Procurement process

We offer guidance, advice and support on all aspects of procurement and ensure that contracts comply with UK Law. We are guided by our Standing Orders, which promote good procurement practice, public accountability and deter corruption. Our Standing Orders for contracts (pdf 167kb) also follow the EC Procurement regulation frameworks, which require all service and supply contracts over the value of £156,442.00 and all works contracts over £3,927,260 to be advertised in the Official Journal for the European Union (OJEU).

The type, value and complexity of the contract will usually determine our approach to the market.

The procedure the Council uses to purchase goods and services depend on several factors which include:

The value of the goods and services concerned
The frequency with which they are required
United Kingdom and European Community laws

All successful suppliers/contractors must conform to the Councils specification and quality standards and will be subject to a number of contract conditions.

The value of the contract has a significant effect on the procurement process as follows:

Purchases of goods and services less than £10,000. The Council requires individual council officers to obtain value for money and to be able to substantiate this process by keeping appropriate records.

Quotations for Purchases or Contracts between £10,001 and £50,000. These are not normally advertised but require at least 3 formal written quotations or 4 formal tenders. When the purchases/contracts are dealt with by Procurement Services the Supplier Directory is consulted.

Tendering to supply goods and services between £50,001 and £156,442 (200,000SDR). For these contracts the Council requires a minimum of 5 formal tenders.

Tendering to supply goods and services over £156,442 (200,000SDR) Under European Procurement Directives these purchases must be advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) and subject to a formal tendering process.

Any business which can meet the Council's requirements is permitted to either submit a request to participate in the first stage of the tendering process or to submit a tender, depending on the procedure selected by the Council. This culminates in the award of a contract, which details the terms under which the contract has been awarded.For these contracts the Council usually requires at least 5 formal tenders.

Note: The European Public Procurement thresholds are revised every two years. The current values came into effect on 1st January 2010.