Selling to the Council and Public Sector

See also: Learn how to sell to the Public Sector

Charnwood Borough Council

Charnwood Borough Council Contracts for £25,000.00 and above are advertised in Source Leicestershire and is the site to visit for information on new contracts in Leicestershire and Rutland. You will also find a list of recurring contracts which you may be able to bid for in future. So make sure you keep an eye on these contracts too because they could provide long-term stability for your business.

In the financial year (2010/11) Charnwood Borough Council expects to spend approximately £18 million on a range of goods and services from third parties. This guide has been created to encourage existing and potential suppliers to tender for our business, where you feel you can offer the best value. We are always interested in suppliers who can offer new and innovative solutions that will maximise the potential of our resources and help us succeed to achieve in delivering high quality, efficient public services.

This link will tell you the subject of contracts currently being planned or tendered and the value of each. It also list previous contracts.

Why work with Charnwood Borough Council?

  • Considerable public sector spend, the expected spend for 2010/11 is approximately £18 million, meaning regular and lucrative contracts. We are a financially stable organisation and prompt payers
  • We have a legal duty to be fair, honest and professional in our choice of suppliers and subsequent treatment of them
  • We are keen to work with a broad range of suppliers
  • To promote environmentally sound and non-discriminatory approach to supply
  • Opportunities to get involved in exciting projects that you unable to find elsewhere
  • We are keen to support the local economy and businesses, and are keen to promote partnerships where appropriate

What do we buy?

We buy a wide variety of goods and services, including specialist goods and services:

  • Works the carrying out of building or engineering works for the Council
  • Goods supply of any goods or materials to the Council
  • Services the provision of any services (including research, professional or consultancy services) to the Council

We currently have over 2,500 suppliers, both big and small companies and organisations. Listed below are some of the commonly purchased goods and services that Charnwood Borough Council makes.

  • Office stationery, equipment and consumables
  • Computer hardware and software
  • Catering, domestic and cleaning services
  • Audio visual equipment
  • Vehicles (Mini buses, refuse collection vehicles)
  • Agency staff
  • Energy- electricity, gas and fuel oils
  • Courier services
  • Furniture
  • Printing, publicity materials and advertising

Our Works department are responsible for the purchasing of:

  • Building repairs- Maintenance, materials and tradesmen

How do we buy?

There are four methods through which the Borough Council buys goods & services

  • Direct contracts (for small orders)
  • Tenders (procedures vary depending upon the size of the contracts (according to financial thresholds LINK) including Framework contracts
  • Through ESPO, the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation
    ESPO is essentially a purchasing organisation that we often use to purchase goods and services on our behalf. ESPO is a joint committee of Local Authorities and operates within the Local Government (Goods and Services) Act 1970.
  • Through Constructionline when tendering for construction related works.
    This is the UK’s register of Local and National Construction related suppliers, all of whom are pre-qualified to work for the public and private sector buyer. By using Constructionline Charnwood Borough Council eliminates the need to issue Pre-qualification documentation when tendering for construction related works.

It does NOT use approved lists of suppliers

Charnwood Borough Council Procurement Rules and Contracts (LINK)

This section provides details of the frameworks which influence how Charnwood Borough Council buys its goods, works and services. The rules and procedures change according to the size of the contract. Financial thresholds apply. Charnwood works within the regulatory framework provided by EU and UK Law, Central Government initiatives and our own Finance and Contract Procedure Rules.

Charnwood Procurement Strategy (LINK)

East Midlands Regional Procurement

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) launched (November 2007) a ‘procurement portal’ for regional firms to tender for contracts – and help get better value for taxpayers’ money.

The new system means suppliers can view emda contract announcements in real time via the agency’s website, and will make it easier for small and medium sized companies to apply.

Selling to the Government

National information on Contracts for Suppliers and Buyers (Business Link)

Contracts Finder

Contracts Finder is a free new service for businesses, central government buyers and the public. On the web site you can find public sector procurement and contract documents.

Supplying Government

Supplying Government is the new opportunities portal for lower-value contracts - supporting UK businesses (especially SMEs) to tender for government opportunities

SMEs are the main employers in the EU but in the context of globalisation have tended to lose out when it comes to government business. However, governments across the EU now recognise the crucial role SMEs can play in stimulating local economies, encouraging socio-economic inclusion and delivering greater innovation and efficiency in the public sector.

The Supply National SME Engagement Programme: Guide to Winning Public Sector Contracts

The Supply National SME Engagement Programme has been developed to equip SMEs with the knowledge and skills they need to increase their chances of winning public sector business.

European Tender Opportunities

All contracts over a certain size (current values) offered by public sector have to be advertised via the OJEU web site. You can use the Tenders Direct web site to receive alerts about forthcoming OJEU tender calls in your chosen fields of business. Tenders Direct contains all the tenders and contract awards published in the Official Journal or OJEU which are issued by government and utility companies.

