Tenders and contracts
Dartford Borough Council follows the Procurement Guide for Kent District Councils PDF, 3390.79 KB,
which incorporates the Contract Standing Orders, when procuring goods, works or services. A summary of the guidelines followed are below:
Goods, works & services less than £10,000
Purchases are aggregated wherever possible to invite competitive quotations but where the value of goods, works or services is less than £10,000, there is not a requirement for competitive tender or quotation but at least one quote is obtained in advance.
Goods, works & services between £10,000 and £99,999
For purchases valued between £10,000 and £99,999 at least three written quotations are obtained in advance. Those opportunities valued at over £50,000 are advertised on the South East Business Portal. View Dartford Borough Council's opportunities on the South East Business Portal website. The Business Portal also contains information regarding forthcoming tendering opportunities across the 74 Councils and 9 Fire & Rescue Services of the South East region.
For procurements valued under £50,000 the project manager will choose companies to issue the invitation to quotes to. This may be from select lists or by sourcing companies from those registered on the South East Business Portal website .
Goods, works & services between £100,000 and the EU thresholds (currently £173,934 for supplies and services and £4,348,850 for works)
At least three written tenders will be obtained in advance following advertisement on the South East Business Portal. View Dartford Borough Council's opportunities on the South East Business Portal website . The Business Portal also contains information regarding forthcoming tendering opportunities across the 74 Councils and 9 Fire & Rescue Services of the South East region.
Goods, works & services above the EU thresholds
The European Union public procurement regulations apply to all contracts that the Council awards. All contracts over £173,934 (goods and services) and £4,348,350 (works) are advertised on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) website. There are strict processes and time limits that have to be followed. These opportunities are also advertised on the South East Business Portal website . The Business Portal also contains information regarding forthcoming tendering opportunities across the 74 Councils and 9 Fire & Rescue Services of the South East region.
Frameworks or contracts awarded by other public bodies
In some circumstances, the Council may decide not to conduct a competitive purchasing process. This is usually because a contract has been awarded by a purchasing scheme of a type where competition has already been undertaken on behalf of the Council e.g. OGC awarded contracts, Kent Buying Consortium contracts, or Northern Procurement Group contracts.