PURCHASING PROCEDURES - University of Central Lancashire

PURCHASING PROCEDURES 

INTRODUCTION 

PURCHASING PHILOSOPHY 

PURCHASING POLICY 

PROCEDURES Last reviewed – December 2011 

1. - Services 

2. - Primary Budget Holder 

3. - Authority to Order 

4. - Request to Purchase 

5. - Selection of Potential Suppliers 

6. - Invitations to Tender/Quote 

7. - EU Procurement Legislation 

8. - Use of Purchase Orders 

9. - Dealing with Suppliers 

10. - Use of Specifications 

11. - Contracts 

12. - Purchasing Consortium 

13. - Buyers Guide 

14. - Lead Purchasers‟ Group 

15. - Financial Health Checks 

16. - Supplier Appraisal 

17. - Approved Suppliers 

18. - Purchasing Cards 

19. - Corporate Cards 

20.- Negotiation Briefing Notes 

21.- Purchasing Guidance Notes 

(when bidding for funds) 

22.- Consultancy 

23.- Purchasing Flowchart 

FINANCIAL SERVICES 

PURCHASING OFFICE 

DECEMBER 2011 

Purchasing Procedures December 2011

INTRODUCTION 

The purpose of these procedures is to advise and assist those staff within the 

University who undertake purchasing duties as part of their overall responsibilities. 

The Purchasing Office is part of Financial Services and its primary purposes are to 

formulate Purchasing Policy, co-ordinate purchasing activities within the University 

and to provide professional purchasing advice and assistance to all parts of the 

University Group. A more detailed description of the role of the Purchasing Office 

can be found under the Service Standards section of these procedures. 

All purchasing procedures are derived from the Purchasing Policy of the University 

and the Policy Statement now forms part of the Financial Regulations of the 

University Group. 

To assist with the location of Purchasing Policies within the regulations of the 

University Group the following details are supplied: 

Financial Regulations 

The Financial Regulations of the University Group establishes approved practices 

governing the purchasing process (see paragraphs 701-719 of the Regulations). The 

Purchasing Procedures cover the operational detail and standard documentation which 

implement the Financial Regulations. 

Purchasing Policy 

Appendix A-5 of the Financial Regulations sets out the University's approved 

Purchasing Policy. 

Tendering Procedure 

Appendix A-8 of the Financial Regulations sets out the University's procedures for 

purchases valued in excess of £50,000. 


PURCHASING PHILOSOPHY 

The University aims to establish an effective and efficient organisational structure for all its 

purchasing activities to ensure the promotion and achievement of value for money. 

The established organisational structure seeks to secure the management advantage of devolved 

budgets and decentralised purchasing with arrangements to secure best price, to promulgate good 

practice in purchasing and ensure co-ordination of all buying activity across departments. 

To achieve these aims, the University has developed a central Purchasing Office responsible for the 

development of a purchasing strategy, the implementation of good purchasing practice, and the 

provision of professional purchasing advice across the University. 

Within each School and Service, the University has implemented the role of 'Lead Purchasers' to 

focus the purchasing activities and to develop a common approach to purchasing. Lead Purchasers 

are assisted by the central Purchasing Office in areas such as contract compliance, purchasing 

procedures, the formulation of a Buyers Guide and the negotiation of standard item goods/services 

for use across all faculties and services. 

Senior management of the University is concerned with the achievement of a comprehensive and 

consistent overview of the University's purchasing and supply policies and activities, including 

training and the application of professional purchasing skills to achieve value for money. 

The purchasing philosophy underpins the purchasing policy of the University, and the 

implementation of the policy is detailed in the following procedure notes. 


PURCHASING POLICY 

The University's Views on Purchasing 

The University seeks to ensure that its operational activities are consistent with, and supportive of, 

the Mission Statement and its associated values and aims, and are consistent with the policy stances 

taken by the institution on equal opportunities, regional affairs and environmental issues. The 

University, therefore, wishes to ensure that the process of the purchasing of goods for the 

University is sensitive to environmental factors, that it shows commitment to the region by, 

wherever possible, procuring goods from local firms, and that it facilitates equality of opportunity 

through contract compliance measures. These principles of purchasing will only be adopted, 

however, where value for money can be achieved. 

Policy Statement on Purchasing 

The University's Purchasing Policy is derived from the Mission Statement and associated values 

and aims. The Purchasing Policy will also operate within the wider framework of the Financial 

Regulations and legislative requirements. 

The Purchasing Policy is as follows: - 

1. The University will seek to achieve value for money in all purchases. 

2. Environmentally friendlier products will be purchased, wherever possible. 

3. Wherever possible, the University will not deal with companies who are known to operate 

discriminatory practices. All University contracts will include a clause upon which contract 

compliance will be sought. 

4. Subject to European directives, products will normally be purchased within the North West 

of England and, wherever possible, in Lancashire and Cumbria. 

5. Goods and Services will be purchased from within approved contracts and ranges where 

available. 

6. Purchasing will be on the basis of "just-in-time" to prevent unnecessarily large levels of 

stock being maintained. 

Principles of Implementation 

All contracts for standard items and environmentally friendlier products (as defined in the 

purchasing procedures) will be negotiated by the Head of Purchasing. Major items and group 

purchases (as defined in the purchasing procedures) will be technically specified by the specialist 

staff, and the Head of Purchasing will undertake all contract negotiations. 


PURCHASING PROCEDURES 

1: SERVICES 

The role of the Purchasing Office within the University is to formulate Purchasing Policy, coordinate 

purchasing activities within the University, provide professional purchasing and insurance 

advice and assistance to all parts of the University Group. 

In general, the Purchasing Office shall be responsible for the following on behalf of the University 

Group: 

Central Role - The Purchasing Office has a responsibility for all major purchases of 

non-pay expenditure, including Capital. 

Contract Development - Commodity Research; Contract Strategy; Supplier Appraisal; Contract 

Reviews; Supplier Management. 

Tender Process - Production and issue of documents; Supplier Appraisal; Commercial Evaluation; 

Contract Award. 

Operational Issues - Professional Purchasing advice and guidance relating to: acquisition of goods 

and services; assistance with compilation of Specifications; obtaining quotations; commercial 

negotiations; sourcing of Suppliers and commodities. 

For further information about the services provided by the Purchasing Office and specific detail 

relating to standards and time scales, please refer to the Service Standards for Purchasing Office on 

the Purchasing Office web site Purchasing service standards. 

Environmentally friendlier products are those products and services, which are generally 

recognised as providing a positive environmental performance and contribute to achievement of the 

University‟s Sustainable Development Strategy. In recommending the adoption of these products 

or services to the University's Environment and Sustainable Development Steering Group, the 

Purchasing Office will ensure that value for money issues are addressed. Following approval, the 

products will appear in the Buyers Guide. 


2: PRIMARY BUDGET HOLDER 

The Financial Regulations of the University Group (see paragraphs 501 - 516) detail budget policy 

and budgetary control. 

Primary Budget Holders are defined as persons to whom budget responsibility has been delegated 

by the University Board or by the Vice-Chancellor. 

Primary Budget Holders are authorised to approve expenditure, ensuring: 

- the goods and/or services are necessary and the expenditure which will be incurred can 

be contained within that part of the budget for which they are responsible; 

- established contracts or supply arrangements as contained in the Buyers Guide are 

utilised wherever possible; 

- where alternatives are available, the purchase represents economy (using the whole life 

costing method) and operational efficiency, and the advice of the Purchasing Office has 

been sought where necessary; 

- action is taken on incorrect or poor quality deliveries and/or services, and that the 

Purchasing Office is advised of such instances; 

- the correct purchasing route has been taken in accordance with the specified purchasing 

limits, (see paragraph 702 of Financial Regulations). 

Secondary Budget Holders are defined as persons to whom budget responsibility has been delegated 

by a Primary Budget Holder. 


3: AUTHORITY TO ORDER 

The responsibilities and authority of Primary and Secondary Budget Holders are defined in 

Financial Regulations. 

Purchase Orders to be issued for any goods or services necessary may be authorised by a Budget 

Holder with the following exceptions: 

- The Supplier attempts to impose terms and conditions which conflict 

with the University's Standard Conditions (especially payment 

terms); only the Head of Purchasing, as nominee of the Group 

Executive Director of Finance, may vary the Standard Conditions 

under which the University trades; 

- The single or cumulative value is in excess of £5,000 and three 

quotations have not been obtained; 

- The single or cumulative value is in excess of £50,000 and has not 

been subject to the Tendering procedure; 

- The purchase is for IT equipment: this necessitates additional 

authorisation by the Head of LIS 

If there are any doubts or concerns with regard to the authority necessary to make a particular 

purchase, please do not hesitate to contact the Purchasing Office for advice and assistance. 

