Main Content Area

Buyer Profile

Buyer Profile

The Council currently spends approximately £80 million annually on a wide range of goods, works and services.

In order to obtain best value for this spending, a significant proportion is under contract. Details of the contracts can be viewed in the contracts register located within the "Procurement - Contracts list" section of these webpages. The register provides details of values, suppliers and contractors, expiry dates and contacts for enquiries.

We are involved in an increasing number of joint contracts with other authorities and as a result do not always tender for new business on our own, however the contracts that are competitively tested by us are governed by the following financial thresholds: 

Contracts for goods and services have the following thresholds:

Below £5,000 – Minimum of 2 quotations to test competition 
Between £5,000 and £50,000 – Minimum of 3 written quotations invited 
Between £50,000 and £144,459 - formal UK tenders invited 
Above £144,459 - formal European Union (EU) tender process 

Contracts for works have the following thresholds: 

Below £5,000 - Minimum of 2 quotations to test competition 
Between £5,000 and £50,000 - written quotations invited 
Between £50,000 and £3.6 million - formal UK tenders invited 
Above £3.6 million - formal EU tender process

In addition to tendering for individual contracts, we hold a number of select lists of approved suppliers. These are mainly for property and highways work and are usually reviewed and advertised for new applications every three years. For details of the select lists and contracts, please refer to the Approved Suppliers section.

Our tenders are advertised in the local and national press, trade journals the authority’s webisite and  at EU level, the Official Journal of the European Community (OJEC), Government Opportunities and Contrax Weekly.

We are continually looking to improve commercial flexibility within our procurement practices and achieve best value for the Council whilst working within statutory and EU requirements. Local suppliers are encouraged to tender for our business wherever possible and can access specific information on how to do business with us by accessing our "Selling to the Council" – a guide for suppliers and
contractors document within the Procurement Policy section.

We have a substantial e-procurement programme at various stages of development within the Council which will introduce electronic ordering of goods and payment of suppliers and electronic tendering, resulting in improved efficiency and a reduction in costs for us and those who do business with us.