Procurement is the achievement of the Highland Council's outcomes by commercial means.
The Corporate Procurement Unit within the Finance Service have a number of functions:-
The Highland Council's Procurement Strategy 2011-2015 and a copy of our Contract Standing Orders can be found in the Current Documents section on this screen.
A list of Current Council Contracts and a link to our Contract Opportunities can also be found on the right-hand side of this screen.
The Highland Council Policy and Standards on Procurement are set out in the Council’s Contract Standing Orders. The orders form a high level document which outlines the fundamental issues and rules we need to follow so that all our procurement activity will be open, fair, and accountable, and will ensure that the Council secures best value in its approach to procurement.
Any requirement for goods or services procured by the Council with a value of £50,000 or more is subject to a formal procurement project which is managed by HC Procurement.
The Council needs to make significant savings through procurement over the next few years. We will do this by:-
- Changing our approach to procurement
- Improving our contractual arrangements
- Improving the way we actually buy what we buy on a day to day basis
- Collaboration with others
- Broadening our consideration of what we “make” and what we buy
We require to be open and fair and accountable in all that we do, and this includes commercial activities. Procurement needs to ensure that the interfaces between the Council and suppliers are as transparent as possible. In order to do this, we publish our lists of current contracts and tendering plans on the Council’s public website. We also work with partners such as the Highland Opportunity Ltd. Business Gateway, Enterprise Europe to assist suppliers in tendering for Council business.
The Council works widely with other Councils and public sector bodies on requirements that cut across different groups of organisations. Examples are contracts for electricity and mains gas which we share with all Scottish Local Authorities, and other requirements which we share with neighbouring public bodies as appropriate.
The Highland Council is committed to implementing the requirements of both environmental and socio-economic sustainability in all of its procurement activities, and to working with all sectors of the business community in order to achieve this.
The Council’s Sustainable Procurement Action Plan is here
Contact Details for Procurement
Head of Procurement
Ashley Gould
ashley.gould@highland.gov.uk 01463 785146
Strategic Procurement Division
Corporate Contracts Team
procurement.unit1@highland.gov.uk 01463 785155
Technical Contracts Team
procurement.unit2@highland.gov.uk 01463 785156
Facilities Management Contracts Team
procurement.unit3@highland.gov.uk 01463 785157
Purchase to Pay Operations Division
procurement.unit@highland.gov.uk 01463 785158
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