Purchasing and procurement

Suppliers to the Council should read and understand the Council’s Procurement Strategy and Policies when preparing to submit a bid for a contract.  These documents provide useful information for suppliers to better understand the regulatory and legal framework in which public sector procurement operates and also lays out the Council’s objectives and ambitions that can be supported through procurement processes and the contracts awarded. Suppliers should consider articulating where appropriate and possible in bid responses how their offer aligns with and supports delivery of the Council’s Corporate Business Plan and procurement strategy.

The Council’s Procurement Strategy serves to provide a framework to:

• support delivery of the Corporate Business Plan 2022-2026
• improve outcomes and secure value for money through the effective procurement of goods, works and services whilst also generating added-value social, economic and environmental benefits (termed ‘Social Value’)
• facilitate compliant procurement of effective and high-quality goods, services and works;
• ensure appropriate and proportionate controls, systems and standards to manage procurement risks and to comply with legal requirements;
• communicate its procurement framework to potential suppliers to support the tender process and articulate how the Council’s contracts can support delivery of its corporate aims and objectives and wider social, economic and environmental outcomes.

The Strategy also includes a section detailing the Council’s expectations of suppliers.

 Procurement Strategy 2023 to 2026