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WREXHAM COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL

PROCUREMENT STRATEGY

1 August 2006 - 31 July 2009

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Contents

1. Foreword

2. What is Procurement

3. Structure of the Strategy

4. Vision and Aims of the Strategy

5. The Importance of Procurement

6. Procurement Policy

7. The Current Position

8. Main Procurement Aims

9. Appendix 1 E-procurement Strategy

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Foreword

The procurement of goods, works and services is a high value activity within the Council that has a critical impact on its performance and success. The County Borough Council spends around £80 million a year on goods, works and services.

This Procurement Strategy sets the framework within which the Council will work to ensure that purchasing across the County Borough fulfils the requirements of Best Value and the Making the Connections Agenda. It will apply across all services and directly contribute to the achievement of the Council’s corporate priorities.

The traditional focus of local authority purchasing has been on quality and price, but it is recognised that the procurement of goods, works and services has a major impact on many aspects of life in Wrexham including the environment, social factors and economic development. Procurement issues are receiving much attention at a national level and a large body of guidance and best practice is available. The Welsh Assembly Government’s formation of Value Wales (Procurement) and Value Wales (Capital) as successors to the Welsh Procurement Initiative demonstrates their commitment to improving procurement across the Welsh public sector.

The Strategy starts to address the agenda for procurement by setting out a comprehensive action plan to further develop our policies and practices and is intended to firmly establish a programme of continuous improvement. The strategy sets out our key procurement objectives and promotes consistency of approach across what is a large and diverse operation. Progress against the action plan will be monitored through the Council’s performance management arrangements and a six monthly reporting procedure to the Corporate Governance and Policy Scrutiny Committee.

This is a Strategy which sets the standards for the County Borough Council and is one that will require action by, and from commitment from, all departments, senior management including Strategic Management Team as well as Members. In this way, the Council can demonstrate a consistent, corporate approach to procurement as a strategic cross-functional activity which is embedded throughout the authority.

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What is Procurement?

Procurement refers to the process of acquiring goods, works and services. It includes acquisitions from third parties and also from in-house providers.

Procurement is not a pompous word for buying; buying is just one part of the procurement process which spans the whole cycle from identification of needs, through to the end of a service contract, to the end of the useful life of an asset. It involves options appraisal and the critical ‘make or buy’ decision – whether to provide services in-house or to procure services in other ways.

The IDEA / Value Wales (Procurement) Fitness Check Team recommended that the Council should consider what it means by “value for money” when it uses this as a criteria for the selection of a tender. In the context of a procurement process, obtaining ‘best value for money’ means choosing the bid that offers ‘the optimum combination of whole life costs and benefits to meet the customer’s requirement’. This does not refer to the lowest initial price option. It involves assessing:

Initial capital investment Ongoing revenue/resource costs Social, environmental and other strategic objectives

The Council will therefore adopt this definition of “value for money” as being the pre-requisite against which all tenders should be evaluated.

The Strategy will consider how the concept of “value for money” can be applied consistently across the Council so that all officers and Members are clear about what it means and how it can be applied.

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Structure of the Strategy

The Strategy sets out the priorities for procurement in the Council and will play a vital part in helping officers and Members to concentrate on key areas. It will maintain and build on progress made during the life of the previous strategy. It draws together a number of elements, including:

Issues identified in the IDeA Procurement Fitness Check of procurement practices in Wrexham CBC.

A ‘Team Wales’ approach to public procurement by working in partnership with the ‘Value Wales’ initiative and the Welsh Public Sector.

The Welsh Assembly Government’s existing and developing agenda for public sector procurement.

The need to increase public sector efficiency as laid down in the Welsh Assembly Government’s “Making the Connections” and “Delivering the Connections” documents.

Advances in information technology and the associated electronic government targets.

The desire and obligation to improve front line services.

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Vision and Aims of the Strategy

The Council’s Vision for Procurement is

To embrace the principles included within the Welsh Assembly Government’s “Making the Connections” Agenda

To deliver value for money procurement to support innovative and high quality services to the people, of Wrexham County Borough and where appropriate, businesses.

To aid the delivery of the County Borough Council’s obligations, Corporate aims and objectives.

The aim of this strategy is to facilitate this Vision by :

Ensuring that procurement planning and practice supports the County Borough Council’s Corporate aims and objectives.

