Procurement
The Diocesan Procurement Strategy
Why procure together? The diocese is championing working together not only to save money today, but to ensure that through ever greater collaboration, we can do all we can to ensure the financial stability of our Catholic schools. We achieve this best by working as one body.
Trusted partners: To facilitate this, the diocese is working with its trusted procurement partner, Churchmarketplace. As such, DoW Schools and CATs have an increasing number of EU public procurement compliant frameworks available to them. Selecting suppliers from this Public Sector Buying Organisation ensures compliance, due diligence and crucially, that contracts are fit for purpose for Catholic Schools, with suppliers committed to following the policies and guidance of the Catholic Education Service, and performance monitored closely by CMP.
Contract audit: Central to the diocese’s strategy is a contract audit, being completed by each school, which will enable identification of cost efficiencies and aggregation opportunities.
Energy strategy: This is a key service we are addressing. Contract end date and notice date data are being collected across the diocese, with schools being invited to join the Catholic Schools’ Energy Buying Group.
If your energy contract is up for renewal on or before September 2020, please email Joanne Hill at the diocese now or complete the application forms (see below).
Procurement contact at DoW: For further information, contact Joanne Hill.
Working Parties
Current working parties:
Green Energy – Following a suggestion at the May 2019 SBM Network Forum, we are looking to start a working party on energy procurement to make turning green for good a practical reality. Get in touch with Joanne Hill to express your interest in being a part of this visionary programme.
Past working parties:
2018 – FMIS: A working party, comprising business managers from schools and academies across the diocese, plus accountants and diocesan representatives, was assembled to select a Financial Management Information System for use by all existing, new and future Catholic Academy Trusts (CATs).
Future working parties:
All future working parties will be listed on this page.
Public Procurement Requirements
As institutions receiving money from the public purse, schools and academies have strict procurement regulations they need to follow, depending on the value of the lifetime of the contract.
As more schools form Catholic Academy Trusts, more contracts will near or cross the threshold that requires the stricter EU public procurement pathway (OJEU), which is currently set at £181,302 for ‘other contracting authorities’.
To find out more about procurement for schools and the tender process for high value contracts, please see the DfE Buying for Schools and Procurement Information (links below).
For guidance on low (under £10,000) to medium (£10,000 to £40,000) value procurement procedures, please visit the DfE’s Buying for Schools (link below).
Churchmarketplace, Our Procurement Partner
Selecting new suppliers from Public Sector Buying Organisations, such as Churchmarketplace, ensures that contracts are EU public procurement compliant, as well as saving you both time and money (it costs Churchmarketplace approx. £15,000 to carry out an OJEU EU procurement compliant tender process, which it does on your behalf), and being an extra source of support should things go wrong.
With over 60 suppliers on services from energy, audit & accountancy, HR, Payroll, and FMIS to office and school supplies, PAT testing and vehicle leasing, Churchmarketplace works with your diocese and the Catholic Education Service to ensure all contracts are more than fit for purpose for use by Catholic schools.
View their e-brochure to find out how you can make the most of the free service they offer.
Useful links
Churchmarketplace e-brochure for schools
Churchmarkarketplace – website
Procurement -Energy Strategy doc.
Energy Application & Guide Pack
DfE Buying for Schools – website
Catholic Insurance Service (for VAs) – website
Catholic Insurance FAQs for VA (Property Insurance)
Zurich-Guide to risk and insurance for academies.v5docx