Summary of Purchasing Limits 

Financial Regulations establish a Purchasing Limit of £5,001 - £50,000 where the requirement is for 

3 written quotations (i.e. formal offers with fixed pricing). Purchasing Office involvement may be 

sought within this limit to assist in this process. 


Value of Order/Contract 

(Exclusive of VAT) 

Purchasing requirements 

Up to and including £1,000 

Estimated price 

£1,001 - £5,000 Estimated price subject to competition 

£5,001 - £50,000 Minimum of 3 written quotations 

£50,001 - £173,000 Minimum of 4 Tenders 

More than £173,000 EU Tender procedure 

Design and Build Contracts 

Maximum of 4 Tenders 

Low Value Orders 

The process of issuing Purchase Orders has a significant administrative resource cost (time spent in 

raising order, actioning copies, processing invoice, processing cheque, impact on finance system, 

etc.). Therefore, for low value purchases, the University purchasing card should normally be 

utilised. 


4: REQUEST TO PURCHASE 

The Buyers Guide details all supply arrangements currently in force and will be regularly updated 

by the Purchasing Office. Where goods/services are required which are not referred to in the Guide 

and have a value (singly or cumulatively) of between £5,000 and £50,000 (exclusive of VAT), then 

the Purchasing Office can assist in the acquisition process. A Purchasing Request Form may be 

completed and sent to the Purchasing Office for action to facilitate this. The Purchasing Request is 

purely an internal document and must not be transmitted to Suppliers as an intention to purchase. 

Alternatively, an email request may be sent containing all information detailed below. 

When completing a Purchasing Request Form (available on the Purchasing Office web site) or 

submitting an email request, the following details must be provided: 

- Quantity and description of the goods/services required, including any technical 

specifications or recognised Standards; 

- Potential and/or preferred Suppliers; 

- Estimated and/or maximum (budget) cost; 

- Details (or attached copies) of any informal quotations obtained; 

- Full delivery requirements - date (or period)/location/recipient; 

- Authorised Budget Holder's signature. 

From receipt of a fully completed Purchase Request Form / email, the Purchasing Office will 

(within the time scales defined in Service Standards): 

- Advise whether a supply arrangement already exists; 

- Aggregate the request with requests from other Departments and Services as 

appropriate; 

- Source quotations/information from Suppliers and make recommendations for purchase 

to the budget holder; 

- If unable to locate minimum number of Suppliers, advise the budget holder to submit a 

waiver request to the Head of Purchasing 


5: SELECTION OF POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS 

In line with good purchasing practice, the University needs constantly to monitor and limit its 

established Supplier base in order to minimise administration resource costs and maximise bulk 

purchasing power. 

Details of existing supply agreements are listed on the Purchasing Office website under the Buyers 

Guide. This is constantly updated as contracts are renewed and new contracts are established. 

All suppliers must be set up on Agresso before purchases can be made (see section 18) unless the 

University Purchasing Card is being used to place the order. 

During Quotation or Tender exercises, user Departments may recommend Suppliers to the 

Purchasing Office for technical reasons. There is no guarantee that such Suppliers will be successful 

or acceptable once the Purchasing Office has undertaken a commercial evaluation. Where strong 

technical recommendations prove commercially unsound, the Purchasing Office will liaise with the 

User Department to reach an acceptable solution. 

The Head of Purchasing will evaluate the level of input for the University necessary to balance the 

costs of obtaining further quotations against the likely benefits or value for money issues. The 

Head of Purchasing will make recommendations, where necessary, to the Group Executive Director 

of Finance. 


6: INVITATIONS TO TENDER/QUOTE 

The University will seek to achieve value for money in all purchases. 

Tenders 

Any single or cumulative (over any 12 month period) purchase likely to be in excess of £50,000 

(excluding VAT) may be subject to the University's formal Tendering Procedure. The Head of 

Purchasing will make recommendations to the Group Executive Director of Finance regarding any 

necessary Contract Strategy. 

A copy of the Tendering Procedure may be obtained from the Purchasing Office website 

In order to commence the Tendering process, a standard Tender Request Form should be completed 

and forwarded (with Specification etc.) to the Purchasing Office. A copy of the Form may be 

obtained from the Purchasing Office. 

Quotations 

It is recognised that for most purchases of goods or services below £5,000 (excluding VAT), it is 

unlikely that the purchaser within the department will require specialist or professional purchasing 

input. Quotations for these purchases are still likely to generate savings for the purchaser. 

Standard Conditions have been developed (please refer to the website - Terms and conditions) 

which will apply to all purchases made by the University, thereby reducing commercial risk in the 

procurement process. 

Where it is intended to make a purchase from a Supplier not set up on Agresso, the procedure 

outlined in Approved Suppliers must be followed before issuing a Purchase Order. 

For purchases, which are greater than £5,000 in value (over any 12 month period ) but below the 

Tendering threshold, a Purchasing Request Form or email detailing requirements should be created 

if the Purchasing Office is to be involved in obtaining quotations. Quotations may be obtained by 

departments but must then be forwarded to the Purchasing Office for confirmation / clarification. 

A standard request for Quote form is available from the Purchasing Office website to ensure that 

suppliers are complying with the University‟s standard terms and conditions. This form must be 

used for all quotations regardless of value to ensure suppliers comply with the University‟s standard 

terms and conditions. 


7: EU PROCUREMENT LEGISLATION 

INTRODUCTION 

The primary function of the European public procurement legislation is to open each Member 

States‟s public sector purchasing to intra-community competition. The legislation is founded on 

two main principles of non-discrimination (i.e. that a potential, or actual, tenderer is not 

discriminated against because of their nationality) and transparency (i.e. that the contract awarded 

is openly advertised and awarded using objective procedures that will withstand scrutiny. These 

principles are fully compatible with the UK government‟s policy which is that the public sector‟s 

purchasing decisions should be based on value for money achieved through open competition. 

The legislation which impacts upon the purchasing practices of UK public sector bodies was 

originally enacted via three distinct Statutory Instruments in the early- to mid-1990s, but all three 

have now been superseded by a „consolidated‟ European Directive which was introduced into UK 

law on 31 January 2006 (Public Contracts Regulations 2006, Statutory Instrument No.5). 

The 1990s Regulations placed a responsibility on public sector contracting authorities (which 

includes universities) to advertise certain types of contract above pre-determined values in the 

Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), and thereafter deal with the tendering and award of 

such contracts using a pre-determined set of procedures and practices. The 2006 legislation 

incorporates and refines most of the principles and practices described in the earlier Regulations, 

whilst broadening the scope of the legislation to cover novel or hitherto less-regulated areas of 

public procurement, in particular environmental issues, electronic tendering, electronic auctions and 

framework agreements. 

The Head of Purchasing is responsible for guidance in ensuring that the University complies with 

its legal obligations concerning EU Procurement legislation. All departments and sections of the 

University are required to co-operate fully by notifying the Head of Purchasing of any purchases 

likely to exceed the appropriate threshold under any of the above Directives. All purchases under 

the Works Directives must be notified to the Director of Facilities Management. 

1 DEFINITIONS 

1.1 Public Supply Contracts 

A public supply contract is one for the purchase, lease, rental or hire purchase, with or 

without option to buy, of products. It includes siting and installation of the products where 

these are part of the main purchase. 

1.2 Public Services Contracts 


A public service contract is one where the purchaser engages a contractor (the service 

provider) to provide services. There are two categories of services - Part A (to which the 

Services Regulations apply in full) and Part B (where the tender is only subject to some of 

the requirements in the Regulations, namely rules regarding technical specifications and the 

publication of contract award notices). Parts A and B appear as lists in annexes to the 

Directive. If a contract includes both products and services, the element which has the 

highest value determines whether it is to be treated as a public supply contract or public 

service contract. 

1.3 Design contests 

Design contests are procedures for obtaining plans or designs which are intended to lead to 

the award of a public service contract, often including the offer of a prize or payment to the 

participants. The value of the contest for the purposes of assessing whether it exceeds the 

threshold is the value of the resultant public services contract plus the value of the prize. 

1.4 Public Works Contracts 

A public works contract is one for the execution, or design and execution, of civil 

engineering or building works. A list of these works appears as an annex to the legislation. 