Building upon the results of the Procurement Fitness Check by adapting work methods to help ensure that the report’s recommendations are driven forward and implemented.

Ensuring that all principles of sustainability, economic development and equality are promoted, as appropriate, in all procurement activities.

Ensure procurement practices support our priorities on equality and diversity.

Driving continuous improvement and value for money efficiency savings into current and future supply, service and work requirements.

Ensuring that procurement savings are being delivered in line with the Welsh Assembly Governments’ value for money efficiency savings targets.

Securing commitment to effective and co-ordinated procurement from members and officers at all levels throughout the organisation.

Encouraging long-term thinking and commitment to a strategic approach to procurement issues.

Providing greater visibility of the procurement function and its performance.

Developing skills and providing support for staff involved in procurement cross the County Borough Council.

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The Importance of Procurement

The Council recognises the importance of procurement in delivering its objectives and that the procurement of goods, works and services is of strategic importance because it:

Has a direct impact on the Council’s overall expenditure, and the cost of service provision to the people of Wrexham County Borough.

Directly affects the Council’s delivery of its services

Contributes to the achievement of corporate, departmental and service objectives.

Provides a mechanism for delivering key policy objectives, including sustainability, partnership working, equality and economic development.

Operates within a complex regulatory framework that must be adhered to.

Is an area of potentially high risks; it has an impact on service, it has financial and legal issues and it influences and contributes to the reputation of the Council.

Develops the role of the Council as ‘Community Leader’ particularly in relation to sustainability and local economic development.

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Procurement Policies

Wrexham County Borough Council is committed to setting rigorous quality standards and robust procurement and monitoring procedures to ensure the value for money delivery of goods, works and services from wherever they are sourced. To do this, the Council will

Adopt principles and practices, which will assist in the delivery of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Making the Connections efficiency savings for procurement.

Set challenging efficiency savings targets for procurement and strive to exceed them.

Recognise that procurement should be based upon the principles of Value for Money and on measurable outcomes for services to the people of Wrexham County Borough.

Comply with all statutory and legislative requirements, both from Central Government and the European Union.

Comply with its Financial Regulations, Contract Standing Orders and the ethics of the Procurement Code of Practice.

Have due regard to the protection of the environment, the appropriate use of natural resources, local economic prosperity and the principles of “value for money”.

Work to embed equality and diversity good practice into all stages of the procurement process.

Participate in work to increase the co-ordination of procurement activity and share best practice across the council.

Work to improve procurement processes and minimise routine transaction costs, in line with the Council’s e-procurement strategy. (Appendix 1)

Work in partnership with suppliers especially small / medium sized enterprises (SMEs) where relevant to gain continuous improvement.

Develop a sustainable approach to procurement including where possible the consideration of locally produced and Fair Trade products.

Encourage competition and market development where appropriate.

Collaborate with other public bodies, Value Wales Procurement and Consortia in order to widen the scope of procurement experience, reduce duplication of effort and maximise economies of scale.

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The Current Position

The Council currently spends approximately £80 million per annum on external provision of goods, works and services, this accounts for approximately 46% of the total net budget. Effective procurement arrangements are fundamental to achieving organisational success for the County Borough Council.

As part of the National Programme of Procurement Fitness Checks delivered by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) in association with Value Wales (Procurement),the Council has undergone an assessment process in procurement practice (March 2006). The report, together with its detailed findings is incorporated into and forms a key element in the structure and direction of this strategy.

Procurement is a key element in the Governments plans for improving services and a key driver in the ‘Delivering the Connections’ agenda for improvement.

A duty is imposed on all local authorities by the Welsh Assembly Government to deliver efficiency savings through procurement. In 2005/06, the value of cash releasing savings delivered through “smarter procurement” was approximately £461,000. In 2006/07, this is expected to increase by a further £231,000 worth of cash releasing savings as well as £88,000 worth of savings through improved efficiency as the Council continues to embrace e-procurement.

Wrexham County Borough Council continues to use a decentralised approach to

procurement with officers purchasing goods and services on a corporate basis while being based within departments. This is known as a Centre Led Action Network (CLAN) approach

A network of officers is supported by a central Procurement Officer based within the Finance and Performance Department. This Officer’s role across the Council is tasked with co-ordinating procurement activity and ensuring that the principles of this strategy are facilitated and delivered.