London 2012 Olympics Tender Opportunities

There are still lots of opportunities for businesses to benefit from London 2012.

Some of the latest opportunities to provide goods and services to the Games include – supplying sports equipment, organising evening celebrations, supplying alcoholic beverages, providing interpreters and sign language services, supplying material handling equipment and much more.

For more information about London 2012 opportunities for businesses, contact Business Link on 0845 052 6644.

Tender for London 2012 Olympic Games contracts – Advice from Business Link

Businesses that are interested in bidding for contracts are advised to register their details via the link to the CompeteFor web site.

Charnwood Borough Council’s Procurement Strategy

Purpose of the Strategy

The purpose of this strategy is to communicate the Council’s vision for the way forward in its procurement of all goods, works and services to all staff, suppliers, partners and stakeholders. It sets out the link between the Council’s priorities and procurement and the future development of the procurement function.

Definition of procurement

The National Procurement Strategy for Local Government in England published in October 2003 defined procurement as:

“The process of acquiring goods, works and services, covering both acquisition from third parties and from in-house providers. The process spans the whole cycle from identification of needs, through to the end of a service contract or the end of the useful life of an asset. It involves option appraisal and the critical “make or buy” decision which may result in the provision of services in-house in appropriate circumstances”

Aims of CBC’s Procurement Strategy

  • To set out a clear framework for procurement throughout the authority, which reflects the Council’s plans and priorities
  • To assist the Council in achieving value for money through cost effective and efficient services
  • To provide a focus for all staff involved in procurement to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the procurement activity
  • To secure commitment to effective procurement from Members and Officers at all levels within the Council
  • To set out an action plan for the future development of the procurement function

Regional Procurement

National Procurement Strategy

The National Procurement Strategy, produced by Central Government sets out procurement goals for all Local Authorities to achieve within the next three years.

The main themes of the strategy are:

  • Providing leadership and building capacity
  • Partnering and collaboration
  • Doing business electronically
  • Stimulating markets and achieving community benefits
  • Vision

Targets for 2010

  • Corporate procurement strategy developed, owned by chief executives, members and senior officers
  • Strategy's implementation regularly measured
  • Approach to partnering in construction and service delivery set out
  • Approach to collaboration and new trading powers set out
  • Appraisal of service delivery models included in Best Value reviews
  • Staff consulted on employment issues in procurement processes and contracts
  • 2003 Act and 03/2003 Circular built into processes and contracts
  • Publish a Selling to the Council guide (website)
  • Ensure corporate procurement strategy is addressing sustainability and equality issues, helps to achieve the community plan and involves the voluntary sector
  • Conclude a compact with the local voluntary and community sectors

Targets for 2011

  • Health checks against National Strategy (singles tiers and county councils)
  • Centres of excellence involved (district and upper tiers)
  • Average time from OJEU notice to contract award reduced by 10%
  • Smaller districts collaborating with others for shared services
  • All councils co-operating regionally via networks of centres of excellence
  • Appropriate e-Procurement solution implemented
  • Using government procurement cards/equivalent for low value purchases
  • Relationship of procurement to community plan addressed
  • Workforce diversity, equality and sustainability issues addressed
  • Diverse and competitive supply market encouraged
  • Sustainability built into procurement strategy, progress and contracts
  • Concordat for SMEs and voluntary sector compact concluded
  • Information Memorandum to prospective bidders included in processes
  • Invitation to bidders to demonstrate effective use of supply chain included
  • Give bidders option to specify benefits under community plan

Targets for 2012:

  • Health checks against National Strategy (districts)
  • Average time from OJEU notice to contract award reduced by 25%
  • Accessing an appropriate e-Marketplace

For more information about the National Procurement Strategy for Local Government, follow the link below.
www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1136721

e-Procurement

e- procurement is one of the objectives laid out by the National Procurement Strategy for Local Government

What does e-procurement mean?

E-procurement is simply electronic purchasing, the buying of goods and services electronically from third parties. E-procurement is a high on most authority’s agenda in an effort to further improve commercial relationships and increase efficiency in the purchasing and payment processes. E-procurement does not necessarily require new or high levels of technology.

What is Charnwood Borough Council doing to move towards e-procurement?

We are currently looking to further develop e-procurement methods in our procurement unit. We have already taken some steps towards implementing a fully electronic system of procurement. The main step that has been taken was the installation of a new financial management system. Currently we are able to send internal electronic requisitions and create orders in a paperless manner. At present we already have with one of our suppliers a solely electronic system of ordering and payment.

Information about Contracts for Potential and Existing Suppliers

How to find out about Charnwood Borough Council contracts

We use Source Leicestershire to advertise our Tenders, and for larger contracts (over £156,442) in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), which is available only in electronic format - CD-ROM or via the internet. In addition tenders advertisement may be placed in appropriate trade journals. You can also find out about our tenders on our website (insert link).