The list is surprisingly wide-ranging; including such activities as demolition work, test 

drilling, plumbing, wiring, installation of fixtures and fittings, painting and wallpapering and 

renting of construction or demolition equipment with an operator. Where the contract 

involves supplies and/or services as well as works, it should be classified according to its 

predominant purpose. 

A public works concession is a contract where the consideration (payment) for the works is 

wholly or partly the granting of a right to exploit the works. 

Subsidised works contracts are works contracts to which public authorities (which includes 

universities) contribute more than 50% of the cost. Even though the contract might be 

awarded by a private sector body, the public authority must ensure that the Regulations are 

complied with. Note that the threshold value applies to the total contract value, not the 

value of the subsidy. 

1.5 Framework Agreements 

A framework agreement can be made with one or more than two suppliers. Its purpose is 

to establish the terms governing multiple purchases to be made over a particular period. 

Special rules apply to the formation and operation of framework agreements; these are 

described in more detail below. 

1.6 An electronic auction can be used after full evaluation of initial tenders, where final bids are 

ranked automatically, usually on the basis of price. The process is unsuitable for many 

services and works contracts. Specialised software is required to undertake electronic 

auctions, and there are special EU rules governing their conduct which are outside the scope 

of these procedures. 


2 VALUATION OF A CONTRACT 

The proposed tender will fall within the Regulations if its estimated value is greater than the 

prescribed thresholds. These have been summarised in Table 1 below. 

The Regulations provide guidance on how to estimate the value of proposed tenders. If, 

after calculation, the value of the contract exceeds the appropriate thresholds, it will fall 

within the scope of the Regulations. The method of calculation used depends upon the type 

of purchase to be undertaken. 

Regulations Threshold European Threshold Equivalent UK * 

Supply Contracts 200,000 Euros £173,934 

Service Contracts 200,000 Euros £173,934 

Works Contracts 

inc. Subsidised Works 

Contracts 

5,000,000 Euros £4,348,350 

* Calculated 1 January 2012, revised every 2 years 

Table 1: 

Relevant Thresholds for Public Procurement Regulations 

(VAT and Insurance Premium Tax are excluded) 


2.1 Public Supply and Public Service Contracts 

2.1.1 If the contract is for a “one-off” purchase, estimate the total value including all component 

parts, transport costs, installation and commissioning. 

2.1.2 The value of a series of contracts, or repeat orders, for the same or similar products, should 

be estimated over a reasonable period (e.g. expected length of requirement.) This can be 

either historically or in the future. Note, however, that requirements cannot be 

disaggregated in order to avoid the Regulations. 

2.1.3 Fixed term contracts for services or for the lease, rental or hire purchase of products should 

be estimated for the duration of the contract. Where the contract is part of a series, the 

whole series should be estimated over a 12 month period or longer, if appropriate. If a 

contract is for a fixed period, say one year, but has an option to extend for up to two 

additional years, then regardless of whether or not there is uncertainty about exercising the 

extension option, the duration has to be taken as 3 years (the maximum duration in this 

example) when estimating its value. 

2.1.4 If a contract, or series of contracts, for services is for an indefinite or uncertain period, or the 

total price is not known but the contract period exceeds 48 months, then its total value 

should be calculated by multiplying the estimated monthly value by 48. 

Note: Where the proposed contract includes more than one of the above elements, the 

value must be determined by calculating the highest possible value. 

2.2 Specific types of Public Service Contract 

For the following types of services, the values to taken as a basis for calculating the 

estimated contract values are: 

- insurance services: the premium payable and other forms of remuneration; 

- banking and other financial services: the fees, commissions, interest and other forms 

of remuneration; 

- design contracts: fees, commission payable and other forms of remuneration. 

2.3 Public Works Contracts 

2.3.1 Estimate the value of the whole works contract. 

2.3.2 Where the contract is part of a series necessary to carry out a project, it is the total value of 

the aggregated contracts, which will determine if the contract falls within the scope of the 

Regulations. 


2.4 Waivers for „Small Lots‟ 

For Public Supply, Service and Works purchases where the contracts are awarded at the 

same time in the form of separate lots, it is the aggregated value of the lots which will 

determine whether the Regulations apply. However, application of the threshold can be 

waived in respect of lots below the Small Lots thresholds identified in the above table, 

provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20% of the value of the 

overall aggregate value of the lots as a whole. 

Example: Public supply contracts for a particular commodity will be let in five lots: three of 

an estimated £20,000 each and two of £130,000 each. Thus the aggregate value of the 

contracts is £320,000 which clearly exceeds the EU threshold. However, each of the three 

small contracts falls below the Small Lots threshold. In aggregate, they comprise slightly 

less than 20% of the overall value of the five lots (18.75% to be precise). Therefore the 

three small contracts are not subject to the EU tendering process. The two larger lots still 

collectively exceed the threshold, and must therefore be subjected to an EU tendering 

process. 

Note: Where the proposed contract includes more than one of the above elements, 

the value must be determined by calculating the highest possible value. 

3 SPECIFIC EXCLUSIONS 

Contracts for the following types of purchase are excluded from the procedures: 

a) Land, existing buildings or other immovable property or rights thereon. However, 

financial services associated with the acquisition are subject to the procedures. 

b) Programme material for broadcast, and contracts for broadcasting time. 

c) Arbitration and conciliation services. 

d) Transactions relating to securities or other financial instruments (particularly where 

these are to raise capital), and central bank services. 

e) Employment contracts. 

f) Research and development services, providing the service is wholly paid for by UCLan. 

However, where the benefits accrue exclusively to UCLan for use in its own affairs, 

the EU procedures do apply. 


4 TENDERING PROCEDURES 

Tenders may be sought by one of four procedures: Open, Restricted, Negotiated or 

Competitive Dialogue. Open and Restricted are by far the most commonly-used procedures. 

4.1 Open Procedure 

A notice is published in the OJEU stating that tenders will be sought under the Open 

Procedure. All potential suppliers requesting tender documentation by the deadline stated in 

the notice must be sent the documentation within 6 days of their request. Alternatively the 

documentation can be made available to all interested suppliers on the internet. The 

advantage of the Open Procedure over the Restricted Procedure is that minimum timescales 

are shorter. However, if there are a large number of potential suppliers in the marketplace, 

use of the Open Procedure can result in a large number of tender submissions, which in turn 

increases the assessment workload. One way of attempting to control the number of tenders 

is to stipulate minimum levels of economic and financial standing or technical/professional 

ability in the contract notice. Care must be taken to ensure that the minimum levels are 

related to and proportionate to the subject matter of the contract, and that the levels used do 

not exclude smaller companies unreasonably. 

4.2 Restricted Procedure 

A notice is published in the OJEU stating that tenders will be sought under the Restricted 

Procedure. Firms communicate, in response to the notice, their interest in tendering for the 

contract. The contracting authority, using criteria stated in the notice (e.g. legality to 

operate, financial and economic standing, and technical/professional ability) which must be 

drawn from a list provided in the legislation, selects firms who will be invited to submit a 

tender. 

It is permitted to state the number of firms the contracting authority intends to invite to 

tender, sometimes expressed as a range. This is the main advantage of the Restricted 

Procedure over the Open Procedure, since it restricts the number of tenders and 

consequently reduces the amount of effort required to evaluate them. The range must be 

stated in the contract notice and in any event the minimum number permissible is 5. If the 

number of eligible respondents falls below 5, the process may continue, providing there is 

still genuine competition. However no “new” candidates can be introduced at this stage and 

the selection criteria cannot be artificially relaxed to allow more firms to pass to the tender 

submission stage. 

The criteria stated in the notice cannot deviate from those set out in the legislation. Thus it 

can often be very difficult to differentiate suppliers so that enough of them can be eliminated 

at the first (often called the „prequalification‟) stage even after minimum levels of economic 

and financial standing or technical/professional ability have been stipulated. Any exclusion 

of a supplier at this point must be fully justifiable in terms of its failure to match the 

selection criteria stated in the original contract notice. 

If there is likely to be a large number of applications from interested firms, great care must 

be taken to develop a prequalification questionnaire that has the desired effect of being able 

to be used effectively and fairly to differentiate the firms‟ capabilities, so that only the 

required number of firms passes through to the tendering stage. 


4.3 Negotiated Procedure 

Under the Negotiated Procedure the terms of the contract are negotiated directly with one or 

more suppliers. However, the procedure can only be used in the specific instances described 

below. Moreover, the Office of Government Commerce advises that use of the Negotiated 

procedure is likely to decline as the Competitive Dialogue procedure becomes more widely 

accepted. 

