The aim of our
Procurement Strategy is to support Leicester City Council's vision to be: “A premier City in Europe with a thriving and diverse society in which everyone is involved and in which everyone can have a decent, happy and fulfilling life. A City with a strong economy, healthy, caring and educated society, a safe and attractive environment, and an improving quality of life - a sustainable city.”
Procurement is a key activity of the City Council. The estimated procurement budget for the Authority is £260 million p.a. (2007-2008) and managing this money, to ensure that it is spent effectively and efficiently, requires constant review and evaluation.
The City Council is committed to efficient and sustainable procurement and seeks to use its buying power to meet the following objectives:
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To help achieve a prosperous city where everyone meets their potential by encouraging sources of supply which provide employment for local people, particularly skilled employment
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To help achieve a beautiful, quiet, clean and green city by promoting environmental sustainability through its procurement
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To support the delivery of quality services which promote equality and accessibility by seeking to achieve the best possible supplies/services for the best possible price
Leicester City Council's Procurement Policy is:
“Procurement decisions will be made in accordance with the Procurement Framework. The process will be auditable, transparent and support the implementation of the Authority's planned and strategic responsibilities (Community Plan, key strategies etc.), ensuring challenging consideration of procurement options.”
Our procurement practices are designed to:
- Be transparent, auditable and reasonable taking into account examples of best practice
- Follow all relevant EU and UK law
- Follow Leicester City Council's own Finance and Contract Procedure Rules
- Support City Council strategic priorities throughout the procurement process
- Deliver outcomes that meet service needs promptly through a planned approach, ensuring legal and good practice tendering procedures are met
- Ensure value for money
- Produce tender documents that are fair and reasonable and that reflect and meet service needs
- Provide economic and efficient service administration and Procurement auditing procedures
- Encourage a partnering approach in which both the Council and the supplier seek to gain maximum mutual advantage through successful relationships and continuous improvement
- Reduce our existing supplier base, to maximise economies of scale and promote the development of a partnering approach whilst ensuring market stimulation and sustainability