Supplying goods and services to the council
How to become a council supplier and do business with us.
We spend around £400 million on goods, works and services each year. Much of the money we spend goes to suppliers holding contracts which have been awarded following competitive tendering.
Current contracts and opportunities
We display our current opportunities on the South East Business Portal.
We display our current contracts register on our transparency webpage.
How to register as a supplier
Registration and payment of suppliers is dealt with by our partner Hampshire County Council. You will need to register and keep your details up to date using the online self-service system.
The orders we place with suppliers include a purchase order number which you must include on your invoice when you send it for payment or when you load it onto the supplier self-service system. Invoices without a valid purchase order number will be returned to you unpaid.
New suppliers
Once we've agreed you can supply goods or services to us, our partner Hampshire County Council will send you the details about how to register for our shared supplier self-service system.
You will be asked to provide contact details and bank information. Once you have done this you will be able to link to your online supplier account and we will be able to place orders with you.
You can use the self-service system it to:
- upload invoices for payment
- check the status of payments
- received purchase orders
- update your details
- raise queries.
Existing suppliers
We recommend all suppliers register and use the self-service system managed by our partner Hampshire County Council.
You can use the self-service system to:
- upload invoices for payment
- check the status of payments
- received purchase orders
- update your details
- raise queries.
Public procurement legislation
When we carry out any procurement of goods, services or works, there are national and local regulations with which we must comply.
These regulations are designed to ensure fair, open and transparent conditions of competition for all potential suppliers. Above certain thresholds of value, we must advertise our requirements using the Government's Find a Tender Service (FTS).
UK procurement thresholds
Thresholds are inclusive of VAT and are total contract value.
| Supplies and service contracts | Works | Light touch Regime (Annex XIV of the Procurement Regulations) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other public sector contracting authorities including local authorities | £214,904 | £5,372,609 | £663,540 |
At levels below these thresholds we have our own Contract Procedure Rules governing procurement of goods, services and works which form part of our Constitution (Part 8.3).
Social value
The council has now implemented its Social Value Policy (pdf format, 373Kb), which enables public spending to go further by encouraging suppliers to provide additional benefits to local communities. The policy sets out the council’s objectives and the procedure governing our use of a portal tool, provided by The Social Value Portal. This tool is used during tendering to receive and evaluate social value bids and, after contract signature, to monitor supplier performance in this area.
Social value is included in the tendering process (unless exempted) for procurements that are above the spend threshold of £100,000 over the initial contract term.
Incorporating social value into our procurement process makes a real difference to people in the local community, to service delivery and to the council’s spending plan as a whole. A key aim of the policy is to increase spending with local suppliers, which helps to strengthen the economy and job market within Oxfordshire.
Armed Forces Covenant
The council is committed to the Armed Forces Covenant and encourages its providers and contractors to also add their support. Sign up is not mandatory and does not form part of any tender evaluation. More information.
Over 14,000 skilled and experienced individuals leave the armed forces each year. Ex-service personnel have strong:
- communication skills
- organisation and commitment
- problem solving and adaptability
- leadership and management skills
- health and safety, security awareness
- team working.
We know that the skills and experiences of those who have been in the Armed Forces can add significant value in our workforce. We are keen to ensure veterans, reservists and those with family in the Armed Forces are encouraged to apply for roles within the council and are supported to maximise their potential.