It is NOT mandatory to advertise the Negotiated tender in the OJEU unless specifically 

stated to the contrary below. It is permissible for the Negotiated Procedure to take place 

in successive stages to gradually reduce the number of tenders, providing the contract notice 

or specification states that this is the intention. 

4.3.1 For public works, public supplies and public service contracts: 

a) Tenders received under a previous competitive exercise held under the Open, Restricted 

or Competitive Dialogue procedures have been irregular, or unacceptable. The 

proposed terms of the contract must be substantially unaltered from those originally 

used. The resultant tender must be advertised in the OJEU, giving the reasons for use 

of the Negotiated Procedure. 

Note: If all of the participants in the Open or Restricted exercise are invited to 

negotiate then there is no need to advertise the use of the Negotiated procedure. 

However, if one or more of the participants from the earlier tender exercise who 

submitted tenders is rejected, then the use of the Negotiated procedure must be 

advertised in the OJEU. In both instances, the terms of the Negotiated tender must be 

substantially unchanged from the original exercise undertaken under the Open or 

Restricted procedure. 

b) A competitive exercise held under the Open or Restricted procedure has resulted in no 

applications or tenders, or unsuitable tenders. 

c) There is only one supplier available for technical or artistic reasons or on account of 

exclusive rights. 

d) Extreme urgency exists for reasons that are unforeseeable and are not attributable to 

the contracting authority. 

e) In exceptional cases where the nature of the works, supplies or services or the risks do 

not permit overall pricing, the Negotiated tender must be advertised in the OJEU. 

4.3.2 For public supply contracts: 

a) The goods covered by the contract are to be manufactured purely for the purpose of 

research, experiment, study and development; but not when the goods are to be 

purchased or hired to establish their commercial viability or to recover their research 

and development costs. 

b) The goods covered by the contract are partial replacements for, or additional to, existing 

goods or an installation, or when obtaining the goods from another source would cause 


problems of incompatibility or disproportionate technical difficulties. Such extensions 

may not, as a general rule, be for more than three years. 

c) The goods are purchased on a commodity market. 

d) The goods are being purchased on particularly advantageous terms because the supplier 

is being wound up, is bankrupt or in receivership. 

4.3.3 For public service contracts: 

a) Where the contract follows a design contest and there is more than one successful 

candidate. (Note that the Negotiated procedure cannot be used for a Works contract in 

this manner.) 

b) For insurance, banking and investment contracts, and intellectual services such as the 

design of works, but only if the activities cannot be defined well enough for the Open 

or Restricted Procedures to be used. The tender must be advertised in the OJEU. 

4.3.4 For public works contracts: 

Where the works are to be carried out solely for the purposes of research, testing or 

development and not with the aim of ensuring profitability or recovering research and 

development costs. The tender must be advertised in the OJEU. 

4.3.5 For public works and public service contracts: 

a) Additional works or services not included in the original contract where the need has 

arisen through unforeseen circumstances, and where they cannot be technically or 

economically separated from the original contract without major inconvenience to the 

contracting authority, or where they are necessary for completion of the contract. 

However, the Negotiated procedure cannot be used where the aggregate value of the 

additional works or services exceeds 50% of the value of the original contract. 

b) Where new works and services which repeat the initial contract are being carried out 

by the same supplier, providing the original contract was awarded through the Open or 

Restricted Procedure, and the original advertisement mentioned the possibility of 

additional requirements. However this procedure may only be used during the three 

years following the end of the original contract. 

Note: A contract award notice must be published for every case where the Negotiated Procedure is 

used regardless of whether the tender exercise was advertised or not. It is advisable to hold a report 

on file should information be requested by HM Treasury on behalf of the European Commission. 

4.4 Competitive Dialogue Procedure 

This procedure is suitable only for particularly complex contracts, for example Public 

Private Partnership (Private Finance Initiative) contracts where the contracting authority is 

unable to specify its requirements at the outset without entering into detailed discussions 

with potential suppliers. The aim of the discussions is to identify and compare possible 

solutions before requesting final tenders. 


A contract notice must be published in the OJEU setting out the needs and requirements of 

the contracting authority. A dialogue may then commence between the contracting 

authority and suitable candidates in which all aspects of the contract can be discussed. Care 

must be taken to ensure that all candidates are treated equally. From a practical point of 

view, this can best be demonstrated by keeping a detailed record written record of all 

discussions which is then signed off by both the Supplier and the University. 

When the contracting authority has identified a suitable solution or solutions, it declares that 

the dialogue is concluded and requests that tenders be submitted. It is important that the 

request and the resultant tenders are as comprehensive as possible because the scope for 

post-tender negotiation is even more limited than in the Open and Restricted procedures 

(such negotiations having already taken place in the dialogue phase). 

4.5 Choice of Procedure 

Under the Regulations, universities have a free choice between the Open and Restricted 

procedures. 

Use of the Negotiated or Competitive Dialogue procedure is unusual, and is more likely to 

invite the scrutiny of the European Commission than the other procedures. Where it is 

agreed that the Negotiated or Competitive Dialogue procedure can be used, the contracting 

authority must justify its choice and take great care to ensure that the reasons are properly 

documented. 

5 FRAMEWORK AGREEMENTS 

Framework agreements set out the terms and conditions under which specific purchases 

(„call-offs‟) are made over a pre-determined period of time. They are particularly useful for 

creating a panel of several approved suppliers who then compete with each other for each 

„call-off‟. 

Framework agreements can be made either with one supplier or with a panel of at least three 

suppliers, and must not exceed four years‟ duration unless there are exceptional 

circumstances. The suppliers are appointed through a tendering process, usually following 

the Open or Restricted procedure. 

Where there is one supplier, the contracting authority should ask the supplier to provide 

specific prices or terms for „call-off‟ orders within the parameters set out in the original 

Framework agreement. 

It is more usual for Framework agreements to have a panel of three or more suppliers. In 

some cases it is a straightforward task to determine which of the suppliers should win the 

„call-off‟; for example, where all of the suppliers on the panel have fixed price lists or there 

is pre-agreed mechanism for calculating prices for comparable items. Here, the contracting 

authority would simply compare the prices and select the lowest without re-opening 

competition. In cases where the task is not so clear-cut, a process of „mini-competition‟ is 

undertaken whereby the contracting authority issues a statement of requirements to all of the 

suppliers on the panel capable of undertaking the task. These proposals are then evaluated 

in accordance with the criteria set out in the original Framework tender. 


6 TIMESCALES 

In each of the procedures, there are timescales laid down regarding publication of notices, 

invitations to tender, receipt of tender submissions etc. These timescales vary with the 

procedure used and are summarised in Table 2 below. 

The publication of a Prior Information Notice (PIN) enables the time periods for the Open 

and Restricted procedures to be shortened. The PIN is intended to give potential suppliers a 

brief overview of the forthcoming tender requirement. The PIN is only permissible as a 

means of shortening timescales if it is sent for publication between 52 days and 12 months 

before the date the actual contract notice is sent. 

In cases of extreme urgency it is possible to use accelerated Restricted or Negotiated 

procedures. The circumstances under which the shortened time periods can be used are 

strictly defined and must be justifiable. The cause of the „extreme urgency‟ must be outside 

the contracting authority‟s control. For example, having to spend funds before a specific 

date would not be considered an appropriate reason. 

Where a contract is voluntarily advertised, i.e. where it is not expressly covered by the 

requirements of the Directives or Regulations, then the timescale requirements are not 

binding in relation to the tender procedures. Thus, it may be beneficial for a contracting 

authority to give wider exposure to its requirements by choosing to use the European forum 

even where not absolutely necessary. 

Table 2: 

Summary of prescribed time periods 

Procedure Phase Days 

Open 

Restricted 

Restricted 

Accelerated 

Minimum time for receipt of tenders from 

45 

date contract notice sent 

Reduced when PIN published to, generally 

36 

But never less than 

22 

Minimum time for receipt of requests to 

30 

participate from date contract notice sent 

( reduced by 7 days for electronic system) 

Minimum time for receipt of tenders from the 35 

date invitation sent 

( reduced by 5 days for electronic system) 

Reduced when PIN published to, generally 

36 

But never less than 

22 

Minimum time for requests to participate 

15 

from date contract notice sent 

Minimum time for receipt of tenders from the 10 


Competitive 

Dialogue and 

Negotiated 

Negotiated 

Accelerated 

Notes: 

date invitation sent 





37 

15 

a) The time period starts on the day the notice is despatched to the OJEU, not the date 

when it is actually published. If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday 

then the receipt or closing date will be the first ordinary working day thereafter. 

b) PIN = Prior Information Notice. 

