Doing Business with the Council

All contracts for purchase by the Council will fall under the definition of Works, Goods or Services.

• Works - In general this will include the execution of building or engineering projects. It can range from civil engineering or construction projects right through to the installation of fixtures / fittings or work such as plastering or joinery.
• Goods - This will include contracts for the purchase, hire or installation of goods. The definition of goods is extremely broad, but will include computer software as well as utilities such as electricity or gas.
• Services - This will include any proposed public service contract. Again this is a wide ranging definition, but examples could include waste collection or recycling contracts.

The procurement process the Council is required to follow when purchasing works, goods or services is dependant upon the type and estimated value of the contract.

For 'lower value' contracts, quotations will be obtained and the budget holder and relevant Head of Service will make the decision as to which supplier to award the contract to. This decision will normally be based on best value for money.

For all other contracts, the proposed works, goods or services will be advertised as widely as possible. Potential suppliers will be asked to express their interest in applying for the contract and complete a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). Based on the PQQ's a short-list will be produced and potential suppliers will then be invited to tender for the contract. The tender documents will be evaluated against pre-determined criteria to find the successful candidate.

Prior to contract award, all interested parties must be informed of the outcome of the tender process. A 'stand-still' period must then be allowed for debrief and objection. Unsuccessful tenderers must be debriefed if requested.

EU Procurement Procedure - All local authorities and public sector bodies are subject to EU public procurement directives that govern how it may purchase goods, works or services over a specific value.

The following table demonstrates how the Council will determine which procurement process to use:

        *EU threshold figures with effect from 1st January 2012

For further information please email procurement@eaststaffsbc.gov.uk