Approved lists of suppliers
The Council does not maintain an approved list of suppliers. All potential suppliers are those who register an interest on the Chest, which allows the councils to advertise their tender opportunities to the widest possible audience of interested suppliers. It is up to you, as a supplier, to ensure that your company profile on the Chest reflects the type of contract that you would be interested in tendering for.
There are some opportunities to join Dynamic Purchasing Systems, the modern equivalent of 'approved lists of suppliers', but these are open and transparent. These opportunities are primarily in the field of health and social care.
Finding tenders
You can find out when contracts are being tendered by the Council by registering on the Chest. Registration is simple and free, and you can browse opportunities for other Contracting Authorities across NW England and further afield.
Providing information
You will need to provide information when you submit a tender or register an interest in an advertised opportunity. This information is required by law and will be used to assess your bid. The Council will only ever ask for the information that is needed.
Winning council work
The Council aims to make contracts accessible to Small/Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), the Voluntary & Community Sector (VCSEs), and local businesses of any size. The Council guarantees a fair tender process, with each application treated equally and transparently.
Procurement process
The procurement process can take some time due to legal requirements set by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCRs 2015) and the need to ensure that all bids are assessed fairly. The Council will try to keep bidders fully informed and will publish the individual procurement timescale in its tender documentation.
Benefits of working with the Council
The Council guarantees a fair tender process, with each application treated equally and transparently. The Council has a prompt invoice payment policy and is a reliable customer. Working with public sector buyers also provides a track record to help you win work with other organisations, and where appropriate, the Council will provide references for you to use.
Tender pricing
In the majority of cases, your submitted price will be your final price. You should tender your best price and ensure it is sustainable for you and for the Council.
Electronic tendering
Tendering is carried out through the Council's eProcurement portal for several reasons. An electronic process creates efficiencies for the Council and for bidders; it ensures that the tender process is fully auditable and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCRs 2015) (and as amended) prescribe compulsory electronic tendering. Additionally, there are both cost and environmental benefits to electronic, rather than paper-based procurement.
Help with tendering
The Council cannot tender on your behalf, but it is always on hand to support bidders with the process within the constraints of equal treatment. Always read and follow the instructions for tendering and ask for feedback where you have not been successful. Wherever possible, the Council holds meet the buyer and training events to assist suppliers, or can point you in the direction of existing training and guidance provided by others.
Meeting with the Council
In order to maintain equal treatment of all its suppliers, the Council does not meet with potential suppliers. However, the Procurement Team organises Meet the Buyer events on a regular basis and undertakes market engagement exercises for contracts that are complex or where requirements need the input of suppliers. These are notified to the market through advertisement on the Chest in the same way that tenders are advertised.
Submitting an interest in tendering
When you have registered as a supplier on the Chest, you are able to formally register an interest in tendering for a specific opportunity when you see it advertised. Don't worry if you subsequently do not submit a tender, even if you have registered an interest, as this will not count against you when future opportunities are advertised. It may be, for instance, that you access the tender documentation after registering an interest and then decide that the opportunity does not match your business offer.
Choosing a supplier
For individual one-off spends under £5,000: The Council is able to obtain the required goods or services by means of obtaining only one quotation. Such low value requirements are unlikely to be advertised on the Chest and will not necessarily be notified to the Procurement Team.
For individual requirements between £5,000 and £24,999: the Council may use pre-existing framework agreements, search websites and catalogues, or undertake a Request for Quotation exercise which may or may not be advertised on the Chest as an open opportunity.
Requirements between £25,000 and the relevant World Trade Organisation Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) threshold: The Procurement Team leads the procurement activity. This means dependent upon risks identified and local market conditions, some competitions will be closed to identified local suppliers, whilst others will be openly advertised. Adverts are placed on the Chest and Contracts Finder.
Suppliers interested in providing goods and services should make contact with individual Services within the Council.
Requirements in excess of the GPA thresholds: The Procurement Team leads the activity, and advertises the opportunity on the Chest, Contracts Finder, and Find a Tender Service (FTS).
Note: Adverts published before the 31st December 2020 can be found in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) not FTS.