How to do business with us

We want to make it as simple as possible for you to do business with us.

Tender opportunities

We must follow a formal tender process for goods and services over £50,000 and works overs £500,000. These opportunities will be advertised on the Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) website.

We use a number of Framework Agreements including Scotland Excel, Scottish Government and Crown Commercial Services to purchase supplies, services and works. We encourage you to visit the web pages for these bodies and find out how to bid for their contract opportunities.

Scotland Excel

Scottish Government Frameworks and Contracts

Crown Commercial Services

e-Tendering

We've adopted the Scottish government's Public Tenders Scotland module, which allows for the secure publishing of tender information and supplier responses. 

All tendering exercises are conducted using this system, to participate in a particular exercise suppliers must first of all register on the PCS tender site. 

Suppliers should note that by registering on the PCS site your details won't automatically transfer to PCS tender, and a separate registration is required.

Quick Quote

For lower value opportunities (goods and services between £10,000 and £49,999, and works between £20,000 and £500,000), we utilise the Quick Quote process conducted through PCS. In order to be invited to quote you have to be registered on PCS. Once registered you can also receive automated alerts for higher value opportunities applicable to your organisation, if you choose to do so.

For goods and service opportunities up to a value of £10,000 and works up to a value of £20,000 the procuring department are required to obtain best value and ensure fairness.

Supplier Development Programme

The Supplier Development Programme (SDP) is a partnership of local authorities, Scottish Government and other public bodies that work together to bring free support in all aspects of tendering to Scottish based SMEs.

SDP helps businesses that have little or no experience of tendering and are often too small to have dedicated bid/tender resources to consider bidding for public sector contracts.

SDP aims to help businesses become what is called 'tender ready' for contracts. In conjunction with councils, SDP delivers assistance via:

• workshops and events
• the B-link, quarterly newsletter
• the website
• in-depth training

General Conditions of Purchase

Our General Conditions of Purchase (PDF, 23 KB)(opens new window) will apply in respect of purchase orders. Where there is a contract with agreed terms and conditions these will take precedence.

Evaluation of Tenders

The Council is looking for the best balance of quality and price, never just the lowest price.  Tender responses will be evaluated according to a variety of factors including any of the following:

• financial assessment
• insurances
• competence
• experience
• technical merit
• accreditations
• delivery timescales
• after sales service
• exit management 
• community benefits
• carbon footprint
• sustainability
• innovation
• ability to meet mandatory requirement
• security protocols
• presentation / product demonstration
• policies & procedures
• site visit

East Renfrewshire Council has a duty to deliver best value for our taxpayers and we require exceptional standards from the suppliers that we appoint.

Local Suppliers

If you are a local supplier in East Renfrewshire we want to hear from you to understand more about what you can offer to the Council.  With your permission we would like to record your details in a database to ensure internal officers can view these before issuing Quick Quote opportunities.  

Please contact the Chief Procurement Officer at ercprocurement@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk