Codes and guides

They must also comply with the Council’s Code of Practice for contractors, suppliers and service providers (see below).

The aim, where possible, is to help firms improve their practices rather than exclude them from tendering. This increases the Council’s choice of contractors and enhances the services provided to the public.

Small business friendly concordat

The Council recently signed the small business friendly concordat, which is the national procurement concordat for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and which confirms its commitment to this sector.

The concordat requires local authorities to encourage a mixed range of suppliers in order to help develop and stimulate a varied and competitive marketplace. It sets out the actions local authorities should take to make their contracts more accessible to SMEs, and is in line with the Council's strategy of engaging with SMEs and local suppliers.

There is a free resource to help businesses learn about public procurement and how to bid for public sector contracts on the Business Link website. It explains where you can find out about potential contracts and outlines the kind of procurement process you may have to undergo. Access the guide on the Business Link website: see Overview of selling to government. 

Guidance notes

Guidance on some of the key areas that are considered during a procurement process can be found below.