Suppliers providing, or wishing to provide, goods or services to the Council have a right to:
- An equal and fair opportunity to compete for business. This will be on the basis of the principles of Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended). Competitions will be publicly advertised, as appropriate, by use of one or more of the following:
- Full information on the timetable for each procurement, the process to be used and mandatory requirements will be provided to all those responding to the appropriate advertisement.
- Non-discriminatory specifications setting out customer requirements and incorporating International, EU or British standards, or equivalent, as appropriate.
- The opportunity to propose innovative cost-effective alternatives, if appropriate, which satisfy specifications.
- Encouragement to deliver goods and services which are environmentally friendly.
- A fair evaluation of competitive bids taking account of pre-determined criteria, for example, quality, service, price, economic advantage. All bidders will be kept informed on the progress of evaluation which will be conducted as quickly as possible.
- Notification of the outcome of competitions in which they have an interest. Appropriate contract award notices will be published on the Find a tender service.
- Feedback, to be given on request, where a bid has been unsuccessful. De-briefing will include reasons for failure, while respecting commercial confidences.
- Prompt payment as required by government and contractual obligations. Invoices should be paid within 30 days of receipt. We are a signatory to the Government's Prompt Payment Code.
- Expect courtesy and respect and all enquiries to be dealt with promptly, efficiently and to the highest professional standard.
- Expect contract management through the monitoring of contracts, and agreed methods for feedback from us. The monitoring and feedback process to be agreed with the supplier at the initiation of the contract.
- The Council’s Strategic Plan outlines our key objectives / priorities include areas that are central to procurement. Suppliers need to be fully aware of these. We expect suppliers to bid based on high quality and low costs. We will normally try to repeat business with suppliers who deliver on time and to specification.
What we expect from suppliers:
- We will try to aggregate business for a supplier to obtain bulk or other discount facilities from the manufacturer and will normally expect a bulk or discount price facility to be available where this is reasonable.
- In the event of a problem with delivery or quality of goods or services supplied, we will expect a positive and helpful response from suppliers.
- Businesses are expected to operate within good employer practices at all times when on contracts for us including health and safety and equality.
- Business to be conducted in an open and transparent manner at all times.
- Understanding the Freedom of Information Act applies to all public bodies and therefore information supplied to us may become public (not withstanding any exclusions through commercial confidentiality).
- Businesses to act with integrity and in a professional manner when dealing with us, our representatives or the users of a service as appropriate, when liaising over matters pertaining to the contract.
- To retain adequate insurance and professional certificates, where required, to carry out the business of the contract.
- To tender based on realistic quality and cost levels. Suppliers should consider entire costs including administrative and seek to keep these low when considering tendering for a contract from the Council.
- Contract management from the supplier to ensure level of performance and or quality are maintained throughout the contract. Where slippage is detected through Council feedback, steps are taken to rectify the situation in agreement with us.
- To consider signing the Prompt Payment Code to help spread good practice and pass on the benefits of being a recipient of the Council's own undertaking.
- We do not normally authorise suppliers to use our council logo as this could imply that we endorse their products or service. Use of our logo may be authorised by prior agreement with us and would need to be included within the terms of the contract. Naming us on a list of customers is acceptable.