The Council is and will continue to be an active participant in Value Wales pathfinder projects including collaborative procurement arrangements. This has led to joint contracts in:

Photocopying Office stationery Meat Milk Fuel and Heating Oil. Fleet Vehicles

Tenders are also ongoing on a collaborative basis in respect of

Specialist vehicles Agency worker provision Computer consumables

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Courier services Data communications Educational materials Furniture Postal services Print services Taxi services Other fleet commodities.

The Council is an active member of the North Wales Procurement Forum which works together on procurement projects and operates within a sharing best practice environment.

The Procurement Fitness Check which was carried out jointly by IDEA and value Wales (Procurement) identified areas of good practice and a number of strengths in the following areas : -

LeadershipPolicy and StrategyPeopleProcessPartnership and Resources

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Our Procurement Aims

Section 1 - Identifying the Expenditure Profile

AIM:

The Welsh Assembly Government has set local authorities a target for both overall efficiency gains as well as specific procurement savings for the period 2005 – 2008. The Council has freedom as to how it sets its procurement target. The overall efficiency target and the procurement target will be audited by the Wales Audit Office.

Improved procurement in key areas of spend will be a major influence on a council’s ability to achieve these efficiency targets.

The Council is fully committed to improving the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of all its activities and it will procure all its good and services so as to ensure value for money.

The Council will therefore:

Use innovation and best practice, including the appropriate use of new technology and improved business process, to achieve quality benefits.

Actions

Further our knowledge to establish and to understand the scale and importance of procurement activity in terms of amount of expenditure with suppliers, nature of purchase and associated business and market risk.

Recognise that there are areas of spend that are routine, low value and low risk, through to areas, which are high value, high risk and contract specific.

Use the philosophies of parreto, supply positioning and category analysis, to maximise benefits in these areas.

Identify and concentrate on those areas of spend which are critical to the business and or generate significant savings opportunities.

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Section 2 - Contribution and Influence (Leadership)

AIM:

To build upon existing procedures and offer a clear framework which is applied consistently by all and driven by Leadership from all levels of the organisation.

The Council will:

Work to reflect the Council’s corporate improvement plans, frameworks for best value, the constitution, financial regulations and the procurement code of practice.

Ensure that all procurement activity is set in the context of the Council’s strategic objectives and policies.

Encourage Elected Members to take a strategic role in securing quality outcomes including scrutinising the procurement processes and monitoring the outcome of procurement activities.

Actions

Review and restructure the Strategic Procurement Group with the inclusion of Elected Members.

Increase understanding and accountability by the provision of clear policies within which employees will operate.

Publicise the Procurement Strategy in order to raise awareness and understanding of its importance and links with the Council’s goals and key objectives.

Ensure that the Strategic Procurement Group oversees the delivery of the Council’s Corporate Procurement Strategy and provide reports to Executive Board Members via the Corporate Governance and Policy Scrutiny Committee.

Raise the profile of procurement both internally within the Council but also with external suppliers by giving better information as to how they can do business with the Council.

Take the initiative and drive activity forward and assist in ‘buy in’ across the Council to relevant contracts and workflows.

Define ‘Value for Money’ and embed principles into procurement activity.

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Section 3 - Purchasing and Process Control Framework (processes)

AIM:

To ensure that in all procurement dealings, the highest standards of conduct are observed by both Members and officers. This will include compliance with the Council’s Constitution and in particular the Officers’ and Members’ Codes of Conduct, Financial Regulations, Contract Standing Orders and the Procurement Code of Practice.

To ensure fairness, transparency and consistency in all procurement activity. All decisions must be transparent and auditable. The highest standards of honesty, integrity and impartiality must be evident.

To achieve these aims, the Council will

Regulate and monitor compliance against the policies and strategy and measure performance of procurement activity and the performance of implementation of the strategy by introduction of a performance management framework .

Adopt a wider strategic procurement management approach and embed this within our service planning.

Promote the use of the Project Management Toolkit and where applicable, Gateway Reviews, to ensure efficient, effective value for money procurement, is evident on larger scale projects.

Actions

Look at the way the Council engage with suppliers and instigate a corporate approach to the maintenance of approved supplier lists.

Promote consistency of approach in the way in which the Council trades by strengthening our legal positioning via adoption of appropriate standard terms and conditions of purchase.

Critically process map the ‘Procure to Pay’ process to look at each element of activity and cost. This being a pre curser to the introduction of e-procurement.

