|
Safe purchasing is the great benefit we offer to other
local authorities who use our Kent County Supplies
services.
Since April 2000 local authorities have had to show that 'best
value' applies to what they do and obtain. They need to follow a
code of practice for tenders and contracts and this sets very low
thresholds of value for products or services for which quotations
or tenders must apply. For instance, to obtain a product or service
worth more than £1000 but less than £10,000, a local authority
would normally have to obtain three written quotations from
appropriate services. For products or services worth more than
£10,000, no fewer than three competitive tenders must be sought, in
accordance with requirements determined by whether the upper value
is more or less than £25,000. And the European Community Directive
also defines complex procedures for public contracts above a
certain value.
Because Kent County Supplies already follows these tendering
requirements when sourcing its stock, other local authorities
within the boundaries of Kent County Council can buy from it - or
other Commercial Services units - without having to go through such
tendering processes themselves.
Our product managers at Kent County Supplies are able to give
full advice on purchases or tendering procedures and can supply a
copy of the code of practice.
Health and safety
We supply nearly 1000 products for which manufacturers must
provide us with COSHH data sheets. If you need a data sheet for a
specific product, we can supply it to
you. |