How do we buy goods and services?
We must ensure that the money received from the general tax payers and council tax payers is used as carefully as possible and that the best value for money is achieved. A significant proportion of the council’s spend is therefore subject to contracts which have been subject to reasonable competition.
All procurements are undertaken as specified in the council’s Contract Standing Orders with the following thresholds and procedures used for goods, services and works.
| Total Value | Procedure to be Used |
|---|---|
| £1,000 – £9,999 | At least one quote in advance – Consideration to be given to suitably qualified Thanet supplier/s, if available |
| £10,000 – £74,999 | At least three written quotes in advance – Consideration to be given to suitably qualified Thanet supplier/s, if available. |
| £75,000 – £164,175.99 | At least three written tenders in advance |
| Over £164,176 for goods and services or over £4,104,394 for works | Formal tendering in line with Regulations implementing EU legislation |
For building and construction contracts we will accept accreditation to Construction line or equivalent accreditation services as part of our pre-qualification of suppliers. This is not used exclusively however, suppliers who do not hold accreditation will be expected to complete and submit a comprehensive PQQ(Pre-Qualification questionnaire) to establish that they meet the council’s minimum standards.
We, when appropriate, join with other authorities in Kent to undertake joint contracting and make use of contracts awarded by other bodies on behalf of public authorities such as the Central Buying Consortium, the Government Procurement Service and Laser.
We no longer maintain an approved list of suppliers.