Procurement

Procurement Services advises all the College's Curriculum Areas and Professional Services Departments on how to purchase goods and services at the optimal balance of price, quality and sustainability while ensuring compliance with legislative requirements, including Scottish, UK, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and, where applicable, European Union (EU) Procurement Law.

Procurement Services supports the College in achieving its Strategic Aims by delivering strategic procurement solutions that facilitate excellence in education and enterprise, with a focus on building flourishing communities in our local region. 

Procurement Strategy

All contracting authorities with an annual regulated procurement spend above or equal to £5 million must produce an organisational Procurement Strategy under section 15 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

While the college is not obligated to produce a strategy under the regulations, due to the annual regulated spending being below this threshold, the college has decided to do so to demonstrate best practice.

Our College Board approved the college’s Procurement Strategy of Governors and covers the period of August 2023 to July 2026.

Annual Procurement Report

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires all contracting authorities that publish a Procurement Strategy to prepare and publish an Annual Report on their regulated procurement activity.

Our College Board approved the College of Governors and covers the Financial Year 2022-2023.

Contracts and APUC

Edinburgh College is a member of Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC) Ltd, Scotland’s Centre of Procurement Expertise for Universities and Colleges. APUC works collaboratively with Universities and Colleges in setting up framework contracts on behalf of the HE/FE Sectors in Scotland. Through its membership of APUC and as a public body, the College also has access to the following:

• National Higher and Further Education Framework Contracts.
• Scottish Public Sector Framework Contracts established by Scottish Procurement (Scottish Procurement and Commercial Directorate); and
• Crown Commercial Services Framework Contracts.

Where the College requires goods, services or works not covered by the Framework Contracts above, or it is determined that a local institutional contract would offer better value, the College complies with limits stipulated in the College Financial Regulations and Procurement Policy and Procedure, as well as national and international procurement legislation and regulations.

Advertising Our Requirements

In line with Scottish Government guidelines, the College will advertise all procurements, not covered by an existing Framework, above £50,000 on Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) and/or through Public Contracts Scotland – Tender (PCS-T) (the Scottish Public Sector eTendering Tool).

All public bodies in Scotland use the website, and it is free to use. Suppliers are recommended to register with Public Contracts Scotland to receive alerts about any procurement opportunities within the College.

You must provide accurate and detailed information when registering, and you must update your details if they change. This ensures you receive notifications when a relevant opportunity arises. The PCS website provides guidance documents on this.

Any Edinburgh College opportunities currently being advertised on Public Contracts Scotland can be viewed on the Public Contracts Scotland website.

Sustainability

The College works to identify ways in which procurement can deliver innovation and growth, promote jobs and training opportunities, and make it easier for SMEs to access and compete effectively for public-sector business.

All staff involved in the procurement of works, goods and services are encouraged to manage that procurement activity in a way that:

• Maximises the environmental and social benefits of public investment;
• Minimises any adverse environmental impacts from the procurement of works, goods and services;
• Allows the College to make a material contribution to the achievement of the Government's National Performance Framework outcomes;
• Achieves these goals whilst delivering best value and compliance with all applicable Procurement Legislation and Regulations.

All tenderers are required to sign and agree to the Sustain Supply Chain Code of Conduct developed by the Sustain Project on behalf of the Higher Education and Further Education (HE/FE) sectors.

Supplier Journey

Suppliers interested in tendering for public contracts, including those with the College, are encouraged to access the Scottish Government’s Supplier Journey. The Supplier Journey provides guidance and advice on the entire end-to-end tendering process.

Current Contracts

The Procurement Reform Act (2014) requires the College to maintain a public-facing contract register for all contracts exceeding £50,000. The College’s Contract Register is available to view.

College Terms and Conditions

Edinburgh College’s Terms and Conditions apply to all purchases made by the College unless otherwise agreed in writing.

No Purchase Order / No Payment

The College operates formalised Procurement and Finance processes to support a more efficient 'Purchase to Pay' process. As a direct result of this, the majority of orders for goods and services must be placed using an official purchase order from the College’s electronic procurement system, PECOS.

The purchase order placed will provide details of the requirement, as well as the delivery and invoice addresses. It will specifically contain a 5-digit number beginning with EC, which must be quoted on any invoice submitted for payment. Where an invoice is submitted without a valid purchase order number, it will not be processed or paid.

Unless specific contract terms have been agreed upon, the College’s standard payment terms are 30 days from receipt of a valid invoice, and an invoice will only be deemed valid if a purchase order number is quoted upon it.

Purchase Order Terms and Conditions

The conditions of contract for the purchase of goods and services can be read in our Purchase Order Terms and Conditions.

Procurement Team

Any questions relating to the procurement of goods and services should be directed in the first instance to procurement@edinburghcollege.ac.uk. Please note that unsolicited sales emails will be deleted without response.