4️⃣ Kier
Kier is a construction company that operates primarily in building, civil engineering and support services. The company was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Befordshire.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
67 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£1.68b |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Boris Adlam |
2️⃣ 5️⃣ KPMG
KPMG is a network of professional services firms, and one of the “Big 4” auditors. The company provides auditing, tax and advisory services. KPMG was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Amsterdam.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
158 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£266m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Interim Commercial Partner - £23m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
John Clarke |
2️⃣ 6️⃣ Laing O'Rourke
Laing O'Rourke is a British international construction company. It was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Dartford.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
6 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£90m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Phil Brookes |
2️⃣ 7️⃣ Leidos
Leidos is a US company specialising in defence, aviation, IT, and biomedical research.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
7 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£701m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
G-Cloud 13 - £1m |
Crown Representative |
Joanne Thompson |
2️⃣ 8️⃣ Microsoft
Microsoft is a technology company, producer of personal computers and the largest provider of software in the world. Microsoft was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Washington.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
52 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£113m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
G-Cloud 13 - £10m |
Crown Representative |
Jay Chinnadorai |
2️⃣ 9️⃣ Mitie
Mitie is an outsourcing and energy company. The firm provides consultancy, facilities management and custodial services. Mitie was founded in 1987 and its headquarters are in Bristol.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
135 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£1.33b |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Training Estate Services - £559m |
Crown Representative |
Ann Pedder |
3️⃣ 0️⃣ Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald is a multidisciplinary consultancy company that provides design, engineering and project management services. The company was formed through a merger in 1989 and its headquarters are in Croydon, Greater London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
151 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£289m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Ann Pedder |
3️⃣ 1️⃣ Oracle
Oracle is a multinational IT company that operates in enterprise software, database software and cloud computing. Oracle was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
114 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£258m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust Electronic Patient Records System - £56m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Clinical Digital Solutions (CDS) for the Integrated Health Economy Framework - £56m |
Crown Representative |
Nick Griffin |
3️⃣ 2️⃣ PwC
PwC is a professional services network and one of the “Big 4” auditors. Founded through a 1998 merger, PwC provides assurance, advisory and legal services worldwide. The company is headquartered in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
119 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£166m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
UK Government Centre of Expertise: Green Cities and Infrastructure (GCI) - £40m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Nick Griffin |
3️⃣ 3️⃣ Serco
Serco is a multinational outsourcer that works across the public sector. Serco provides health, security and border services in the UK and around the world. The company was founded in 1987 and has its headquarters in Hook, Hampshire.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
24 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£699m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Paul Jaques |
3️⃣ 4️⃣ Sodexo
Sodexo is a food services and facilities management company that serves schools, prisons, universities and military bases. The company was founded in 1966 and has its headquarters in Paris.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
20 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£205m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
Stour and Vale Academy Trust Outsourced Catering Services - £6m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Payment Solutions 2 - £3m |
Crown Representative |
Meryl Bushell |
3️⃣ 5️⃣ Sopra Steria
Sopra Steria is an ICT company that specialises in the provision of consultancy, systems integration and subcontracting solutions. Sopra Steria was established in 2014 as part of a merger and is headquartered in Annecy, France.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
30 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£411m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Permanent Recruitment 2 - £90m |
Crown Representative |
Vincent Kelly |
3️⃣ 6️⃣ Thales
Thales is a French multinational company specialising in electrical systems, defence systems and security. It was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Paris.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
14 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£332m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
R-Cloud Framework - £0.4m |
Crown Representative |
Paul Jaques |
3️⃣ 7️⃣ Tilbury Douglas
Tilbury Douglas is a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fit-out company. It was founded in 1991 when Tilbury Lighterage Company Limited (then known as Tilbury Contracting Group Limited) merged with RM Douglas, forming Tilbury Douglas.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
32 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£282m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
|
Crown Representative |
Phil Brookes |
3️⃣ 8️⃣ Virgin Media
Virgin Media is a telecommunications company that provides telephony and internet services. Since 2013 Virgin Media has been a subsidiary of Liberty Global PLC. The company has its headquarters in Hook, Hampshire.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
125 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£272m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
|
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Technology Services 3 - £42m |
Crown Representative |
John Clarke |
3️⃣ 9️⃣ Vodafone
Vodafone is a multinational communications conglomerate that operates in the provision of telephony and IT services. The company was founded in 1991 and has its headquarters in London.
Contracts Awarded (FY23/24) |
79 |
Direct Public Sector Revenue (FY23/24) |
£234m |
Biggest Contract Awarded (FY23/24) |
GT and M Networks Project - £52m |
Top Framework Used by Value (FY23/24) |
Network Services 2 - £6m |
Crown Representative |
Vincent Kelly |
*
To see a deeper analysis and comparison of the government's Strategic Suppliers, download Tussell's 2023 Strategic Suppliers report.
All the data in the above tables was generated using Tussell's market intelligence platform - book a demo today to start monitoring the Strategic Suppliers yourself!