School Procurement
Model Procurement Policy
The Governors regard efficient and effective procurement as being central to the provision of appropriate resources within schools. They require the Headteacher to have in place efficient and effective processes that ensure that the procurement of goods and services is undertaken with economy of effort, and achieves Best Value.
All staff involved in procurement shall have regard for the provisions of the Finance Manual [which sets out minimum standards in respect of procurement processes, authorisation of orders and payments]. The Governors recognise the potential of the Devon Schools Portal for streamlining processes, achieving savings and, where it is appropriate, allowing choice. As such, this is their preferred method of obtaining goods and services.
To reduce the administration burden, where possible staff will take advantage of situations where market testing has already happened. These will be:
- Devon County Council contracts;
- Devon Procurement Partnership contracts;
- Contracts arranged by the school or groups of schools;
- Regional contracts.
This is most likely to be the case with supplies of a repetitive nature. The effort expended in market testing will be proportionate to the value and or importance of the item(s) considered. Market testing will be conducted in line with the levels set out in the Finance Manual.
Appropriate validation of suppliers shall be undertaken to ensure that relevant technical qualifications are in place and that adequate insurance cover exists.
Where goods and services are of an administrative nature, these are not normally matters for the involvement of teachers. Appropriate arrangements will be made for non-teaching staff to access budgets for replenishment items.
Where teachers are required as a matter of course to have an input into the selection of items, they will use the schools’ purchasing portal to select the items required electronically.
Whilst sales representatives may provide the opportunity for staff to view items, these offerings may not provide Best Value. Staff must not sign company order forms and sales representatives must be told that school teachers do not have authority to issue official orders.
Staff responsible for maintaining stocks of goods required will be responsible for requisitioning those goods. Where that person is also the budget holder, that will be sufficient authority for the goods to be ordered.
The Headteacher will keep internal operational arrangements under review and make recommendations for changes to this policy as required, otherwise this policy will be reviewed as part of the annual overall review of Governors policies.
