Procurement services are provided by STAR Procurement, a shared service for Knowsley, St Helen’s, Trafford, Tameside, Stockport and Rochdale. We provide strategic procurement advice and support to each of the partners, as well as tendering, market engagement and supplier support. Our priority is to maximise value for money for each of our Council’s, deliver efficiencies and maximise opportunities for Social Value. You can find out more about STAR Procurement here.
How we buy what we need
The council's Constitution outlines the minimum requirements and standards that must be followed for awarding all contracts. This is further supported by the Procurement Strategy found below and our approach to Social Value.
The following summarises the minimum procurement methods as defined in the Constitution:
| Value Band | Total Value | Required Procurement Activity | Minimum Requirement for Advertising |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | £0 - £4,999.99 | Service Led Activity: 1 Quotation to be received in accordance with Rule 6 | N/A |
| B | £5,000 - £24,999.99 | Service Led Activity: 3 Quotations to be received in accordance with Rule 7 |
N/A |
| C | £25,000, regulations threshold | Procurement Team Led Activity: Either 3 Quotations to be received in accordance with Rule 7 Or Tender in accordance with Rule 8 |
Rule 7: N/A Rule 8: Contracts Finder, The Chest |
| D | Regulations threshold and above. | Procurement Team Led Activity: Most appropriate procedure permitted by the Regulations |
FTS Notice, Contracts Finder, The Chest |
Finding procurement and contracting opportunities
When we have projects that need work done, we post tender opportunities on our e-tendering portal, The Chest. There's a helpful guide available to assist you in registering, searching for opportunities, and bidding for work.
It's crucial that businesses use this system, as it's the one used by most local authorities in the North West of England. By registering, you can receive alerts for upcoming contracts and specify the areas you're interested in supplying. Registration is straightforward, and using The Chest is simple. If you encounter any difficulties, please contact our Procurement Team, and an expert advisor will be happy to assist you.
Transparency
All Contract Registers prior to Q1 2024 were held on the Chest. You can view them here.
We publish other transparency data, including spending over £500 in our publication scheme.
Supporting Suppliers and Bidders
For lower-value contract opportunities, the Council is taking steps to promote those opportunities with local suppliers.
Tendering in the public sector is more straightforward than you would think. However, we appreciate that our world of procurement is not yours.
We have also developed a series of useful links which we hope will benefit you when supplying to the public sector.
You can also contact STAR for more information at 0161 912 1616 or email procurement@star-procurement.gov.uk
We are committed to making it as easy as possible for businesses to do business with the Council.
Social Value – driving added value for our communities
A key objective in our approach towards procurement is to try and get as much benefit for our local communities as possible. We developed a guidance to Social Value to assist you in preparing your bids.