Procurement
Doing Business with the Council
We spend around £20 million each year on goods, works, and services to support essential services across South Derbyshire. This investment helps us deliver high-quality services to over 112,000 residents and around 5,000 businesses in our district.
We are committed to creating opportunities for a wide range of suppliers. Wherever possible, we actively encourage participation from local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs). Our aim is to make our procurement processes clear, fair, and accessible to all suppliers.
Suppliers who wish to tender for contracts will find details of existing opportunities on the Council’s e-procurement platform here, or the Government’s Contracts Finder website.
Anyone interested in finding out any further information, including how to tender and to enquire about potential opportunities available, should contact us by email at Procurement@southderbyshire.gov.uk.
Procurement legislation has changed under the Procurement Act (2023), which came into force in February 2025. This means that there will be changes to how suppliers can find opportunities and bid. South Derbyshire District Council will strive to engage with suppliers at the earliest point in the procurement process and issue the relevant notices for both below and above threshold tenders.
New Procurement Act (2023) compliant notices will be issued by the Council to signal to suppliers the Council’s intention to conduct procurement activity. Suppliers should ensure they are set-up to be notified about these on the Central Digital Platform.
Advice for suppliers on how to register on the Central Digital Platform can be found here.
Useful videos provider by the Government Commercial Function for suppliers to register on the Central Digital Platform and how to use it can also be found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ZdbMGRqeQ
There is also a knowledge drop for SME and VCSE suppliers for further information here.
To register with the Council’s e-procurement platform, please follow the link below:
https://procontract.due-north.com/register
Our Procurement Process
All of our procurement activity is led by our Procurement Team, working closely with the relevant service areas. The Procurement Team manages the process end to end, ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements.
Our procurement procedures are governed by:
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The Procurement Act 2023
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Our Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs)
Both documents are publicly available and set out the principles and processes we follow when awarding contracts. They ensure that our procurement activity is fair, transparent, and competitive, and that we secure value for money when spending public funds.
We use several different routes to buy goods, services, and works:
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Request for Quotation (RFQ): Used for lower-value contracts. Opportunities are openly published on our e-Tendering portal, and any registered supplier can submit a quotation.
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Full Tender Process: Used for higher-value or more complex requirements, involving an open and competitive tender.
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Framework Agreements: Used where pre-established frameworks allow us to award contracts efficiently. Suppliers can compete to be appointed to these frameworks when they are established.
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Direct Award: Used only in limited, specific circumstances, as set out in our Contract Procedure Rules.
The route we use depends on the total estimated value of the contract, the nature of the requirement, and the thresholds set out in our Contract Procedure Rules. We encourage suppliers to familiarise themselves with these documents to better understand our processes and identify opportunities to work with us.
Notices to look out for:
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Pre-Market Engagement: Advance notice of upcoming opportunities.
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Tender Notices and Below-threshold Tender Notices: Live procurement opportunities open for bids.
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Contract Award Notices: Details of awarded contracts, useful for understanding future opportunities and subcontracting potential.
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Contract Termination Notices: signals the end of a contract with the supplier and the Council.
Before launching a formal procurement, we may engage with the market to shape our approach and understand supplier capabilities. We encourage suppliers to participate in these exercises to gain early visibility of opportunities.
Whilst the Central Digital Platform is our main route for advertising, we may also promote opportunities through local or specialist trade publications where appropriate, to encourage wider supplier engagement.
Frameworks
We may sometimes use framework agreements to buy goods, services, or works. A framework is a pre-established agreement with a group of approved suppliers, set up by a public sector buying organisation through a fully compliant procurement process. Frameworks allow public bodies like ours to award contracts more efficiently, without running a separate full procurement each time.
Frameworks cover a wide range of goods and services. Any supplier can compete to join a framework when it is first set up, through an open and competitive process. Once appointed to a framework, suppliers can then be considered for contract opportunities awarded under that agreement.
We use frameworks where they offer value for money, efficiency, or access to specialist expertise. The main framework providers we use include:
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Crown Commercial Service (CCS)
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Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO)
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Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO)
However, this is not an exhaustive list. There are many other framework providers in the public sector, and suppliers are encouraged to monitor a range of opportunities to maximise their chances of success. Framework opportunities and details of upcoming procurements are published directly by the respective organisations.
Frameworks are often divided into regional lots, which creates opportunities for suppliers of all sizes, including local SMEs and VCSEs.
Tendering Process
We run our tender processes in line with the Procurement Act 2023. The route we use depends on the nature and value of the contract.
The main procedures are:
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Below-Threshold Procurement: For lower-value contracts below the national threshold, we publish opportunities openly on our e-Tendering portal. Any registered supplier can submit a quotation or bid.
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Open Procedure: A straightforward process where all interested suppliers can submit a tender. Supplier suitability and compliance are assessed as part of the evaluation.
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Competitive Flexible Procedure: A more tailored process, used for more complex or high-value contracts. This procedure gives us flexibility to design the stages of the procurement (such as selection and negotiation) to suit the requirement. Suppliers may first be shortlisted before being invited to submit full tenders.
For every procurement, we issue a full set of tender documents, which typically include:
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Instructions to Tenderers
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Specification
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Pricing Schedule
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Contract term (length of contract)
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Terms and Conditions of Contract
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Quality Requirements
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Tender Evaluation Criteria
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Supporting schedules and templates
These documents explain our requirements, how to submit your bid, and how your submission will be assessed. Our aim is to give all suppliers a clear and fair opportunity to compete.
Please note that not all suppliers will progress to the final stages of every process. However, we encourage you to continue bidding for future opportunities, as each procurement is assessed on its own merits.
Tender Submission, Evaluation, and Award
All tenders must be submitted electronically through our e-Tendering portal, in line with the instructions provided. We do not accept late submissions under any circumstances.
Once the deadline passes, all tenders are opened at the same time and assessed by our evaluation team against the published criteria. Our evaluation considers:
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Compliance with our specification and requirements
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Quality of your proposal
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Pricing and overall value for money, including whole life costs
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Social value and environmental benefits, where applicable
The weighting between price and quality is clearly stated in each tender opportunity.
We notify all suppliers of the outcome in writing through our e-Tendering portal.
Payment Terms
For all contracts over £25,000, we aim to pay suppliers within 30 days of receiving a valid invoice.
Contract Management
Once a contract is awarded, we actively manage it to ensure delivery and continuous improvement.
Depending on the nature of the contract, you can expect:
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Regular contract review meetings: Annual, quarterly, or as appropriate.
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Performance monitoring: Against agreed KPIs and service standards.
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Open communication: To address issues early and maintain a strong working relationship.
We see contract management as a collaborative process to deliver best value for both parties.
What We Expect from Suppliers
We expect all our suppliers to:
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Comply with all legal and regulatory requirements, including health and safety, equality, data protection, and modern slavery legislation.
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Operate ethically and transparently.
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Deliver social value where possible, supporting our community and environment.
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Meet the standards set out in our Terms and Conditions.
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Engage positively in contract management discussions and commit to continuous improvement.
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Deliver good value for money for the Council and its residents.