Transcript Slide 1
Doing Business with Epping Forest District Council Dawn Jolley Senior Finance Officer: Procurement Email: [email protected] What is Procurement? Procurement is the full range of activities related to purchasing goods, services and works. from the identification of a need to defining our requirements establishing methods of financing seeking suitable providers and the eventual disposal of the asset or termination of the contract. What is Procurement? Procurement must: Adhere to Legal Requirements and Constitution; Align to / encompass Corporate and Financial Strategies and budgetary targets; Generate the most advantageous balance between Requirement, Quality, and Cost; Be fair, transparent and stimulate competition and innovation; Be fully auditable Opportunities Selling products and/or services to public sector organisations represents a significant opportunity for all businesses; Public sector organisations can make good customers. They have to employ tendering processes that are transparent, provide essential information to potential suppliers and ensure a fair chance for small businesses; They also have to be fair and honest in the way they choose suppliers and pay promptly within agreed contract terms; Opportunities Epping Forest District Council spends a considerable sum each year with the private sector and is committed to helping small and medium-sized businesses compete successfully for our contracts. EFDC spent just under £11.5 million with SMEs during 2010/2011; 11% of EFDC's total expenditure for 2010/11 was spent with suppliers who had a registered address within the Epping Forest district. Prior to August 2008, an SME was defined as an organisation with fewer than 250 employees which had an annual turnover not exceeding €50m and/or with an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43m. Post August 2008 HMRC extended this to include organisations with fewer than 500 employees with an annual turnover not exceeding €100m and/or with a balance sheet total not exceeding €86m* *http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ct/forms-rates/claims/randd.htm How we buy Goods, Services & Works Procurement at EFDC is decentralised across the different Directorates; Each Directorate works within our Constitution, Financial Regulations, Contract Standing Orders and EU Procurement Directives; A small procurement team provides co-ordinated corporate support by: Providing an experienced skill and knowledge base; Ensuring best value and best practice; Managing tender exercises; Collaborating with other procurement organisations. How we buy Goods, Services & Works Up to £10,000 = 1 quote £10,001 - £15,000 = 2 written quotes £15,001 - £25,000 = 3 written quotes £25,001 - £50,000 = 3 written quotes obtained from companies registered on Constructionline, or appropriate sources if required trade or profession is not serviced by Constructionline. How we buy Goods, Services & Works Contracts exceeding £50,000, but below EU Procurement Thresholds = Invitation to Tender EU Procurement Thresholds = Tender as per EU Procurement Directives Expression of Interest Pre Qualification Questionnaire Invitation to Tender What are the Thresholds? As of January 2011: £ 173,934 for Supplies & Services £4,348,350 for Works Why? Ensures spending is based on value for money via transparent competition; Ensures contracts are awarded without discrimination; How we buy Goods, Services & Works EFDC does not hold Preferred Supplier Lists; EFDC is a member of the Essex Procurement Hub and the Procurement Agency for Essex; Allows for collaborative spend and better pricing through increased buying power which in turn reduces costs to the public purse; As a Local Authority, EFDC may make use of any Nationally awarded Framework Agreement; What is a Framework Agreement? Framework agreements are set up by public sector bodies with suppliers to provide goods, works or services according to certain requirements. Frameworks can be arranged centrally by one public body for itself and/or for a number of other public bodies. Those bodies that are party to the framework can then order (or 'call-off') the goods, works or services if and when required. If there is more than one supplier, then a mini-competition may be held to identify the best supplier. A contract is only formed when an order is placed for a specific requirement. The public sector body is not committed to using the framework. Framework agreements are subject to safeguards and do not normally last for more than four years. What does EFDC want from suppliers? Our main objective is to achieve value for money – we are spending taxpayers money. Competition; Quality; Flexibility; Responsiveness; Innovation; Specialism; Understanding of local issues; Awareness of the local community. What we are doing to assist SMEs EFDC amended their Contract Standing Orders in 2009: When tendering, the District Council will endeavour to seek at least one quotation from a business located in the District, provided that legal requirements are met Trying to standardise our procurement documents and procedures: Clearer instructions to bidders; Clearer specifications; Transparent selection & evaluation criteria; No unnecessary / irrelevant questions; Making them less time consuming to complete. Suppliers wishing to Register Interest With regards to supplying goods, services and/or works to EFDC, it is recommended that suppliers register as a supplier on www.paessex.gov.uk in order to receive contract opportunities free of charge that match their business. Having registered on the PAE site suppliers will then be able to access the BiP Select Service which will increase the visibility of their products and services across Essex. On-line Procurement Course The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills recently launched an online procurement course, Winning the Contract. This course will help you gain an understanding about public procurement and how to bid for public sector contracts, and can be accessed free of charge. For more information visit: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk Websites you might find useful Supplying products or services to government - guidance on the Contracts Finder (registration required) Supplying products or services for London 2012 - information on the CompeteFor website (registration required) https://www.competefor.com/london2012business//login.jsp Winning the contract - online course for securing a public sector contract on the learndirect business website http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/ http://www1.learndirect-business.com/business-courses/winning-thecontract/ Tender searches on the TED website http://ted.europa.eu/Exec?DataFlow=hRead.dfl&Template=TED/homepage.ht m&hpt=ALL&StatLang=EN Doing Business with Epping Forest District Council http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/business/doing_business_with_efdc.asp Dawn Jolley Senior Finance Officer: Procurement Email: [email protected]