Route 3: get at least 3 quotes from suppliers for low or medium value purchases

How schools can buy low or medium value things by researching suppliers and getting at least 3 quotes.

Your school바카라 사이트™s procurement policy should set the low and medium levels. We generally say:

  • low is under £10,000
  • medium is £10,000 to £40,000

To buy in this way you should:

  • decide how you will assess the bids
  • get quotes from at least 3 suppliers
  • assess all the quotes you get fairly
  • choose the supplier that offers best value for money

If you need advice during your procurement, get free and impartial help and support from procurement specialists.

Getting quotes

Once you바카라 사이트™ve written your specification you should look for suppliers. Consider both price and their reputation.

Get quotes from at least 3 suppliers.

Send everyone the same information, including:

  • your specification
  • when you need the quote
  • when you will decide
  • how they can ask questions about what you바카라 사이트™re buying or your process
  • if needed, a link to your school바카라 사이트™s terms and conditions

Decide how you바카라 사이트™ll assess the quotes

Before you contact anyone, work out how you바카라 사이트™ll decide the best quote by setting 바카라 사이트˜award criteria바카라 사이트™ such as:

  • price
  • quality
  • how suppliers meet your specification
  • how quickly they can supply

Give each criteria:

  • a range of scores 바카라 사이트“ such as 1 to 5, with 5 the highest
  • a weighting 바카라 사이트“ a figure you multiply the score by depending on how important the criteria is

Example If price is most important, you might give it a weighting of 5 바카라 사이트“ so a score of 4 would be worth 20.

How to decide the winning quote

Assess the quotes using the award criteria you sent to the suppliers.

To avoid legal challenges:

  • do not open any quotes before the deadline
  • do not open any late quotes
  • treat all quotes fairly and equally
  • keep confidential, secure, auditable records
  • buy from the highest scoring supplier

Who should assess the quotes

It바카라 사이트™s best to have at least 2 people assess each quote. When they바카라 사이트™re finished they should compare scores and:

  • discuss where they바카라 사이트™ve scored differently
  • reach an agreed score

Be aware, the more people involved, the harder it can be to reach an agreed score.

Keeping records

Keep a record of all scores, comments and decisions. There바카라 사이트™s software you can buy or you can use a spreadsheet.

Place your order

Send a contract 바카라 사이트“ such as a purchase order 바카라 사이트“ to the supplier you바카라 사이트™ve chosen, including:

  • what you바카라 사이트™ve bought
  • price
  • delivery address
  • delivery date and any other important dates
  • when you바카라 사이트™ll pay

See writing and managing a contract.

The Procurement Act 2023

Under the Procurement Act 2023 you will need to understand your obligations with regards to contract management and the publishing of appropriate notices.

The section Get training on the Procurement Act 2023  has information on how to:

  • get free, approved DfE training on the Procurement Act 2023
  • register on the central digital platform

Find out more from the .