After the merger of four municipalities in 2016, Gooise Meren struggled with fragmented contract management. With ISPnext Contract Management, the municipality restored structure, ownership and control over all supplier contracts.
Two thirds of supplier contracts were invisible after the merger, spread across personal drives and former employees' mailboxes.
Phased implementation of ISPnext Contract Management: risk classification, contract ownership and active management per contract.
Central overview of all contracts, no more unexpected renewals and better control over procurement quality and sustainability.
From fragmentation to central oversight
When Richard Roosjen started mapping all municipal contracts, he discovered a fragmented landscape. Information was spread across personal network drives and former employees' mailboxes. This prevented proper control over spending, leaving critical audit and reporting information inaccessible.
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Contracts invisible after merger
After the merger of Bussum, Muiden, Muiderberg and Naarden in 2016, two thirds of supplier contracts were not centrally recorded. Overview and control were impossible without a single central contract register.
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Silent contract renewals
Without visibility of contract terms, silent renewals frequently occurred. The municipality even continued paying for maintenance of gas cylinders no longer in use for years, a direct consequence of inadequate contract monitoring.
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No ownership per contract
Contracts had no designated owner. As a result, active contract management was not carried out and risks relating to duration, performance and sustainability conditions remained invisible.
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Insufficient oversight of care contracts
In the social domain, spending and contractual obligations also lacked visibility, a risk for a municipality accountable for public funds.
"Without visibility of contract terms, silent renewals often occur."
Phased approach to better contract management and sustainability
Gooise Meren chose a phased implementation of ISPnext Contract Management. Not everything at once, but built from practice: first regain control of the basics, then grow towards active supplier management and sustainability monitoring.
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Risk classification of contracts
All supplier contracts were categorised by risk level. This tells the municipality which contracts require active management and which can be handled routinely.
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Contract ownership per contract
Each contract has a dedicated owner responsible for monitoring duration, performance and renewal or termination. This eliminates silent renewals.
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Active contract management
ISPnext automatically signals approaching renewal or termination deadlines. Contract owners receive timely notifications and can make conscious decisions about continuation or termination.
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Monitoring sustainability conditions
Gooise Meren integrates sustainability requirements into contracts and monitors compliance via ISPnext. Deviations are flagged early, improving procurement quality and contributing to municipal sustainability goals.
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Knowledge sharing with neighbouring municipalities
Knowledge and best practices are shared with neighbouring municipalities. Gooise Meren serves as a best practice for professional contract management in the region.
Control over contracts, control over the future
Gooise Meren has regained control of its full contract portfolio. Silent renewals are a thing of the past, procurement quality is continuously improving, and the municipality is ready for further professionalisation of supplier management.
What it delivers for Gooise Meren
- Central overview of all supplier contracts, no more fragmentation
- No silent renewals through automatic signalling of contract deadlines
- Dedicated owner per contract responsible for active management
- Sustainability conditions embedded in contracts and actively monitored
- Better procurement quality and control over social domain spending
Frequently asked questions about Contract Management for municipalities
Gemeente Gooise Meren was formed in 2016 from the merger of the municipalities of Bussum, Muiden, Muiderberg and Naarden. The municipality has approximately 58,000 residents and is located in the province of Noord-Holland.
In a silent renewal, a contract automatically continues without a conscious decision. This leads to unnecessary costs (such as maintenance for unused equipment), missed procurement opportunities and reduced supplier management. For municipalities, it also poses a risk to public accountability.
ISPnext allows a responsible owner to be assigned to each contract. This owner receives automatic alerts about approaching renewal or termination deadlines, performance reviews and sustainability obligations.
Sustainability requirements can be embedded as contract conditions in ISPnext. The system monitors compliance and flags deviations, enabling municipalities to actively steer towards socially responsible procurement.
Yes. ISPnext helps merged municipalities centralise fragmented contract information, restore ownership and implement a uniform approach to contract management, regardless of the number of former organisations involved.
ISPnext also offers Supplier Management (evaluation and follow-up of suppliers), Spend Analytics (insight into spending) and AP Automation (invoice processing). Municipalities can start with one solution and grow into a full platform.
Discover what ISPnext can do for your organisation
Download the free whitepaper Contract Management in 5 steps and get more value from your contracts.