7 CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION 

Once the contracting authority has established that the proposed contract falls within the 

remit of one of the Regulations, and has selected which procedure to use, the contract must 

be advertised and documentation prepared, paying special attention to the technical 

specification and selection criteria. 

7.1 Advertising Requirements 

The Open, Restricted and, where applicable, Negotiated procedures require that the 

contracting authority places a notice in the OJEU, stating its intention to seek offers in 

respect of the perceived need. The notice must take into account the timescales detailed in 

Table 2 above. 

It is important that the maximum anticipated duration of the contract is stated in the notice. 

For example, if the expected duration is 3 years but there is a possibility that it could be 

extended to 5 years, then state “up to 5 years” in the notice. The circumstances under which 

a contract extension might be granted can then be described with more precision in the 

invitation to tender document. 

The contracting authority cannot advertise the contract in its local or national press 

before the notice has been despatched to the OJEU. The advertisement must not contain any 

more information than is contained in the OJEU notice. 

7.2 Technical Specifications 

When preparing the documentation it is necessary to ensure that the specifications for the 

product are non-discriminatory. In particular, the specification must not be based upon the 

specification of an existing product from one supplier. This would be in breach of the 

regulations and is likely to invite challenges from other suppliers. If the requirement can 

only be expressed by reference to a brand or proprietary name, then the name must be 

accompanied by the words “or equivalent”. 


The technical specification should be defined by reference to European specifications where 

they exist, in the following order of preference: 

a. National standards incorporating European standards 

b. European technical approvals 

c. Common technical specifications, e.g. Electromagnetic Compatibility 

d. International standards 

e. Other technical reference systems established by the European standardization 

bodies 

Only where none of the above standards exist is it appropriate to refer to national standards. 

All references must be accompanied by the words “or equivalent”. 

There are, however, instances where it is permissible to derogate from the prescribed 

hierarchy of specifications. Again, like other exceptions, these are clearly defined in the 

Regulations, for example, where there exists a statutory duty in relation to health and safety; 

technical reasons of conformance; incompatibility or disproportionate technical differences 

or disproportionate costs; or innovative reasons. 

Technical specifications may define environmental characteristics, e.g. production method 

and/or environmental impact. Methods of defining environmental impact must be drawn up 

using scientific criteria that are accessible and understandable to all parties. For works and 

services, information about the supplier‟s technical ability with regard to environmental 

management measures may be requested, but only if is appropriate. The standards indicated 

in the tender documentation must always be EU standards or equivalent. 

8 SUPPLIER SELECTION CRITERIA 

Potential tenderers may be excluded from tendering if they do not meet prescribed criteria, 

which should be designed to determine their economic and financial standing and their 

capability of fulfilling the requirements of the contract. These criteria must be stated in the 

notice published in the OJEU and/or in the contract documentation. 

A firm may be ineligible if, for example, it is found to be in financial difficulty, or guilty of 

misconduct. It may be asked to provide details of its financial standing, and its technical 

capacity. The contracting authority may select which criteria it considers appropriate in 

relation to economic and financial standing or technical capacity. 

If a company marginally fails to meet one or more of the criteria, then a second opinion may 

be sought from a third party credit-referencing agency. If the rating given by the agency 

defines the company as low to medium risk, then a decision can be made to let the company 

proceed to the next phase of the tender process. If however the rating is high risk then the 

company should not proceed any further. 

Standards may be waived by the Group Executive Director of Finance (or nominee). 

Any selection/shortlisting exercises must be even-handed, consistent with stated criteria and 

must not discriminate on grounds of nationality or geographical location. 


9 CONTRACT AWARD 

9.1 Award Criteria 

Having ascertained the suitability of the tenderers, the contracting authority must award the 

contract to the submission which: 

offers the lowest price, or 

is most economically advantageous to the contracting authority – in addition to price, this 

includes factors like quality, technical merit, aesthetic and functional characteristics, 

environmental characteristics, running costs, cost-effectiveness, after-sales service and 

technical assistance, delivery date and delivery period or period of completion. 

In most cases it would be extremely unwise to award the contract on the basis of price alone 

without giving any consideration to other factors. 

The award criteria must be listed in the contract notice and/or in the invitation to tender 

document. The relative weighting given to each criterion must also be stated. This can be 

expressed in terms of a range with an appropriate maximum spread. These criteria and 

weightings must be used in the tender evaluation; they cannot be altered after publication. 

9.2 Abnormally Low Tenders 

Tenders may be rejected if they are abnormally low but only after the tenderer has been 

given an opportunity to justify/confirm or withdraw the offer submitted. 

10 NOTIFICATION OF CONTRACT AWARD 

10.1 Contract Award Notice 

The contracting authority must publish a contract award notice in the OJEU within 48 days 

of the contract award or establishment of a framework agreement. This requirement also 

applies to categories of public service contracts covered by Part B (see section 1.2 above). It 

is important to observe the mandatory standstill period (see section 10.3 below). 

10.2 De-briefing Unsuccessful Tenderers 

Under the Regulations, after an award decision has been made, the unsuccessful tenderers 

may request a de-briefing to ascertain why their bid was unsuccessful. This de-briefing, if 

requested, should take place within 15 days of the request. A tenderer can request an 

accelerated debrief within 2 working days of the date of dispatch of the decision notification. 

The contracting authority must then provide a debrief within 3 working days of the end of 

the standstill period. If the tenderer requests a debrief outside the 2 working days limit, then 

the debrief must be provided within the normal 15 day period. 

Great care must be taken during de-briefing to avoid giving the tenderer information which 

is confidential to other tenderers. Where practicable, the overall score obtained by the 

winner of the tender and the tenderer being de-briefed should be given; avoid giving further 

details of other tenderers‟ bids. A poorly-handled de-briefing can result in resentment and, 


at worst, a legal challenge to the selection decision from an aggrieved supplier. The 

Purchasing Office must be present at any debriefing sessions. 

10.3 Mandatory standstill period 

As soon as a decision has been made to award a contract or conclude a framework 

agreement, the contracting authority must inform all bidders (preferably by fax or email). 

They should be provided with details of the award criteria; their own score and that of the 

winner (where practicable); the name of the successful tenderer; the reasons for the decision 

including the characteristics and relative advantages of the successful tender and reasons (if 

any) why they did not meet the technical specification. The award notice must contain a 

statement of either when the standstill period is expected to end or the date before which the 

contracting authority will not enter into a contact. The contracting authority must then wait 

10 days before actually entering into the contract or concluding the framework agreement. 

10.4 Reporting Requirements 

Contracting authorities are required to report, for each public supply and services contract, 

details of the value, procedure, type of goods and the nationality of the successful tenderer to 

H.M. Treasury. Purchasing Office will collect this information annually and issue a report 

on behalf of the University. 

11 DISPUTES AND REMEDIES 

Failure to adhere to the Regulations may cause a legal challenge by an aggrieved supplier, or 

investigation by the European Commission. This can result in a contract being suspended or 

even completely set aside and/or compensation being paid to tenderers. Purchasing Office 

must be contacted immediately if there is any indication that a tenderer is unhappy with 

the conduct of a tender or the final result, even if the complaint appears petty or without 

foundation, so that action can be taken to avoid escalation. 


8: USE OF PURCHASE ORDERS 

Purchase Orders are formal University documents which, when issued to an external party, commit 

the University to expenditure and form a legally binding Contract with the external party. An order 

must be raised prior to the ordering of any goods or services (unless the University Purchasing card 

is being used.) Failure to do so will result in a breach of Financial Regulations (see paragraphs 705- 

706.) 

Purchase Orders are individually numbered and are obtained through Agresso. 

In order to reduce the commercial risk in the use of such documentation, Purchase Orders 

must always be approved by the Budget Holder and any over £5,000 are approved by the 

Purchasing Office. The University‟s Terms and Conditions are available on the Internet as stated 

on the Order Form. Only the Head of Purchasing, as nominee of the Group Executive Director 

of Finance, may vary the Standard Conditions under which the University trades. 

Where Suppliers issue an 'order acknowledgement', then User Departments should check quantity, 

price and delivery details against the original Order and discrepancies taken up with the Supplier 

immediately. Of particular importance is the need to check whether the acknowledgement 

attempts to enforce the Suppliers Conditions of Sale. If so, this must be challenged by fax or 

letter before receipt of goods or services: please contact the Purchasing Office for assistance, if 

necessary. 

