Selling to the Council

Wakefield Council Procurement is governed by EU Public Contract Regulations, the Council’s, Corporate Procurement Strategy and Contract Procedure Rules Our Procurement Priorities are; Delivering efficiencies, but not at the expense of quality Embracing sustainable procurement to deliver; Stronger local economy Improved job opportunities Skilled workforce Social Value Improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of the district

What Do We Buy? Food Vehicles Energy Stationery Insurance Building Supplies Plant ICT equipment and systems Maintenance Construction Training Services Highways Landscaping Furniture Social Care Services Paper Consultancy and Advice And much more….

How We Buy Where the Council operates an In-house service that can meet the identified need, the in house service will be used. There are a number of buying options available to the Council such as; Consortia Arrangements Collaborative Arrangements Quotations & Tenders In order to identify the best option on each occasion, buyers will assess the need, including budget, timescales and end product required (goods/works/services). If a suitable contract exists through Consortia or Collaborative arrangements, this will usually be used as it is often the most cost effective process.

Consortia Arrangements Consortia organisations such as YPO, ESPO, Pro5, & GPS undertake tenders (in accordance with EU regulations) to establish frameworks and contracts which Councils can then buy from. These arrangements can offer good value for money as bidders often submit very competitive rates due to the opportunity of the contract to be used by a large number of Councils. Buying through these arrangements is faster and less resource intensive, therefore costs the Council less as a buying process.

Consortia Arrangements YPO contracts also cover a large range of high volume, low value goods which the Council requires. To supply through consortia arrangements, contact each consortia directly to discuss how to bid or become involved. Details of the consortia used by Wakefield Council can be found in related links.

Collaborative Arrangements When Public Sector Organisations undertake tenders in accordance with EU procurement regulations, they can conduct a joint tender or specify within their documents other Public Sector Organisations that can also use the contract if they wish. If a suitable contract is identified where Wakefield Council has been specified then this contract may be used. This means that Wakefield Council may buy directly from the supplier awarded the contract. You can identify whether a tender is for a collaborative opportunity by checking the tender documents for a listing of other potential users or by checking with the tendering officer if you are unsure. Make sure you are clear whether a tender is to supply a number of specified Councils from the outset or whether the option is simply there for other Councils if they wish to use it.

YORtender YORtender (www.yortender.co.uk) is the website where suppliers can find out about and participate in tenders and (when invited) quotes. Registration is free of charge. Users (suppliers) can set up alerts to be notified when a potentially suitable opportunity is advertised. All advertised opportunities are accessible under the ‘Current Opportunities’ heading. The same system is used by the other Council’s in the Yorkshire and Humber region

YORtender The ‘Contract Store’ page on YORtender can be used to search existing Contracts. A range of information is provided here about each existing contract including; Start date, end date, details of any extensions available Supplier details Council contact details Specification (Where the procurement has not been undertaken as a further competition under a framework agreement) Information on the contract store can help suppliers understand when contracts are due for renewal and also identify suppliers and seek supply chain opportunities.

Quotations & Tenders Where there is no suitable collaborative or consortia arrangement in place, the Council will lead its own procurement process. The process followed is determined by the estimated contract value. Estimated contract value includes the cost of the contract over its life including ‘whole life costs’ such as implementation, training, disposal costs etc. Where the estimated contract value is less than £15k buyers need to ensure they obtain value for money through the most appropriate method.

Quotations Where the estimated contract value is between £15,000 and £75,000 buyers need to undertake a Quotation process. A minimum of 3 bidders will be invited to bid through YORtender. Invitations to Quote will be project specific and will usually ask for some method statements in order to assess quality along with a pricing submission in order to assess costs.

Tenders Where the estimated Contract Value is more than £75,000 buyers need to undertake a Tender process. All Tenders are advertised on YORtender and will be available for any interested supplier to bid. Some Tenders are ‘open’ and require a full quality and price submission from any interested bidder (Invitation to Tender or ‘ITT’). Some Tenders are ‘restricted’ and require only information relating to the capability and capacity of interested bidders initially (Pre-qualification Questionnaire or ‘PQQ’). PQQ submissions will be assessed and some bidders will then be shortlisted and requested to submit full quality and pricing proposals (‘Invitation to Tender or ‘ITT).

EU Tenders Where the estimated contract value exceeds the levels below, the tender must be advertised in Europe (OJEU). The process will have to follow EU specified timescales and there will be a 10 day standstill period after notification of the tender result. Goods (£172,514) Services (£172,514) Works (£4,322,012) EU Tenders will still be advertised on YORtender and the documentation used will be broadly the same as a lower value tender.

What Documentation do we use? Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) – used to shortlist suppliers to be invited to tender Invitation to Tender (ITT) – formal tender documentation Invitation to Quote (ITQ) – used for obtaining competitive quotations Conditions of Contract (Terms and Conditions) – conditions issued with the ITQ or ITT document

How do we evaluate bids? All bids (tenders and quotations) received are scored against the evaluation model provided in the tender / quotation documentation. The evaluation model reflects the information that is sought and the importance (weighting) of the information to the evaluation and delivery of the contract.

Top Tips for Bidders Read the tender or quotation documents carefully Understand what is being asked Don’t assume anything – ask if you are unsure Provide the information requested Answer the questions asked Be clear and concise Cross reference responses so it is easy to read and evaluate Don’t send publicity materials with the tender/quotation unless asked Be specific to the contract and questions asked Don’t reference or include standard brochures

Top Tips for Bidders Be clear on your pricing model and state any assumptions you have made when pricing (for example, resources required by you and/or the Council, timetables, etc.). Return bids on time Allow plenty of time to submit your documents If you’re late you will be disqualified Understand the Customer Understand what the Council is looking for, read the specification carefully and any other information supplied with the tender/quote in order that you understand the requirements and the context.

Top Tips for Bidders Understand the supply chain Look at contracts awarded by the Council Can sub-contracting opportunities be identified? Ask for a de-brief If unsuccessful or successful, ask for a de-brief Improve for next time