Further Education Procurement
Toolkit
Jo Kavanagh
Projects Director
NWUPC Ltd
FE Procurement Toolkit

Background to the project

Toolkit contents
Your opinion
Next steps
Q&A



Background to the project

The buyer’s responsibilities:
–
–
–
–
–
To meet user needs
To obtain value for money
To conform to organisational policies and
procedures
To conform to current legislation
To uphold ethical standards
Background to the project

Department for Children, Schools and
Families (DCSF)/Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills (BIS)

FELP revamp
Background to the project





Starter Kit – Sara King’s idea
Starter Kit became ‘Introduction to
Procurement’
Old Procurement Guide to be revised
New Procurement Guide – too weighty
How to ……. Guides
Toolkit Contents

Introduction to Procurement contains information
on:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Buying goods and services
Getting the best value for your college
Making the best use of resources
Setting up and reviewing procurement processes
Reducing risk
Staying compliant with regulations, including EU
legislation
Working to tried and trusted good practice standards
Toolkit Contents

Introduction to Procurement is in an easy to
read, standard format:
–
What
–
Why
How
–
Toolkit Contents

Introduction to Procurement contains:
–
–
–
–
Diagrams
Flow charts, Check Lists
Templates - examples of documents e:g
contract register, procurement strategies, risk
registers
Case Studies
Toolkit Contents

Introduction to Procurement – main
sections cover:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Procurement – a brief overview
Before you get started
Review current position
The procurement process
Putting structures in place
Useful information/links
Toolkit Contents
Toolkit Contents

Introduction to Procurement – examples of
specific topics:
–
–
–
–
–
Prioritise your work
Review current situation
Procurement process from identification of need
to payment
Monitoring supplier performance
Reviewing your own performance
Toolkit Contents

Introduction to Procurement – examples of
specific topics:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Setting up a procurement group
Creating a procurement strategy
Minimising risk
Ethical Behaviour
Benchmarking your procurement activities
Winning buy-in from colleagues
THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS
<A> Identify the need to buy (abridged version)
<B> About the need-to-buy process
Before placing an order or inviting quotations or tenders, ask if there really is a need to make a
purchase. It’s an obvious question. But it’s surprising how often solutions other than buying can be
found.
<B> How your college benefits
Questioning the need to buy may save your college from making expensive mistakes. It should be a
part of a formal procurement process
<B> Into action
Different colleges have different ways of identifying the need to purchase. Ideally, there should be a
formal method of requesting goods and services which provides a clear audit trail from request to
delivery to payment
When a request arrives, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s part of the procurement role. Ask:
•Are the goods or services needed or wanted?
•Is there an alternative to purchasing goods: Can we borrow from other departments? Is leasing an
option?
Good practice tip: A specification will help you to ascertain the need to purchase. How to write a
specification
(link)
Toolkit Contents

As a buyer you have to conform to:
–
Financial regulations
–
Purchasing policies and procedure
Public Procurement Directives/EU
Regulations
Legal requirements inc FOI Act
–
–

Need for more and more information and
guidance
Toolkit Contents


Procurement Guide – to be replaced by
How to …….. Guides
Examples of Guides:
–
–
–
–
Quotations
Tenders below EU threshold
Tenders above EU threshold
Contract Law
Toolkit Contents

Future How to ….. Guides:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Writing a Specification
Basic Negotiation
Supplier Appraisal
Purchasing Strategy
Marketing Procurement
Building Networks
Invite tenders for the supply of ……..various
Toolkit Contents

What do you think should be included in:
–
Introduction to Procurement?
–
How to Guides?
(Ray taking notes now or you can contact him and
his team later on [email protected])
The Next Steps

Road Test Toolkit
–
–
–
–

Identify amendments needed
Identify gaps
Make relevant changes/fill gaps
Launch
Electronic version will be on FELP
Summary
As a buyer you have an important role to
play within your College. The more
effectively you purchase goods and
services the more money your College will
have to spend on front line service
We hope the Procurement Toolkit will be of
help to you in your work
Any questions/comments?
Jo Kavanagh
Projects Director
NWUPC Ltd
Tel: 0161 234 8000
www.nwupc.ac.uk