08 October 2008What is procurement?
Procurement is about the acquisition of goods, services and works to facilitate the delivery of Council services in meeting the objectives of the Council.
Procurement covers everything from pens and paper to construction projects. It covers the whole management process starting with the identification of the need through to the end of a service contract or useful life of an asset or product.
The Council's Strategic Procurement Group is responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of the strategic and operational procedures that support well managed procurement processes within the Council.
The Group identifies opportunities where procurement expertise will contribute to the maximisation of the Council's use of resources and the delivery of Value for Money.
The Procurement Strategy (
PDF File 191KB file details) is the framework around which the Council's approach to procurement is based. Its implementation is central to the Council delivering against the Government's modernisation agenda as embodied within the Sustainable Procurement National Action Plan Procuring the Future.
Sevenoaks District Council considers well managed procurement processes to be vital to effective service delivery and an essential contribution towards a sustainable future.
Doing Business with Sevenoaks District Council
Procurement of works, services and supplies account for a significant proportion of the Council's expenditure. Sevenoaks District Council spends around £12 million annually on goods and services.
The Council's procurement needs are wide ranging and varied. In any one year these could include day to day office supplies, IT equipment, building repairs, grounds maintenance or major construction contracts.
Orders and contracts can range in value from a few pounds to millions of pounds. All purchasing of supplies, goods and services are governed by the rules and regulations stated in the Council’s Constitution, within the Financial Financial Procedure Rules and Contract Procedure Rules.
The Procedure Rules ensure that the Council's procurement complies with European and National legislation as well as setting the District Council’s own policies and procedural rules which govern the management of tendering processes and contract awards.
Essential aspects of the Council’s approach to doing business are transparency, probity and equality of opportunity. To this effect it is necessary that those wishing to do business with the Council must comply with the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules, Contract Procedure Rules and Equal Opportunities Policy.
Further details can be seen in the supplier guide section of this website.
The Council does not maintain an approved list of contractors. When requirements are identified or current contracts are due for renewal appropriate procedures are adopted to enable organisations to be fairly and openly considered.
Current opportunities
Details of Council’s existing contracts can be seen on the Council’s Contracts Register. Tenders will be advertised according to the requirements of the Council’s Constitution at the appropriate time.
Details of all our current contracts and tender opportunities can be found on the South East Business Portal. The South East Portal is a website dedicated to procurement opportunities across the South East of England and contains the contract details of a number of south eastern local authorities, including Sevenoaks District Council.
Please follow this link to visit the Sevenoaks District Council pages of the South East Portal.
For further information please contact the Council's Strategic Procurement Group.