Once a Purchase Order has been issued, a check to determine progress on the delivery of the 

products or services may be required (either before or after the specified date). The responsibility 

for progress chasing (expediting) rests with the Budget Holder/User Department issuing the 

Purchase Order. 

Any unreasonable delays or erroneous deliveries from a Supplier who is listed in the Buyers Guide 

must be made known to the Purchasing Office so that appropriate action can be taken. 

Required delivery dates must be stated when raising Purchase Orders so that progress can be 

checked against such dates. The use of 'Urgent' or 'ASAP' are not acceptable terms for 

delivery dates. 


9: DEALING WITH SUPPLIERS 

All dealings with Suppliers must preserve the highest standards of honesty, integrity, impartiality 

and objectivity, while remaining fair, efficient, firm and courteous. 

Most transactions between the University and external Suppliers - although forming a legallybinding 

contract - usually operate and conclude with relatively few incidents or disputes. 

The following guidance points will help to ensure consistency of commercial activity, raise 

awareness of contractual issues, and thereby lessen the risk of potential disputes. 

1. Please ensure familiarity and compliance with the following: 

- Selection of Potential Suppliers (section 5) 

- Buyers Guide (section 14) 

- Standard Conditions of Contract ( Policies and conditions) 

- Code of Conduct (Code of Conduct) 

2. It is not a policy of the University to pay for goods/services in advance: please refer to 

paragraph 805 of Financial Regulations or contact the Purchasing Office for advice. 

3. When requesting quotations careful consideration should be given to the following areas: 

- Specification or Operational Requirements 

- Usage figures 

- Quality standards 

- Specified terms/conditions 

- Delivery requirements 

The UCLan standard quote form should be used to avoid any conflicting terms. 

4. All Supplier agreements requiring the signature of a University representative (e.g. 

service/rental/maintenance contracts) must be authorised by the Head of Purchasing. 

5. In the event of any legal, contract, or general supply dispute arising or likely to arise, advice 

from the Purchasing Office should be sought at the earliest opportunity. At all times, a 

careful record must be kept of communication with Suppliers, particularly those by 

telephone. 


10: USE OF SPECIFICATIONS 

In general, a Specification is a description of the product or service required. An effective 

Specification should enable Suppliers to tender or quote to the University on an equal basis and 

must not show bias towards any one product, brand or Supplier. 

Specifications are more likely to be used where the purchase is of significant value (e.g. during the 

tender process), but can be utilised in the procurement of complex or specialised low value 

commodities. 

Guidance for the preparation of Specifications is detailed below: 

 

 

Drafting checklist 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

use simple language, avoid using jargon; 

define terms, symbols and acronyms; 

do not expect the specification to be read by experts; write it so that a layman will understand; 

use a logical structure; 

be as concise as possible, but keep the meaning clear; 

plan and analyse your needs; 

arrange the components of the requirement into a logical form matching the evaluation model; 

(a good way of doing this is to set out a skeleton structure with the main headings and then add 

in sub-headings as necessary;) 

do not embed requirements in background information - suppliers may miss them - keep 

requirements in their own sections; 

list the most important elements of the requirement first and work through to the least 

important; and 

discuss the requirement with colleagues, other users and procurement staff. During this 

process you may also identify other topics you need to include. 

endeavour to reduce costs, and increase effectiveness and efficiency to contribute to VFM 

endeavour to improve our carbon footprint by considering more environmentally friendly 

methods of production/servicing etc. 

Review checklist 

A good specification should: 

 

 

 

 

state the requirement specification completely, clearly, concisely, logically and 

unambiguously; 

focus on outputs not how they are to be met; 

contain enough information for potential suppliers to decide and cost the goods or services 

they will offer, or in the case of negotiated route arrive at realistic budgetary costs; 

permit offered goods or services to be evaluated against defined criteria by examination, trial, 


test or documentation; 

state the criteria for acceptance by examination, trial, test or documentation; 

contain only the essential features or characteristics of the requirement; 

provide equal opportunity for all potential suppliers to offer a product or service which 

satisfies the needs of the user and which may incorporate alternative technical solutions; and 

comply with any legal obligations e.g. under UK law, the EEC Treaty, an EC Directive or the 

GATT Agreement on Government procurement. 

A good specification should not: 

 

 

over-specify requirements; 

contain features that directly or indirectly discriminate in favour of, or against, any supplier, 

product, process or source. Discrimination on grounds of nationality is illegal in the EC, 

contrary to the GATT Agreement, where applicable, and may not achieve value for money. 

Leading Edge Technology 

 

 

Where equipment is specified at or near the leading edge of technology, it is common for the 

specification to be developed in conjunction with one or more suppliers. It is important that 

this process does not result in a specification which is so detailed as to eliminate any 

effective competition. The focus should be on what the department or research project needs 

rather than specifying what the supplier can supply. The approach should be to specify 

performance rather than technical details. In the latter case, there is the risk that the final 

product will be technically superb but does not do what is required. 

In discussing specifications with suppliers it is essential that no commitment is entered into 

prior to seeking tenders and quotations. 

Include “Extras” 

Consider specifying what is wanted on the basis that everything is negotiable. The specification 

could include: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

provision for on-site tests, and pre-negotiation trials if these are desirable; 

a price which is fixed and firm, irrespective of inflation or exchange rate fluctuations; 

free delivery, installation and commissioning; 

maintenance cover for however long the department needs it; 

escrow agreement for software purchases 

the price of consumables; 

details of spare parts availability for the life of the equipment, together with contractual 

notification before the supplier ceases manufacture of spare parts; 

handbooks with full maintenance instructions, including circuit diagrams; 

training. 


11: CONTRACTS 

All formal contracts must be authorised by the Group Executive Director of Finance, usually by the 

signing of Supplier documentation or Contract Award Forms. 

Contracts will often take the form of 'standing offers', i.e. a firm price quotation which remains open 

for a specified period (usually 12 months), so that Purchase Orders can be placed against the 

standing offer as need arises. The Suppliers' prices are usually based on the University's 'best 

estimate' of usage. 

Once a contract or standing offer is in place, User Departments must ensure that those goods 

or services are not purchased elsewhere, since the University will normally have entered into a 

legal agreement for exclusive business with the contracted Supplier. 

Minor or temporary price advantages are occasionally offered to User Departments from other 

Suppliers. These should be advised to the Purchasing Office but not taken advantage of, since they 

would normally jeopardise greater advantages from the established Supplier. 

Contracts or standing offers should be placed for a period appropriate to the value and effort 

involved in their award process. The Purchasing Office can give advice regarding this issue. 

Contracts/supply arrangements should be subject to regular review and a note of the review retained 

on the contract file held in the Purchasing Office. 


12: PURCHASING CONSORTIUM 

The University of Central Lancashire is a member of the North Western Universities Purchasing 

Consortium (NWUPC). 

The Consortium consists of a number of commodity/service based user groups, representing most 

University or Higher Education institutions in the North West of England and North Wales. 

The Commodity Groups are: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Admin & Professional Services 

Laboratory Supplies 

Estates 

Computer Supplies/Equipment 

Catering 

Domestic Supplies & Services 

Stationery & Office Equipment 

Furniture & Soft Furnishings 

Audio-Visual Equipment 

Telecommunications 

Advantages of membership of the Consortium are: 

- increased value for money because of bulk purchasing power; 

- consistency of supply arrangements within the sector; 

- 'networking' of best practices within user Departments; 

- administration resource savings due to unnecessary tender or quotation exercises. 

The Head of Purchasing shall make recommendations to the Group Executive Director of Finance 

for purchases in excess of £50,000 where a Consortium supply arrangement exists, in order to 

maximise value for money. 

Details of Consortium contracts or supply arrangements are included in the Purchasing Buyers 

Guide. 

As a member, UCLan will encourage the consortium to incorporate issues detailed in the 

University‟s Sustainable Development Procurement Procedure in future contracts. 

Further information relating to the Consortium appears on the website at North Western 

Universities Purchasing Consortium 


13: BUYERS GUIDE 

The Purchasing Office has a Buyers Guide on the Purchasing Web site with a listing of all current 

contracts or supply arrangements ( Buyers guide) 

The Guide covers a large proportion of goods and services purchased by the University. Where any 

necessary or regular items are purchased but not contained within the Guide, please advise the 

Purchasing Office. 

Standard Items and Contracts 

As defined in the Buyers Guide (and detailed in Financial Regulations paragraph 701). These are 

items normally used and purchased by all user Departments although some items are ordered via 

Facilities Management. 

The Purchasing Office will update the web page (additions, new contract details, etc.) to ensure that 

the Guide remains current. 