In accordance with the Council’s e-procurement strategy, encourage varying process improvements in service areas such as consolidated invoices, purchasing cards, electronic ordering and framework agreements.

Ensure that the risk to the authority and the community it serves is properly recognised in all procurement activity.

Identify risks, evaluate their potential consequences and manage those risks effectively, at all stages of procurement

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Section 4 - Organisation and Internal Relationships and Cross Sector Collaboration (partnerships and resources )

AIM:

The promotion and establishment of co-operative procurement network arrangements on behalf of the Council with Officers, Members and public, private and voluntary sector organisations is paramount to the delivery of economic, effective and efficient outcomes.

The Council will provide the organisation, structure and the appropriate level of resources to deliver effective and efficient procurement.

The Council will: Continue to be an active member of the North Wales Procurement Forum and

participate in workflows, initiatives and collaborative arrangements that are of benefit to the Council.

Embed and ensure a consistent approach is apparent throughout the Council within the voluntary and community sector and that a compact is in place.

Continue to use a devolved, corporate approach to procurement. Officers based in departments will purchase goods, works and materials on a corporate basis supported by a centrally based officer. The procurement web site on the intranet will act as a central management information database.

Actions

Actively support the Value Wales pathfinder projects e.g. Collaborative Procurement opportunities, Welsh Purchasing Card, National Procurement web site, Procurement Route Planner Initiative, Opening Doors Charter and regularly check that such arrangements and initiatives provide best value for money.

Continue to contribute to, gain knowledge from and share information provided by the Welsh Public Sector and build results obtained into future procurement workflows and initiatives.

Develop a forward plan of procurement to assist in the examination of procurement resource and capacity levels in line with the Council’s aims and objectives for procurement to ensure an appropriate fit between procurement resources and anticipated workload.

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Section 5 - Supplier relationship management

AIM:

The Council recognises the need to encourage a mixed range of suppliers to help encourage a varied and competitive marketplace. This includes understanding suppliers’ views and marketing our services to suppliers. There is also need for a varied competitive supply base to help improve value for money and to develop suppliers to meet new or emerging needs. The market includes procurement from small and medium-sized firms, ethnic-minority businesses, social enterprises and voluntary and community organisations.

The Council will:

Adopt practical methodologies and plans, which enable supplier assessment, selection and subsequent relationship management to be matched to the value and business risk of the purchase.

Recognise that improvements in effective contract management will increase value for money and quality of service provided and will therefore strive to achieve and maximise the benefits of partnership working.

In parallel with our approach to developing partnering consider continuous improvement initiatives in strategic contracts.

Actions

Publish a ‘Selling to the Council’ guide for prospective suppliers, to ensure all are fully informed on how procurement operates and have full knowledge on how we ‘do business.’

Ensure the Council’s principles of Equality are incorporated into relevant procurement contracts by ensuring suppliers / contractors satisfy all diversity requirements.

Work to adopt fully the principles of the Opening Doors Charter for SME Friendly Procurement and adopt procurement techniques, which give commitment and opportunity to the SME community.

Progress the ‘Constructing Excellence’ initiative; from lessons learned by the Rethinking Construction Beacon Councils.

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Section 6 - Effective Use of Available Technology

AIM:

The Council will aim to ensure that any system introduced to support the procurement process is employed effectively in accordance with this Strategy. All systems will be assessed against set criteria which will include providing appropriate procurement management information, facilitating communication and assisting and enabling effective trading with suppliers.

The Council will:

Ensure staff are trained to operate any such system, have appropriate access and are able to take full advantage of its functionality.

Actions

Progress our approach to e-procurement in line with the ‘e-Procurement Strategy’ and the Council’s wider E Government strategy. This includes the adoption of e-tendering, e-auctions, purchase to pay solutions.

Participate in the Value Wales (Procurement) “e-Gaffael Cymru” initiative if it is proven to offer a realistic, cost effective solution.

Further develop the use of the intranet portal to communicate and relay key procurement related information.

Progress the use of the Welsh Purchasing Card and develop its usage into identified product / supplier transaction areas.

Develop the Council’s Internet site to include procurement pages that provide guidance and information on key procurement, tendering and contract information.

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Section 7 - Staff Capability and Development (people)

AIM:

The Council is committed to being a good employer and fulfilling the requirements of its IIP accreditation.

The key to effective public sector procurement is officers who are suitably trained and qualified to provide the necessary professional input and level of expertise required.

