Commissioning and procurement support and advice

Our team of qualified procurement specialists can advise you on all your commissioning, contracting and purchasing decisions.

We help to ensure that your school complies with legislation relating to schools contract standing orders, financial regulations and best practice.

Key Benefits

• Compliance with contracting legislation when engaging contractors and consultants
• All-round best value and potential budget savings
• Expert in-depth knowledge of education and the wider public sector and how to access markets
• Excellent local and professional links offering advice and guidance on procuring services
• Financial and reputational risk limitation within recommended audit guidelines.

Service Details

This is a new service for schools and academies.

We offer a commissioning and procurement support and advisory service, ensuring you comply with legislative and ethical requirements and best practice when engaging contractors and consultants and purchasing services and products.

Our service is delivered by experienced and CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supplies) qualified procurement specialists.

It covers a wide range of provision, including the procurement of individual, consortia or corporate services contracts within the regime of Best Value. We will:

• advertise tenders using the South East Business Portal, or
• seek supplier quotes on your behalf, and
• provide you with market intelligence regarding supplier availability price comparisons.

For some services we can arrange full contract management and monitoring to ensure best value and high quality service delivery throughout the life of a contract.

Pricing

Funded Support

This service ensures compliance with European Union and national procurement legislation and also with the County Council’s schools contract standing orders.

We will make sure schools comply with legislation and eliminate or reduce the risk of financial loss and possible risk of challenge by an unsuccessful tenderer.

Getting The Most From Your Service

What Your School Needs To Do

If your school engages contractors or consultants you are required to ensure that their work complies with appropriate legislation. Your contractor or consultant must follow ESCC regulations.

If in any doubt, contact the Contracts and Purchasing Unit. We can advise you on the spend thresholds and details of ESCC regulations for engaging contractors and consultants. Call 01273 481787. 

Quality Assurance

We use customer feedback to improve and develop this service, and regularly audit the service for quality assurance and compliance purposes. Requirements for the quality of services and products being procured are agreed during the tender process.

Terms & Conditions

Support