Quotations procedures
Currently the council advertise all goods, works and services over the value of £25,000.
Council officers seeking to purchase goods, works and services with a value of between £5,000 and £25,000 must obtain at least three (3) written quotations from suitable suppliers/contractors. Any purchases up to £5,000 must be carried out in the most expedient manner and with regard for best value by the Senior Manager/Head of Service concerned.
Tender procedures and where we advertise opportunities
Where the contract value exceeds £25,000 but falls under the European threshold the advertisement will be placed on CSW-JETS, Contracts Finder and any appropriate technical journals.
Where the value of the contract exceeds the European threshold (i.e. Goods and Services £181,302 and Works £4,551,413) it will also be advertised in the Official Journal of European Union (OJEU). There are different types of tendering procedures that can be adopted (i.e. Open, Restricted, Competitive Dialogue or Accelerated). Each procedure imposes minimum timescales covering the tender process to ensure that reasonable time to respond to adverts and prepare submissions is given to all interested parties.
Warwick District Council will apply the most appropriate procedure for all procurement activity.
Under EU regulations a Notice of all Contract Awards must be placed in OJEU and unsuccessful tenderers de-briefed.
How to tender for council contracts
Suppliers can apply for a contract opportunity via CSW-JETS where a set of relevant documentation will be made available. All communication in relation to the contract will be made via the eportal linked to the opportunity.
How to do business with Warwick District Council - guide for suppliers and service providers
Common tendering mistakes
- Late submission: The return date and time are fixed. It is vital that you get your tender to the right location and on time.
- Wrong format: Not submitting correspondence in the right format e.g. we will normally ask for all correspondence to go through the tendering portal
- Not reading all of the information: The portal will contain information and instructions. If you do not read it all you may miss uploading crucial documents. If you don’t understand anything, ask.
- Canvassing individuals in the tendering organisation: The tender process has to be fair and transparent. If you try to influence staff or try to obtain information outside the process your bid could be disqualified.
- Alternative bids: "We can’t do what you’re asking but we can do this…" Unless we specifically ask for alternatives we cannot accept them.
- Qualified bids: "We can give you this price, but only if….." Unless we specifically ask for qualified bids we cannot accept them.
- Wrong information supplied: Don’t tell us what you want us to know, tell us what we ask for, or anything that relates directly to the tender.
- Gaps in information: We are not allowed to make it up or guess, so please make sure that all information needed is supplied.
- Don't assume we know you: We have to assess you on the information that you supply for an individual tender, not on what we may know about you.
- Be realistic: Be realistic about what you can actually achieve.
Tender evaluation
All tender submissions will be evaluated against pre-determined criteria, set out within the relevant documentation.
The council will award the contract on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT).
Those tenderers short listed may also be requested to give presentations or attend clarification meetings on their offerings prior to contracts finally being awarded.
Contract award
All successful suppliers will be notified in writing by formal letter, electronically and relevant contract documentation will be issued for consideration and acceptance.
Debriefing
All unsuccessful suppliers will also be notified in writing giving a debrief on why your tender submission was unsuccessful.
Contract performance
All contracted suppliers are managed throughout the contract period against the pre-defined performance criteria stated in the tender documents and any key performance indicators agreed at contract award.
Contracts have to be delivered in accordance with the requirements set out in the contract documentation.
The council is continuously striving to improve its performance and work in partnership with its suppliers to support the delivery of the councils aims and objectives.
Fraud and corruption
Any suspicion of fraud or corruption will be taken seriously by the council in accordance with the council policies.