The Procurement Policy  

Policy  

V1.0 19 March 2025

The Authority is committed to setting appropriate standards and achieving value for money in all goods, works and services it procures.  The Authority adheres to and promotes the following principles of Best Value procurement.  

Procurement generally

The Authority is required to:  

1. be driven by desired outcomes and results;  

2. generate most commercially advantageous balance of quality and cost;  

3. ensure efficient administrative, compliance and monitoring processes;  

4. expedite simple or routine transactions, particularly through ecommerce;  

5. allow a flexible approach to developing procuring and partnering arrangements;  

6. encourage competition;  

7. encourage the continuing participation of suitably quality service providers;  

8. promote sustainability and equality;  

9. demonstrate transparency and accountability;  

10. exercise due diligence  

All procurement programmes will be required to demonstrate:  

1. commitment to service users;  

2. value for money;  

3. due diligence  

4. compliance with Service aims and objectives;  

5. continuous improvement;  

6. commitment to quality and project whole life costing;  

7. effective management, systems and procedures;  

8. commitment to the  Authority’s strategic goals;  

9. compliance with the regulatory and financial framework of the  

10.  Authority, Government and UK Law;  

11. consultation (as and where required) with relevant groups ;  

12. an even handed approach between private providers, the voluntary and community sector, and in-house fulfilment ;  

13. appropriate risk management within its procurement activities to protect the interests of the Authority and those of the community of Devon.  

Partnerships

The Authority acknowledges the importance of partnerships in delivering Best Value with the private and voluntary sectors, other public bodies acting locally and with central Government itself. The Authority will encourage the development of such new methods and approaches to procurement to secure the delivery of services more efficiently, effectively and economically.  

The four Cs of Best Value — Challenge, Consult, Compare and Compete — are considered an integral part of this procurement policy.  

Competition

Competition may often provide the desired solution to procurement unless issues of risk, long term disadvantage or strategic importance make it inappropriate.   

The objective of the Authority’s procurement policy is to provide a means to drive performance by harnessing competition. This policy aims to use competitive forces to achieve Best Value, linked with delivery model appraisal and route to market consideration.  

Through indirect Competition (i.e. benchmarking) the Authority will assess the competitiveness of different functions by reference to other bodies including best value authorities and private and voluntary sector providers.  

Through direct competition (i.e. alternative means of procurement). The Authority will consider, having regard to current performance and suitability whether an alternative means of procurement is appropriate, including delivery model appraisal and route to market assessment. Contracts will be awarded to the provider offering the most advantageous balance of quality and cost.  

The following will be considered essential elements of competition irrespective of whether indirect or direct:  

1. Strategic values and the Authority’s policy objectives will be protected  

2. Probity, accountability and competitive neutrality will be ensured  

3. The responsibilities and accountabilities of all parties must be explicit  

4. Periodic re-tendering of activities must take place unless contract extensions are expressly authorised by the Board 

Services already subject to direct competition will be continually reviewed against the requirements of this policy, to ensure that the manner in which the service is provided remains the most appropriate to deliver Best Value.  

Due Diligence

Prior to any arrangements where a financial relationship will exist between the Authority and external organisation(s) or where any organisation is to be given permission to use the Authority’s name, logo, email or telephony system is put into place, the following minimum due diligence checks must be carried out to ensure the validity of that organisation(s):   

1. Validity of declared Company House data including company number, status and returns to Companies House including:  

2. company information, e.g. registered address and date of incorporation  

3. current and resigned officers  

4. document images  

5. mortgage charge data  

6. previous company names  

7. insolvency information  

Companies House information can be found at:  

Companies House    

Validity of declared VAT Registration number: VAT Registration information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/check–uk–vatnumber   

In terms of Charities, appropriate due diligence checks might include the following:  

1. Check Charity Registered number exists and is current;    

2. Ensure validity of VAT registration;  

3. Verify bank account information;  

4. Check relevant insurances are in place;   

5. Check Data Protection matters are covered; 

6. Check charity References from that charity’s other clients;  

7. Ensure appropriate value for money is to be achieved through the proposals, regardless of whether the provider is a charity, or any other organisation type.  

8. Undertake Disclosure and Barring checks of relevant personnel, dependent on the service being delivered; and  

9. Ensure proposals for services to be delivered are clear, specifications are fit for purpose, documented and agreed, with suitable contract management performance monitoring in place.   

All the above need to be proportionate, as always, to the subject matter, financial value and levels of risk involved with the service to be delivered. 

Validity of declared Charity number: Charity number registration can be found at The Charity Commission 

Should you require to undertake enhanced due diligence checks because of risk, value or where the basic checks indicate that there is an anomaly, please contact. The Procurement service at :  procure@devon.gov.uk 

Procurement as a Strategic Enabler  

1. The Authority is committed to the principle and practice of sustainability in all of its operations. In furtherance of this, and in consultation with local businesses, the Authority will take a number of steps to promote sustainability in the local economy.  

2. to publicise electronically and through other mechanisms its procurement intentions;  

3. to publicise how local firms can do business with the Authority;  

4. to foster close working between the procurement and economic development activities of the Authority;  

5. to publicise the Authority’s expectations of quality and terms of trade.  

6. The Authority will promote the use of environmentally sustainable products and activities as far as possible within its resource constraints  

7. The Authority will use its procurement influence to promote best practices throughout its supply chain in relation to sustainability, diversity and equality issues. Where appropriate, conditions of contract will be incorporated to cover these matters  

8. The Authority has regard to the impact of the UK procurement law and regulation requirements and Government Procurement Statements and policy notes on procuring locally. Wherever possible, the Authority will aim to source locally within the framework of rules within which it operates.   

Procurement Planning

The Authority requires Services to develop forward looking and innovative procurement plans, consistent with the Medium Term Financial Planning Framework. These shall be translated into annual Procurement Plans consistent with the Revenue Budget and Capital Programme.  

The Procurement Policy is part of the Financial Regulations of the Authority, and must be applied alongside the Procedures for Tenders and Contracts and the Contracts Procedure Rules.