14: LEAD PURCHASERS' GROUP 

An informal Group - established by the Group Executive Director of Finance - seeks to include all 

those staff who have departmental purchasing responsibilities. 

The Group meets on a regular basis, and the role of the Group is to: 

- maintain compliance with all aspects of the University's Purchasing 

Policy, Strategy, and Procedures; 

- identify and address operational issues relating to the purchasing process; 

- discuss and measure Suppliers performance; 

- help identify areas for standardisation or new contracts; 

- discuss and measure Purchasing Office's performance; 

- maintain a fully informed and consistent approach to purchasing activity 

within the University. 

Purchasing Office staff are members of the Group, and provide Departmental Lead Purchasers with 

any necessary guidance and assistance in areas such as contract compliance and purchasing 

procedures. 

The University has established a Purchasing Strategy, and the Lead Purchasers Group is a focus 

point for the implementation of any actions/procedures deemed necessary by the strategy. 


15: FINANCIAL HEALTH CHECKS 

The Purchasing Office has the responsibility of carrying our financial appraisals on new and 

existing suppliers. 

Financial appraisals will take the form of a credit report and / or can be extracted from the Suppliers 

audited accounts. 

Purchasing together with Financial Services will then provide interpretations and advise to the user 

department/requester. 

Although credit reports and audited accounts provide a good indication of Suppliers financial status 

or „health‟, care must always be taken as the information can be up to 12 months out of date. 

Due to the diversity and volume of University business it is not appropriate to carry out financial 

appraisals on all Suppliers – this will depend on the contract value but is mandatory for all new 

purchases / contracts that have been through the tender process. 


16: SUPPLIER APPRAISAL 

It is an objective of the University to continually improve the quality of goods and services 

delivered into the University by external suppliers. 

Any problems arising with the supply of goods and services should always be notified to the 

Purchasing Office immediately to ensure they are dealt with promptly and are not allowed to 

escalate. Staff in the Purchasing office are skilled in dealing with suppliers and should always be 

involved in any discussions that take place. 

Supplier performance on University contracts are regularly reviewed through the Contract 

Monitoring process. Where appropriate, contracted suppliers will attend regular review meetings 

throughout the life of the contract. The timings of the meetings will depend on the type of contract, 

frequency of issues etc and will be decided between the Purchasing Office, the user department and 

the Supplier. Meetings may include discussions regarding the supplier‟s performance and adherence 

to the service Level Agreement / contract terms. 


17: APPROVED SUPPLIERS 

1. Approved Suppliers 

An approved supplier is one who has been authorised by the Head of Purchasing to supply 

goods and/or services in accordance with Purchasing Procedures; Selection of Potential 

Suppliers (section 5) and Dealing with Suppliers (section 9). 

University personnel are required to utilise the existing Supplier base for the supply of goods 

and services. In considering a variation of supply a user must indicate their intention before 

placing an order by completion of New supplier form. The Purchasing Office will then 

consider the requirements of the user, evaluate the supplier and will confirm their decision 

within TWO working days. The Purchasing Office will then inform the Creditors Office 

within Financial Services of their decision by authorising the Application. 

Purchase Orders must not be placed with Suppliers until approved by the Purchasing 

Office. If the user has already placed an order they must be considered in breach of 

Financial Regulations. 

Where invoice documents have been processed directly to the Creditors office they will 

verify if the supplier exists as an Approved Supplier. If the Supplier does not exist the 

document will be returned to the budget holder. As the user will be considered in breach of 

Financial Regulations the Head of Purchasing will consider any further action to be taken. 

User concerns/problems should be directed in the first instance to the Purchasing Office. The 

Purchasing Office will be responsible for maintaining the Supplier database on Agresso. 

The payment of Approved Suppliers shall be in accordance with the Creditor Payment 

Business Rules. The Purchasing Office can negotiate special terms subject to the cash flow 

requirements of the University Group Treasury office to ensure the availability of funds. 

Special payment terms must then be communicated to the Creditors office before the invoice 

is received. 

Purchasing procedures December 2011

18: PURCHASING CARDS 

1. Overview 

2. Procedures and Regulations 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Requesting a Purchasing Card 

Card transaction limits and limitations 

Ordering of goods/services by Purchasing Card 

Receiving goods 

Payment of goods 

Disputes and queries 

Security 

Contacts 

APPENDICES 

A. Flowcharts: - 

A.1. 

A.2. 

A.3. 

A.4. 

A.5. 

Purchasing goods via a Purchasing Card 

Problems with the supply of goods. 

Dealing with the Purchasing Card statement 

Dealing with the Transaction Log (optional) 

Checking of VAT invoices. 

B. Quick Reference Guide for Internet Transactions 

C. Purchase Card Transaction Log (optional) 


1. Overview 

The introduction of the Purchasing Card is to utilise an alternative method of ordering and 

payment of goods/services that are of relatively low value and not in regular repeat demand 

but, nevertheless, create a high volume of transaction requirements. 

Added value projections will be determined by speeding up the acquisition process without 

diluting management and budgetary control and should reduce invoice processing and 

creditor activity. 

The Purchasing Card looks like any normal credit card but embossed on the card will be: - 

the University‟s name, 

the cardholder‟s name, 

the expiry date, 

the card number – on reverse of card a 3-digit security number 

(also an individual pin number will be supplied) 

When the approval to issue a Purchasing Card is granted, the Purchasing Office will retain 

the card and the cardholder will be advised of its number and expiry date but not the pin 

number. The pin numbers will be kept sealed, in the safe of the Cashiers Office. 

On those occasions when the cards are required for „point of sale‟ transactions, they will have 

to be collected from, and returned to The Purchasing Office. The pin number will be given to 

the card holder which they must then memorize as the Purchasing Office has no 

responsibility for this once the number has been given to the card holder. 

Procedures and regulations for the use of the Purchasing Card and its limitations are 

contained in the following procedure and guidance notes. 

The Purchasing Office will provide the details of all cardholders to SMT on a quarterly 

basis. All cardholders will be subject to Financial Regulations of the University of 

Central Lancashire and the following procedures and regulations will form part of 

these Financial Regulations. Failure to adhere to these regulations may result in 

disciplinary action and cancellation of the card. 



2.1 Requesting a Purchasing Card 

All applications for use and ownership of a Purchasing Card will be requested by 

the completion of the Authorised Signatory / Budget Access Form and authorised by 

the Head of Purchasing and Group Executive Director of Finance. 

Cardholders will be staff responsible for ordering goods and services for their 

department. If they are not also the budget holder, this person must approve the 

application. 

The Head of Purchasing will arrange for the completion of the Organisation‟s 

application form 

Card holders will - 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete the Cardholder section of the application form. 

Provide to the Head of Purchasing a nominated project code for the creation 

and setting up of the account in the Financial Services department. 

Not disclose the card number and expiry date and pin number to any other 

person (other than the budget holder) 

Agree and abide by the limits and limitations applicable. 

Not use the card for personal use. 

Agree to the completion and timely input of transactions onto Agresso 

(optional Purchase Card Transaction Log – see Appendix C) and the 

retention of all related receipts for a period of 7 years after the date of 

purchase. 

Inform the Purchasing Office immediately if they are due to leave the 

University or move to another role. 

2.2 Card Transaction Limits and Limitations. 

 

 

. 

Each cardholder will have a standard transaction limit of £1000 (inclusive of VAT) 

and a monthly credit limit of £5000 (inclusive of VAT). In certain circumstances this 

can be increased by application to the Head of Purchasing and it can be set at a lower 

level if required by the budget holder. 

This limit should match the authorised signatory limit for the applicant. If this is not 

the case, the authorised limit should be amended prior to proceeding with the credit 

card application. 


Cards cannot be used for obtaining cash or acting as cheque guarantee cards to 

personal cheques. 

Cardholders must only use the Purchase Card when incurring expenses in the pursuit 

of University business. Any misappropriation of University funds will be treated as 

gross misconduct. 

Any unauthorised or fraudulent use of the card will result in disciplinary action being 

taken. 

2.3 Ordering of Goods by Card 

Ensure the proposed transaction complies with the Purchasing Card usage criteria 

and the seller will accept the card. 

Confirm credit available by checking current transaction log or account 6504 on 

Agresso. If there is insufficient credit left on the card and the purchase cannot wait 

until the following month, contact the Purchasing Office to request a temporary 

increase 

When approved by the budget holder, place order by telephone/e-mail/fax quoting 

card number and expiry date. Confirm costs/prices and delivery date. 

