Rules and legal obligations

Our Contract Procedure Rules have been written to set clear rules for the procurement of goods, services and works, so that we can obtain best value for money, whilst ensuring a system of openness, transparency and non-discrimination where the accountability of the procurement process is beyond reproach.

We are governed by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 which ensure a transparent, fair and competitive public procurement which generates business opportunities, drive economic growth and create jobs.

The Public Contract Regulations require the Council to advertise all procurement opportunities over certain thresholds on the UK e-notification service called Find a Tender service (FTS).

The value of a purchasing arrangement is the whole-life value of the contract not just the annual value and must encompass all contracts for the same purpose. This means that contracts cannot be broken down into smaller contracts to avoid these regulations.

The current values came into effect on 1st January 2024 (NB: These are INCLUSIVE of VAT) and are as follows:

• Supplies Contracts (Goods) £214,904
• Services Contracts £214,904
• Building & Engineering Works Contracts £5,372,609
• Light touch services (social and similar) £663,540

The new rules seek to open procurement contracts up to more innovative solutions to ensure that the money that goes into procurement is spent in a way that stimulates development. The rules will also cut red tape for companies bidding and make it easier for small and medium-sized firms to participate.