Procurement

Information for businesses and providers interested in working with the council.

Contents

Find and manage an opportunity

How we procure

We aim to use existing agreements first - either our own or those offered by trusted third parties. These may include:

  • Contracts
  • Framework agreements
  • Dynamic systems
  • Collaborative projects with partners

If no suitable agreement exists, we approach the market directly.

Opportunities below £25,000

  • Managed by individual council directorates, not the central Commercial Team
  • Typically use a quotation process
  • No central list of providers or public advertisement
  • Providers are encouraged to engage directly with commissioning teams

You can view a sample of our quotation terms and conditions.

Opportunities £25,000 and above

  • Advertised publicly to encourage competition where a framework or dynamic system cannot be used
  • Managed by the Commercial Team
  • No upper limit on contract value
  • Full tender documentation is provided

Where opportunities for procurements above £25,000 are advertised

Prospective providers need to be registered with the government-led portal, Find a Tender. The portal not only provides visibility on advertised work, but also presents notices to confirm the award of agreements and hosts the Central Digital Platform.

We manage all our tendered procurement projects using an electronic portal. The electronic tendering system is called Proactis and offers an alternative route to informing providers of advertised opportunities. It is therefore a requirement for providers to register online with the Proactis system.

You must register with Proactis to:

  • View tender opportunities
  • Access procurement documents
  • Submit bids
  • Communicate with the Commercial Team during a procurement