Overview and Performance

The process spans the life cycle from concept and definition of needs through to the end of the useful life of an asset or end of a service contract.

Good Procurement does not mean buying the cheapest option but seeks to achieve Value for Money (VFM), which is often defined as: "The optimum combination of whole life costs and quality to meet the user’s requirement".

Procurement performance is measured principally in 2 ways:

1. Performance Indicators
2. An external Procurement Capability Assessment (PCA).

Our PCA scores 2011-14 illustrates the huge improvements in procurement the Comhairle has made with an increase of 37 percentage points since the base year, from 29% in 2011 to 66% in 2014. In 2015 a new assessment process, the Procurement and Commercial Improvement Programme was introduced. The PCA scores are not directly comparable with the PCIP. In June 2016 the Comhairle achieved a 60% PCIP score.

Highlights for 2015 - winning the UK GO Procurement Team of the Year award - Local Government and Consortia.

Highlights for 2014 - winning the Scottish GO Team of the Year Award - Local Authorities.

Three members of the Procurement team are studying to achieve MCIPS qualification.

What the Comhairle is Doing to Improve Services

The team will work to embed the significant improvements made over the last three years, and will strive to add value by:

• Continuing to pro-actively engage with stakeholders, using surveys/supplier events to generate feedback.
• Drafting, assisting & advising on a broader variety and range of contracts.
• Driving participation in more joint and national frameworks where appropriate.
• Analysing data to provide departments with high quality, specific, spend information.
• Facilitating reduction of off contract and general spend reduction across the Comhairle.
• Encouraging suppliers to use the Public Contracts Scotland Advertising Portal and Public Contracts Scotland Tender Portal.

You can contact us by emailing contracts@cne-siar.gov.uk