Supplier charter

As a major purchaser within the local economy, we seek to act as a role model of good purchasing practice. We will carry out all our purchasing activities to achieve best value for local people in a way which will encourage suppliers to view us as a preferred customer. We have developed a supplier charter in order to achieve and maintain these goals.

Our commitments

In its relationships with the supply market we promise to:

  • carry out all our purchasing activities to the highest ethical standards and in line with relevant purchasing legislation
  • provide ease of access to all purchasing activities
  • be as open and informative as possible to all potential suppliers throughout the purchasing process
  • provide contact points for all purchasing related enquiries
  • treat all potential and actual suppliers in a fair, efficient and courteous manner
  • provide clear, concise and supplier friendly specifications
  • aim to avoid over-specifying
  • use existing recognised standards whenever possible
  • publish tender evaluation criteria relevant to individual tenders
  • request only such information as is necessary for the evaluation of tenders
  • debrief and provide constructive feedback on request, while maintaining confidentiality and encouraging competition
  • work with suppliers after the award of contracts to overcome issues in an efficient manner
  • promote prompt payment

Supplier commitments

The Small Business Friendly Concordat Good Practice Guidance produced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Communities and Local Government from May 2006) states that effective procurement exercises and contract delivery are founded on good relationships. It is important that suppliers understand their own responsibilities and the standards expected of them. We want to work effectively with its suppliers and, in return for the above charter, looks to our suppliers to commit to the following:

  • being open about aims, objectives, strategies and alliances as they relate to the council's business
  • making clear any assumptions and/or risks to the customer that underpin the ability to deliver the required goods or services
  • respecting, and acting on, the need for integrity, decency and fairness in the tender process and after the contract award
  • pursuing continuous improvement and actively seeking to identify and share experiences, innovations and market advances. This could include working with us to adopt eProcurement methods etc.
  • being proactive in the improvement of the trading relationship
  • working with potential sub-contractors to promote an integrated and visible supply chain and to make effective use of skills and resources
  • fostering professionalism and staff training to enable effective delivery against customer targets
  • only bidding where realistic and behaving in such a way as to maintain customer confidence throughout the contract life
  • receiving tender feedback as a means of improving future tender prospects
  • working collaboratively with the customer and other parties, as appropriate, to ensure that the focus is maintained ultimately on the public interest at all times