Procurement

European Union (EU) Directives

All Council's in the United Kingdom are required by law to comply with the E.U. Public Procurement Directives for the advertising and the award of Contracts.

Under Council Directive 1999/C 379/08 (31st December 1999) thresholds for contracts awarded by the Works, Supplies and Services Directives are now measured against the Euro and Special Drawing Rights (SDR's) to take account of the new Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

Minimum Financial Thresholds - Public Sector: 1st January 2010

¹ Schedule 1 of the Public Supply Contracts Regulations 2006 lists central government bodies subject to the WTO GPA. These thresholds will also apply to any successor bodies.

² With the exception of the following services which have a threshold of £173,934 (€200,000):

• Part B (residual) services
• Research & Development Services (Category 8)
• The following Telecommunications services in Category 5: CPC 7524 - Television and Radio Broadcast services, CPC 7525 - Interconnection services, CPC 7526 - Integrated telecommunications services
• Subsidised services contracts under regulation 34 

Types of OJEC Notice

Minimum Timescales for EU Process

Open Procedure

Time scale - must be advertised on OJEC at least 52 days prior to the closing date for the receipt of tenders

Allow 11 days from the dispatch of the notice before advertising in the UK press.

Under no circumstances must the advertisement in the UK press appear before the publication of the OJEC notice.

Restricted Procedure

Time scale - must be advertised in OJEC and allow at least 37 days for applicant to register interest. A further 40 days is required from the date of dispatch of tenders to the closing date.

Negotiated Procedure

Time scale - must be advertised in OJEC and allow 37 days for applicants to register interest.

Accelerated Procedure

Time scale - must be advertised in OJEC and allow 15 days for applicant to register interest, and 10 days from the date of dispatch of tenders to the closing date.