We aim to ensure there is a structured approach to education, training and development for all offices with procurement responsibility.

The Council will:

Actions

Continue to ensure that staff engaged in procurement and contract management shall be suitably qualified and trained for the purpose. Appropriately trained staff are a prerequisite to the utilisation of proper procurement processes.

Continue to provide a training needs assessment and standardised training provision to raise the awareness of procurement issues and to deliver the desired quality of procurement across the organisation.

Develop awareness of procurement to members and to engage them in key strategic procurement projects.

Provide initial training to Members as part of the Member training programme.

Ensure that staff are properly consulted on procurement matters which are likely to have implications for their terms and conditions of employment and that these conditions are protected in any transfer of services to other agencies.

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Section 8 - Sustainable Procurement (Economic, Environmental and Social Impact of Procurement decisions)

AIM:

To promote and develop procurement practices which supports a sustainable environment and physical economy. We will aim to embed these practices across the organisation.

The Council will:

Actions

Seek to increase awareness of Fairtrade within the Council and where possible, the County Borough area.

Seek to procure Fairtrade goods where it is consistent with Council policy and best value and where it does not prejudice service delivery. The Council may take account of its commitment to Fairtrade during tender evaluation and may actively influence suppliers to deliver goods bearing the Fairtrade Mark.

Where appropriate encourage reference to Fairtrade products within Contract Specifications although EU legislation puts limits on the Councils ability to consider Fairtrade products alone.

Look to develop a Sustainable Procurement Guide in conjunction with the Corporate Sustainability Group and the Forum for the Future.

Seek to procure environmentally preferable goods and services where it is consistent with Council policy and value for money and where it does not prejudice service delivery.

Explore environmentally responsible practices in both building and civil engineering contracts where it is consistent with Council policy and value for money and where it does not prejudice service delivery.

When deemed relevant take account of sustainable policies during tender evaluation and may actively influence suppliers in their approach to delivering sustainable goods and services to maximise benefits for all parties.

Seek to encourage, support and develop SME markets where possible to maximise the local benefit of procurement opportunities, subject to staying within the remit of EU procurement law.

When purchasing goods, works and services, we will actively seek to promote the local economy as an aid to protection of the environment. This will be in line with other key procurement policies and within the limits of applicable law.

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Look to adopt whole life costing principles to major procurement activities, by recognising the impact on the social, economic and environmental well being within the County Borough locality.

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APPENDIX 1

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E-Procurement Strategy1.0 Introduction1.1The purpose of this document is to outline the Council's approach to e-

procurement. E-procurement is about the effective use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to communicate and transact business with the public, with partners, with public services, with voluntary organisations, and companies. This is not intended to be a technical document, but rather one that sets out the objectives the Council is seeking to achieve, the process for that achievement, and the broad timescales.

1.2Procurement is also specifically identified in the Welsh Assembly Government document 'Delivering the Connections: From Vision to Action' which sets out a 5 year action plan for delivering better services in Wales. This document specifically recommends increasing the use of procurement tools, for example e-procurement, e-auctions and the Welsh Purchasing Card, as a route to delivering better services and permitting more efficient use of the resources available. E-procurement has been recognised as a key factor in helping organisations to deliver the savings targets within the 2008 timeframe required by the Welsh Assembly Government’s “Making the Connections” Report.

1.3This Strategy also links in with the Council's wider e-government strategy.

1.4The recent Procurement Fitness Check carried out by IDEA and Value Wales (Procurement) identified that Wrexham CBC “would benefit from the development of an e-procurement strategy that includes a plan for supplier adoption. The Team believe such a strategy is fundamental in maximising the potential benefits of e-procurement and ensuring the most appropriate incremental approach.”

2.0 Definition of e-Procurement2.0The definition of procurement relates to the 'acquisition by purchase, lease or

other legal means, the goods, works and services used by the Council to discharge its functions in an effective, efficient and economic manner'.

2.1 In the context of this strategy, e-procurement, while operating within the definition above, generally relates to the contractual business relationship between the Council and its suppliers and contractors. This relationship is commonly termed 'Business to Business' or 'Business to Government'. It does not include the payment of rates, taxes, fines and the like, to (or by) external organisations. Electronic payment mechanisms, other than those between the Council and its suppliers and contractors (e.g. the Welsh Purchasing Card) are excluded from this e-procurement strategy - although the underlying technologies may be similar.

