National Procurement Concordat for Small & Medium sized
Enterprises
In December 2005, the Council signed up to the Small Business
Friendly Concordat. Thanet District Council is fully committed to
its good practice and principles. This concordat encompasses
October 2005's addendum issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister
Introduction
We are committed to delivering locally the National Procurement
Strategy for Local Government. The strategy asks local authorities
to adopt a small and medium sized enterprise (SME) friendly
procurement concordat and to encourage a mixed range of suppliers
in order to help develop and stimulate a varied and competitive
marketplace.
The concordat sets out the actions that local authorities will
take to make their contracts more accessible to SMEs. Although the
principles should relate to all SMEs, the concordat is particularly
focused on small businesses of less than 50 employees.
We recognise the important contribution that small businesses
can make to the delivery of public services and the vital role
these businesses play in the national and local economy. We are
committed to making the most of the benefits offered by them.
Underlying Principles
Contracts are awarded in order to support the Best Value
delivery of local government services. We will deliver value for
money and take into account the whole life costs in contract
decisions; this means considering quality, longer term cost and
benefits as well as initial price.
We will make appropriate use of our legal powers including the
power to promote the economic, social and environmental well being
of our community.
All tender processes and contract awards will comply with EU
Public Procurement Directives and the principles of
non-discrimination, equal treatment and transparency and our duties
under UK law.
Local Authority Commitments
Procurement strategy
We will publish a corporate procurement strategy. The
strategy will include a commitment to:
- The role procurement plays in delivering the Council’s
objectives and its contribution to the community strategy,
workforce issues, diversity and equality and sustainability.
- How we will encourage a diverse and competitive supply market,
including small firms, social enterprises, ethnic minority
businesses and voluntary and community sector suppliers.
- A commitment to ensure that our approach to individual
contracts, including large contracts and framework agreements etc,
is supported by a sound business case and options appraisal.
- A commitment that where we decide that the best value option is
to aggregate supply or let a longer term contract or framework
agreement we will invite bidders to demonstrate their track record
in achieving value for money through effective use of their supply
chain.
- A commitment to consider the role of SME specialist suppliers
in delivering elements of larger contracts and framework
agreements.
Access to contract opportunities
Details of our key suppliers
- We will advertise contracts. We will use a range of
publications and other means in order to encourage greater
diversity and competition.
- We will give potential suppliers an opportunity to discuss the
procurement in order to understand our requirements and assess
their own suitability. Nothing will be done, however, which would
give a particular business or provider an unfair advantage in
competing for a specific contract.
- We will work with prime contractors – both at tender stage and
during the life of contract – to establish the contribution that
small firms, ethnic minority businesses, social enterprises and
voluntary and community sector suppliers can play in the supply
chain. We will provide details of our prime contractors on our
website.
Fair tender processes
- We will apply our own rules and policies fairly.
- At pre-tender stage and during the tender process we will
ensure that all tenderers have equal access to relevant
information.
- We will keep the tender process as simple as possible in order
to help minimise the costs to suppliers.
- If a pre-qualification stage is used we will use a Council-wide
pre-qualification questionnaire containing common core questions
with limited bespoke additions for each contract. We will work with
regional and national partners to ensure a consistent approach to
pre-qualification.
- We will assess potential suppliers against published
pre-qualification and tender evaluation criteria. These criteria
will be proportionate to the risks of the individual contract
process. In particular the criteria relating to financial standing
will not to be set to unreasonably exclude newer businesses.
Feedback
We will offer meaningful feedback to suppliers following the
procurement process in order that suppliers can improve for future
tenders.
- We will seek feedback from suppliers, and their respective
trade associations, on our tender processes and address where we
can any problems that are brought to our attention.
- We will publish a complaints procedure.
Contract Management
- All contracts will require our suppliers to pay their
sub-contractors, throughout the supply chain, within 30 days from
receipt of an undisputed invoice.
Supplier Commitments
As customers we will make clear to our suppliers, and those
wishing to do business with us, what is expected of them.
For more information and to access the Small Business Concordat:
Good Practice Guide in full text go to the Communities and
Local Government website at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/
publications/localgovernment/smallbusinessfriendly