New ProcureAbility Study Reveals Procurement Readiness Gap: Defined AI Roadmaps and Proactive Resilience Strategies Each Reported by Just 8% of Respondents

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ProcureAbility^®, a Jabil company and a leading provider of procurement and supply chain services, today announced findings from the "2026 State of Procurement Report." The report, created in collaboration with ProcureCon, contains data from a survey of 100 senior procurement leaders across a diverse array of industries.

This research reveals that procurement is increasingly viewed as a strategic business function expected to deliver value beyond cost savings. Yet many organizations are still building the foundational data, processes, skills, and governance needed to consistently deliver higher levels of strategic value. Sixty-nine percent surveyed are looking for both cost reduction and increased strategic value from their procurement department. Another 26% are looking for their procurement department to function as a strategic growth enabler helping to drive revenue and innovation. Only 3% viewed the function strictly as a cost control and compliance function. 

"Procurement's mandate has expanded beyond cost savings, with organizations increasingly looking to the function to drive strategic value, growth, innovation, and resilience," said Conrad Snover, CEO of ProcureAbility. "The opportunity now is to close the readiness gap by building the capabilities and partnerships that turn procurement's growing influence into measurable enterprise value." 

Earlier Involvement Strengthens Leverage 

The report identifies the timing of procurement engagement as a significant opportunity. While 45% of respondents said procurement is involved before supplier discussions begin, only 11% said it participates during business-case development and requirements definition, which is the earliest, and often most strategic, point in the purchasing cycle. By comparison, 39% said procurement is brought in after suppliers have already been identified, while 5% said it is engaged primarily during contract negotiation. Late involvement can limit procurement's ability to shape requirements, evaluate alternatives, assess risk, and create meaningful supplier competition.

Seventy-one percent of those surveyed stated they have moderate negotiation leverage, which means they can get reliable results in certain areas but lack consistency across the organization. Ten percent of organizations have very strong negotiation leverage which has been built into early-stage planning to drive the desired results, while 19% stated that they have poor negotiation leverage because they get involved too late in the process and there are few suppliers to choose from. 

"Strategic value starts with when procurement is engaged," Snover said. "Early involvement gives procurement the opportunity to shape requirements, strengthen leverage, expand supplier options, and mitigate risk before critical decisions are made. Engaging procurement earlier shifts the function from supporting transactions to shaping decisions and driving stronger business outcomes." 

Resilience Remains a Work in Progress 

Supply chain resilience remains a central priority as organizations navigate geopolitical instability, shifting tariffs, and ongoing market disruption. Seventy percent of respondents described their supply chain resilience strategy as "developing" and therefore not yet fully operationalized. Only 8% reported having a proactive, comprehensive framework that is continuously updated and tested. 

"Building resilience starts with visibility," said Darshan Deshmukh, President at ProcureAbility. "Procurement leaders need to identify risks beyond their immediate suppliers and build the flexibility to respond before those risks disrupt operations. Strengthening these capabilities is critical to evolving beyond reactive risk management toward proactive resilience." 

AI Pilots Need Formal Direction 

Procurement organizations are actively pursuing AI, but the majority are doing so without a defined roadmap. Sixty-eight percent said they are piloting AI in select procurement areas without a formal plan, while 24% are still exploring possibilities. Only 8% have a defined procurement AI roadmap with clear milestones and active execution. 

The leading use cases are AI-assisted contract review and risk identification (58%) and AI-powered spend analytics and category insights (55%). However, poor data quality or insufficient data infrastructure, identified by 48%, is the top obstacle to realizing measurable AI value. Difficulty distinguishing high-value tools from overhyped solutions follows closely at 47%. 

"AI experimentation is accelerating, but pilots alone will not create meaningful value," added Deshmukh. "Procurement leaders need a clear roadmap that meaningfully connects AI investments to business priorities, measurable outcomes, and the capabilities required to scale." 

To access the full report, visit: https://procureability.com/strategic-procurement-insights-for-future-growth/

About ProcureAbility  
ProcureAbility, a Jabil company, is a leading provider of procurement and supply chain services, offering advisory, managed services, digital, staffing, and recruiting solutions. For 30 years, we have focused exclusively on helping clients elevate their procurement and supply chain functions.

We combine leading methodologies, analytics, market intelligence, and industry benchmarks with our uniquely flexible and customizable service delivery model. Global organizations of all sizes trust ProcureAbility to transform their procurement operations, drive growth, and reimagine what's possible.

Let ProcureAbility help you reimagine your procurement and supply chain capabilities. 

For more information, visit www.ProcureAbility.com.

Media Contact:  
Kathleen M. Pomento  
Chief Marketing Officer, ProcureAbility  
[email protected]  

SOURCE ProcureAbility