Finding out about our contracts
There are a number of different ways to find out about new council contracts. It will depend on the value of the contract and the particular services, works or goods being purchased.
Below UK limits
If procurement is below the UK thresholds it is subject to the council’s contract procedures, which again, as with the UK directives, are there to ensure no discrimination and fair competition for all.
Up to £25,000: works, goods and services (with the exception of public utility services i.e. gas, electric, and periodical payments) procured using an official order. Officers are responsible for ensuring that value for money is achieved and wherever possible, at least three written quotations should be obtained, if possible ensuring that at least one of these is a local supplier
Over £25,000 and up to £100,000: should be advertised for competitive tendering on the CHEST or at least three written quotations must be obtained. In order to ensure the receipt of 3 quotations officers may consider inviting a greater number of suppliers to quote. If it is not possible to obtain three quotations (including local suppliers where possible) the spending Officer must consider whether it is appropriate to proceed with the procurement; and
Exceeding £100,000: a competitive tendering exercise is undertaken on the CHEST, involving a minimum of three suppliers.
Terms and conditions of a contract over £100,000
Contracts must include:
- the work or services to be carried out or the materials to be supplied
- what elements of social value will be delivered
- the price and any discounts
- the time within which the contract is to be carried out
- the contractor will pay liquidated damages if they fail to meet the terms of the contract
- if the contract is not carried out properly or the time limit is not met, the
- council can:
- cancel all or part of the contract
- complete the contract
- recover from the contractor any additional costs in completing the contract
- take other legal action against the contractor
- enforce a standard form of contract approved by an accepted national body.
- The council’s policy on whistleblowing is to advise potential suppliers about the council’s policy on standards of openness, probity and accountability.
Every contract must state that all goods, works or services must, as a minimum, comply with: -
- Any relevant British Standards,
- British Standard Code of Practice
- The current EC equivalent in force at the date of the tender.
Select lists of contractors
The council no longer keep lists of approved contractors.
The council decided that it was unfair to suppliers to keep asking them to spend time and resource completing questionnaires and being evaluated to be on an approved list. Suppliers would be on this list for up to a maximum of three years and may never win any new contracts. Suppliers could also be completing similar documentation when applying to be on other council approved lists.
The council felt a fairer policy would be to either use ‘Constructionline’ (an independent national database of pre-qualified contractors and consultants) to select its suppliers in this category when going out for a quote/contract, or
request suppliers to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) in the normal way if they are not part of Constructionline.
A link to the Constructionline website is listed at Appendix A.
Wyre Council will may not always accept the lowest tender as the council recognises the importance of quality and value, as well as price. The council
will select a Supplier on the most economically advantageous tender it receives.
Above UK threshold
If the contract value is above the UK threshold then a contract notice must be placed on FTS.