3.0 The Council's Vision for e-Procurement

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3.1The following 3-year strategy will strive to make best use of information and communication technology (ICT) to reduce the cost of the procurement process for both the Council and its suppliers.

3.2 In line with helping to meet our “Making the Connections” efficiency targets, savings are anticipated from greater controls over 'on-contract' spending within the authority (i.e. getting staff to buy the 'contract' items), stopping maverick spend to suppliers we don't have a contract with, reduced transaction and processing costs; and appropriate discounts with suppliers and contractors who may receive high volumes of business from the Council.

3.3For staff across the authority, e-procurement will need to be easy, secure and user-friendly. Full compliance with best practice procurement guidelines and legislation as well as the Council’s Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders will be built into the system and will happen automatically. The buying of goods will effectively become a self-service arrangements within strictly defined policies and procedures.

3.4The system should be available to all Council officers with procurement responsibilities, and will be accessed using internet/intranet technology on any PC in their office. Users will have controlled access to the system on the basis of personal passwords.

3.5The content of the system will be based on user requirements and will be flexible enough to allow emergency purchasing and 'spot' purchases where appropriate. Directorate 'catalogues' will be established to meet specialist requirements, with a corporate 'catalogue' for more routine purchases. Access will be limited according to buying approval.

3.6E-procurement supports the Council’s “sustainable development” agenda by replacing environmentally harmful practices which traditional, manual purchasing involves. Other sustainable procurement benefits stem from the use of electronic procurement to enforce purchasing policy and avoid unnecessary purchases, as well as the provision of information on the “green” credentials of vendors and their supply chain.

3.7Whilst the above represents a vision for the future, this strategy provides a blueprint for making this vision a reality. The driving force behind procurement reform is the goal of freeing up resources (financial and staff resources) to be used to improve services for the Council's staff.

4.0 E-Procurement in Context

4.1Electronic procurement (e-procurement) is an area of procurement that is developing and changing at a relatively rapid rate. The Council's e-procurement strategy must be flexible enough to ensure that it stays current, responsive to emerging developments, and must include the

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capacity for improvement based on continuous learning. Progress on achieving the actions set out in this Strategy will be reported to Members at the same time as the Procurement Strategy itself.

4.2There are currently a large number of functionally advanced, reasonably priced solutions which are now commercially available “off the shelf” so there is no need for any expensive bespoke development of technology.

4.3Many valuable lessons learnt are available from other adopters of e-Procurement in the UK and elsewhere. These experiences can be used to ensure that the development of e-Procurement in Wrexham CBC can be pursued with a minimum of risk.

4.4The Council has the option to procure a solution either in conjunction with other public sector organisations on a semi-regional basis or by itself. However, there is a growing demand politically and within the Welsh public sector for an all-Wales solution which would achieve economies of scale.

4.5As a result, Value Wales (Procurement) has recently produced a draft document entitled “e-Gaffael Cymru. This is a Strategy for implementing an all-Wales e-Procurement solution which aims to build upon existing procurement modernisation work including the national procurement website, Sell2Wales / Buy4Wales, e-auctions and the roll-out of the Welsh Purchasing Card.

4.6Wrexham CBC is fully aware of the above Strategy and have indicated to Value Wales (Procurement) that subject to it being shown as a best fit for the aims and objectives set out in this Strategy and it meeting clear cost and time requirements, then Wrexham CBC would be willing to engage as an “early adopter” within the development programme.

5.0 E-Procurement Three Year Strategy

5.1The e-procurement strategy is a three-year strategy to develop and implement electronic procurement. Information and communication technology will be used to reduce the cost, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness, of all aspects of the procurement process for the Council and its suppliers and contractors.

5.2Working in association with others including Value Wales (Procurement) and the North Wales Purchasing Forum will enable the Council to explore the regulatory issues around e-procurement and assess the impact which e-procurement will have on the local economy and on current business processes. This includes the potential for adopting the “e-Gaffael” solution or a more bespoke local / regional solution.

5.3Electronic tendering, sourcing, online catalogues, ordering and payment processing all feature within the three year Strategy.

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5.4 The Strategy recognises that an element of risk is unavoidable if the full benefits of e-procurement are to be realised. In taking an incremental approach to e-procurement and ensuring system wide compatibility systems developed on a modular basis will ensure the Council's exposure to these risks is minimised.