Procurement processes

Procurement processes

Our procurement activity must be efficient, effective and deliver value for money whilst contributing to the Council’s vision and strategic priorities. To achieve this, we will:

  • collaborate with colleagues in governance, legal and audit to streamline procurement processes and remove unnecessary bureaucracy, making things easier and better for everyone, without bringing undue risk on the Council
  • instead of awarding to the lowest priced bid, decisions will focus on the best value for money/most advantageous tender, with consideration given to quality, social value, environmental outcomes, and long-term benefits
  • put in steps to ensure routine purchasing transactions are efficient and timely
  • challenge the status quo – ‘if we do what we have always done we will get what we have always got’
  • seek innovation from suppliers through creativity in tender specification, procurement processes and evaluation models, potentially leading to saving money and improving services
  • adhere to risk management processes and complete combined impact assessments, (as appropriate), to support effective tender/ contract management, risk mitigation and ensure priority outcomes delivered within or under budget
  • use competition to drive and obtain VFM
  • build in social value (and track delivery of outcomes), where relevant and proportionate to do so
  • task suppliers to collaborate with us to reduce costs over the contract life cycles
  • be innovative and develop competitive markets where they currently do not exist
  • call-off from established framework agreements and use collaborative opportunities where they offer best value, efficiencies, reduced timescales and minimise duplication
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Ethics

Ethics

In all aspects of procurement, Officers (and Members) must act with integrity. Our procurement activity must comply with national legislation and these regulations are central to our internal Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs) which form part of the Council’s Constitution. Ethical practices are rooted in our processes and procedures such as:

  • no one individual can authorise all stages of a purchase order or procurement exercise. The authority to raise orders, tender and award contracts is governed by our CPRs and Finance Procedure Rules
  • proportionate, auditable records are kept of all transactions and decisions
  • the CPRs set out the appropriate contract value ‘thresholds’ above which specific steps and tasks are mandated, and officer (and Member) probity is always expected when conducting procurement activity
  • the Find a Tender (FTS) portal and/or Contracts Finder (CF) and/or the Central Digital Platform (see gov.uk website) are used to ensure transparency in our procurements
  • our procurement portal, The Chest, ensures tender exercises are conducted electronically providing security and efficiency and a fully auditable process
  • contract management is proportionate, however, typically, the more complex, high cost and high level of risk associated with the procurement then the more robust and rigorous a process is required to successfully plan, tender for and manage it
  • we promote fair and transparent competition, minimise exposure to fraud and collusion by effectively managing commercial risk
  • good procurement governance is supported by building and maintaining capacity and skills within the procurement team
  • Procurement Training is offered to ensure all officers involved in procurements have the necessary skills to meet their responsibilities
  • we act with integrity and transparency when we undertake procurement; and our decisions will be communicated clearly. In our dealings with our suppliers we will act fairly i.e. we will pay our suppliers promptly, and in accordance with agreed terms
  • the Council has a zero-tolerance approach to modern day slavery (which is a criminal offence under the Modern Slavery Act 2015)
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Equality and diversity

Equality and diversity

There is a mandatory legal duty through the 2010 Equality Act to actively tackle discrimination and promote equality and diversity through equality of opportunity, good relations and positive attitudes; and eliminating harassment and unlawful discrimination.

We have ensured that the promotion of equality of opportunity is incorporated into our procurement process, evaluations and decision-making processes. Our procedures ensure openness, fairness and transparency and decisions are made objectively and impartially (with conflicts of interest having to be declared).

We expect our suppliers and supply chain to follow best practice and adhere to the principles of no discrimination regarding:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage and civil partnership
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race
  • religion or belief
  • sex or sexual orientation

We will proactively tackle inequalities and discrimination if they found in our supply chain. We also have to think wider and build equality in our tendering, to consider the supplier market and ensure that SME’s and VCSE’s are considered and tenders let appropriately.

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