Why is the tendering process so formal?

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The council has a responsibility to spend public money professionally and effectively. We are committed to achieving best value for our residents and ensuring that contracts are offered as fairly and competitively as possible to suppliers.

There are strict rules and regulations, such as the Procurement Act 2023 to help achieve this and we are required by law to abide by these rules. Using a formal process means we can maintain a consistent set of rules for every procurement, with a clear, open, transparent and auditable record of all the activity and contracts we award.

Our opportunities are advertised online, through the Central Digital Platform - Find a Tender, and the procurement process run through SAP Ariba. The process is clearly set out, all communications are recorded and every step can be audited to ensure that everyone gets the same information, at the same time and no-one has an unfair advantage.

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