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July 2009

Dewsbury Town Hall

Kirklees Council
Purchasing Policy
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Purchasing as part of the
Procurement Strategy
There are two aspects to procurement:
Procurement:
Procurement involves a range of
decisions including identifying needs,
assessing delivery and sourcing
options (whether to provide in-house
or otherwise), engaging with
suppliers, establishing a secure
position within the marketplace,
purchasing activity, and consideration
of how the purchase will be used and
disposed of at the end of its life.
Purchasing:
The professional task of purchasing
goods and materials, works and
services through the implementation
of the Purchasing Policy.
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Purchasing policy
It is the policy of Kirklees Council to:
• secure the provision and delivery of
supplies, works and services that
• meet customer expectations
• provide value for money and
• achieve a reliable supply
• incorporate social, economic and
environmental considerations into
supplier and product selection
and management processes
• ensure that suppliers are dealt
with fairly, honestly, efficiently
and professionally
• use collaborative procurement
where appropriate
• ensure purchasing is
undertaken in a cost-effective
and efficient manner
• ensure appropriate
accountability, probity,
confidentiality, openness,
fairness and transparency on the
part of officers responsible for
making purchasing decisions.
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In achieving this, the Council will
also:
• ensure that potential suppliers
are provided with adequate,
accurate and timely information
• look to form a view of potential
suppliers’ competence without
placing undue burdens on them
• recognise that the Council, as a
major purchaser of supplies,
works and services, can act as a
positive force to promote local
competitive advantage
• operate within a clear and
consistent policy, legal and
regulatory framework
• provide easy to use interfaces
(including e-procurement) for all
participants
• recognise the need for flexibility
in the implementation of the
purchasing function.
Implementing the Policy
In order to ensure the achievement
of the Purchasing Policy, the Council
and its officers and agents will
adhere to EU Regulations, Contract
and Financial Procedure Rules,
Codes of Practice and relevant
guidance issued from time to time.
The Council will support the
achievement of the policy by
addressing the following issues:
Sustainability - The Council will take
account of social, economic and
environmental considerations in its
procurement decisions. This will
include equality and diversity factors.
We will seek to work with suppliers to
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extend sustainability improvements
throughout the supply chain
Specification - The Council will take
proportionate steps to define and
communicate its requirements for
function and performance, allowing
suppliers to identify the relative
merits of other aspects of their
proposals, and will make an overall
assessment of which supply source
represents overall best value
Suppliers and Supply Chain -
The Council will engage with
suppliers and take account of their
views. We will seek to develop
competitive markets and minimise
any barriers to entry into Council
markets for local suppliers, small
and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) and small agencies.
Construction contracts - The
Council is seeking to implement the
spirit of the Common Minimum
Standard for the Procurement of
Built Environments in the Public
Sector issued by the Office of
Government Commerce, and to
deliver value for money in its
procurement of construction and
related contracts.
Staff Training and Development -
The Council maintain and enhance
the skills and experience it has in its
purchasing function and train and
develop its officers with purchasing
responsibilities. It will provide tools
and guidance to assist with the
implementation of this policy.
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Records - The Council will maintain
management information systems to
provide detailed analysis of purchasing
activity and performance, and use
these to inform decision making.
Performance Management -
The Council will develop and
maintain a range of relevant
performance indicators to measure
the quality and performance of the
purchasing function.
E-Procurement - The Council will
develop e-procurement methods and
processes that focus on
transactional activities to improve
accessibility and performance and
reduce process costs, and will use
these whenever this is appropriate.
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Responsibility – Heads of Service
will nominate an individual who will
be responsible in respect of each
purchase for ensuring that this
policy statement is followed. The
Council’s advisors and agents are
also required to follow this policy in
respect of Council purchasing.
For further information on Council
purchasing contact:
Corporate Procurement,
Kirklees Council, Civic Centre 1,
Huddersfield HD1 2YU
Tel. 01484 416953,
e-mail
bidforbusiness@kirklees.gov.uk