The University procures goods for a variety of different purposes.
Supplying the University
We purchase our goods, services and works from suppliers that best satisfy our requirements. Colleges and services will compete their requirements for goods, services and works when they are needed. Some of these requirements will be obtained through our consortium (SUPC), and other consortia, partners or affinity groups.
The University has a sustainable procurement policy and 5-year strategy (2010/2015).
All members of the University and Students Guild staff at Exeter/Cornwall Campuses who procure goods and services, works and utilities have a responsibility for delivering the objectives contained within this sustainable procurement policy.
The University engages with its key suppliers in support of our policy/strategy, more details can be found on our sustainable procurement web page.
University contract opportunities
The University advertises all significant tenders above £25,000 on its supplier web portal In-tend. Details of current contracts are available through this web portal. Please download our supplier guide to help you get started.
Where tender values are above the European Procurement thresholds for goods, services and works we will also advertise tenders through OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union).
If you have any questions please contact Procurement Services.
Other opportunities
You may be interested in tendering opportunities from other Devon organisations at Devon Tenders.
Also visit Business Link for contract opportunities, advice and guidance and local procurement events.
Terms and conditions of purchase
All University Purchases of goods and services are subject to University standard terms and conditions unless otherwise stated on a official purchase order. Where a consortia agreement is being used the consortia terms will apply
Contact Procurement Services to obtain other quoted conditions.
Procurement overview
The University of Exeter (UoE) has a non-pay spending power of approximately £55million per year over a range of goods, services and works.
Tendering
The EU procurement directives require the UoE to advertise tender opportunities in the supplement of the Official Journal of the EU (known as OJEU). Forthcoming and current tender information will also be shown on our e-tendering website, In-tend. The UoE uses four different tendering procedures, each relating to the estimated total value of the purchase. These start with spot purchases (less than £5000 excluding VAT) to full EU invitations to tender (ITT) for goods and services worth more than an estimated £173,934 excluding VAT, and works worth more than an estimated £4,348,350 excluding VAT).
The UoE uses the EU open, restricted and competitive dialogue procedures as appropriate to the particular purchase:
- Under the open procedure, all suppliers that respond to an advertisement are given the tender documentation and invited to submit a written tender. This procedure is usually applied where there is a limited number of firms in the marketplace likely to be able to supply the University’s requirements.
- The restricted procedure has two stages: the first is pre-qualification by assessment, and the second stage is the submission of written tenders by the suppliers that have qualified in the first stage and are then invited to bid. This procedure is normally used where the marketplace has numerous suppliers.
- The competitive dialogue procedure has three stages. The first stage is pre-qualification assessment and the second stage is for a series of dialogues (discussions) with qualified bidders. The dialogues are conducted to scope all aspects of the goods, services and, or works to be bought. The third stage requires written tenders to be invited from the suppliers that remian in the procedure. This procedure is normally used for complex services or non-standard goods.
Full details of the bid procedure applicable to any request for pricing received from the University will be stated in the documents sent to suppliers with the request for quotation (RFQ) or invitation to tender (ITT). Any requests for information should be met and deadlines for the return of quotations and, or tenders (incl. EU tenders) must be complied with.
Most tenders will be managed using the UoE’s e-tendering system at In-tend.
Current and forthcoming tenders
All current and forthcoming tenders are listed on In-tend.
If an agreement is being re-competed, work typically starts on the tender process between six months to one year before the expire date, although no information about individual tenders will be available to potential bidders at this time unless the UoE has advertised its requirement for suppliers within a particular marketplace to offer to participate in any market research the institution is conducting as part of its planning strategy for the new contract.
The complete list of UoE current agreements shows the agreement end date and this can be used as an indication of when the tendering activity might take place.
Management information
The UoE requires all its contracted suppliers to provide regular management information (MI) regarding its contracts or agreements. The MI will include data on UoE expenditure, commodities, purchase order data, trends and other information. Data is required in electronic format on a regular basis (eg on a six months/annual cycle) and is agreed with the supplier at the time of contract award).
Suppliers may also be required to periodically provide evidence on their performance. A set of key performance indicators may be agreed with potential supplier/s prior to contract award.
Access to current agreements
In addition to the contracts and framework agreements that the UoE awards, the UoE may use contracts and, or framework agreements established by a number of bodies to source its requirements, including the following:
- Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
- Higher education sector through any of its consortia, but especially agreements established by the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC) of which the UoE is a member. You can find out more about these agreements by going to http://procureweb.ac.uk/contracts.aspx. Please seek advice from the Procurement Servicies team before using the agreements.
- NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA).
- Devon Procurement Partnership (DPP).