Request that a VAT receipt is sent with the transaction voucher and goods advice 

note. 

Enter transaction details onto Agresso (credit entry to 6504) and also complete the 

Purchase Card Transaction Log (optional) immediately following completion of 

purchase. Completing a Purchasing Card Transaction Log is now optional. 

If completing the log, identify the account code per transaction. 

2.4 Receipt of Goods 

Check satisfactory receipt of goods ordered. 

Ensure VAT receipt is enclosed with the transaction voucher and that the price 

details are correct. 

Enter receipt details on Purchase Card Transaction Log (Optional). 

File the VAT receipt, awaiting Purchasing Card statement. 


2.5 Payment of Goods/Services ordered by Purchasing Card. 

Financial Services to post Purchase Card Statement balances to nominated project 

code on account code 6504 each month when statements are received. 

Check statement received with Agresso by running an enquiry on your nominated 

project code and account code 6504. If you have completed a Purchase Card 

Transaction Log you can also use the log to help check your statement. 

Ensure VAT receipts are available and are correct. 

Ensure project code and account code for each transaction is correct. 

If the Purchase Card Transaction Log has been completed, obtain authorisation by 

the Line Manager (authorising manager) for the project code detailed. Or you can 

ask for the statement to be authorized. 

Reconcile the entries on the card statement to Agresso- making any amendments as 

necessary 

Attach relevant VAT receipts and statement to back of Purchase Card Transaction 

Log or the Statement and file in month order. 

Retain all documentation and store in a secure location: the Purchase Card Log, 

Statement and back up documentation are prime documents and must be retained for 

a period of seven years. 

Financial Services to check the nominal ledger on a monthly basis to ensure all 

cardholder‟s accounts are being cleared regularly. 

In addition Financial Services to conduct ad-hoc audits to review transactions and 

check that all required back up documentation has been retained and filed in 

monthly order. 

2.6. Disputes and Queries 

Initially disputes and queries should be taken up with the seller (supplier) by the 

cardholder, who should keep a record of the details of the dispute/query and contacts 

made with the seller. 

When credits are due, the seller should be asked to raise refund vouchers together 

with VAT credit receipts if applicable and the cardholder should ensure that these 

credits appear on subsequent statements. 


In the event of non-settled disputes and queries the Purchasing Card company will 

intervene. 

When this situation arises, contact The Purchasing Office who will advise on 

contacts and procedure. 

2.7 Security 

Cardholders only will be notified of the card number and expiry date and when 

necessary the pin number, and will not disclose this to any other person other 

than the budget holder. 

The Purchasing Office will retain signed cards. 

Pin numbers will be kept in the safe in the Cashiers Office. 

For „point of sale‟ requirements, cards will have to be collected from, and returned 

to, the Purchasing Office by the cardholder. 

In the event of cards becoming lost or stolen (when out for „point of sale purchases), 

or suspected and reported fraudulent use, the matter must be advised immediately to 

the Purchasing Office who will arrange for the account to be „suspended‟. 

If the card holder no longer requires the card, has obtained a replacement or will be 

leaving the University employment, the card must be destroyed and Purchasing 

Office informed immediately. If the card is lost/stolen the cardholder should contact 

Barclaycard directly to arrange for the card to be deactivated and contact the 

Purchasing Office for a replacement to be issued. 

 

 

To prevent card details being accessed by unauthorized persons, card transaction 

receipt details should be retained in a secure place at all times. 

When destroying back up transactions details care must be taken to ensure papers are 

shredded or put in confidential waste bins. 

2.8 Best Practice Purchasing over the Internet 

“Company Barclaycard guarantee against unauthorised transactions” 


When you buy online with Company Barclaycard you are not liable for unauthorised 

transactions. In the unusual event that unauthorised transactions do occur on your account, 

they will immediately suspend and investigate them for you. Whatever happens, you won‟t 

have to pay for transactions you didn‟t make. 

2.8.1 Take care of your card details online 

Secure sites will start with https, not http. Secure sites have an added encrypted 

transaction layer. Other security systems include Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Secure 

Electronic Transaction (SET) and HyperText Protocol Secure (HTTPS). Use these 

whenever possible. Refer to section 2.8.6 for how to check if a website is secure. 

2.8.2 Get to know a company before you buy 

If you're not familiar with a supplier, it's a good idea to contact them first and ask for 

some company background before you buy. Are the company‟s registered details 

displayed on the home page? Is there some form of accreditation which can be 

verified, eg Which? If you are unsure don‟t buy! 

Contact the Internet Fraud Watch (www.fraud.org) to check out merchants first 

2.8.3 Be aware of private sellers 

Members of the public often use classified ads and auctions to sell online. Most 

people are perfectly honest. However, if you do have any problems, your legal rights 

may not be the same as they would be if you were dealing with a business. So always 

make sure you know who you're buying from - then you can make an informed 

choice. 

2.8.4 Keep your passwords secret 

If you register with a particular site, you'll be asked to enter a user name and 

password. Keep your passwords completely secret - the same way, as you would look 

after your personal debit / credit card PIN number. 

2.8.5 Read the delivery and returns policy before you buy 

Read the delivery and return policies on the merchant‟s home page before completing 

an on-line transaction. Check you can return any unsatisfactory items and whether 

you will get a refund or a merchant credit. The website ideally should also cover 

delivery methods, delivery cost, currency accepted, taxes applied, return and refund 

policy, and a contact telephone number or e-mail address. 


2.8.6 Check for a secure connection before you enter your Company Barclaycard 

details 

First, make sure that you're using a secure browser 

Your browser is the piece of software that enables your computer to access the World Wide 

Web. (You probably know that already, but not everyone does!) 

A secure browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 or later will show you 

whether or not the web site you are visiting is secure. Internet Explorer uses the padlock 

symbols below. 

A broken padlock = unprotected 

An intact padlock = secure 

These browsers also scramble your personal data before sending it, so no one else can read it. 

Next, check the web site address 

A secure site will often have https:// at the beginning instead of http:// (The 's' stands for 

secure). Never send your card details by e-mail i.e. if the address starts mailto. 

Secure 

Unsecure 

Again, if the web site gives you the option of using a secure checkout - say yes! 

Ensure that a single browser window is open when submitting the data. 

2.8.7 Save a record of your transactions 

Just as you save till receipts in case you need to return or exchange something, you need to 

keep a record of all online transactions too. 

Print and save a copy of your completed order form and your order confirmation. Most 

reputable suppliers will e-mail you with an order confirmation within 24 hours. Always keep 

a record of the website address. 


Remember to update your transaction log and refer to your company procedures. 

2.8.8 Inspect your goods carefully 

When you take delivery of goods you buy online, be sure to check that they're exactly 

what you ordered. If you're unhappy with the quality, or have any other problem, first 

contact the supplier direct. If you have any difficulty resolving the query with the 

supplier, then contact your card administrator for guidance. If, in the unlikely event 

you are in dispute with your supplier, please contact Company Barclaycard Customer 

Service 08448 222 100. 

2.8.9 Check your statement 

Check the items on your monthly statement as soon as you receive it against your 

saved receipts and Purchase Card Transaction Log (which is now optional). If there 

are items on your statement that you don't recognise call Company Barclaycard 

Customer Service 08448 222 100. 

2.9 Online access 

All cardholders have the facility to access their accounts online and the Purchasing 

Office encourages this as it helps to reduce fraud and enables cardholders to view 

their statements, transactions and remaining credit. Statements can be printed from the 

website and this assists in reconciling accounts – vital at year end. Registration details 

available from the Purchasing Office and details are on the Purchasing Office website. 

2.10 Contacts 

Name Department Telephone 

Number 

Leanne Horton Head of Purchasing 2220 

Alison Thomas 

Ana Maria Pinon 

Purchasing Office 2221 

2223 

Customer Services Company Barclaycard 08448 222 150 


APPENDIX A (Flow Charts) 

A.1 Purchasing Goods via Purchasing Card 

Cardholder identifies purchasing requirement 

 

Purchase authorised by budget holder 

 

Transaction log or account 6504 checked to confirm credit available 

(if not and purchase urgent, limit may be increased temporarily by 

Purchasing Office) 

 

Proceed to order goods from supplier by phone/fax / web quoting all 

relevant numbers and confirming with the supplier the amount of the 

transaction. The transaction voucher is sent with the VAT receipt 

and the goods advice note, which is dispatched with the goods. 

Both item to be addressed to the cardholder and marked “Paid by 

Purchasing Card” 

 

Input details onto Agresso and (optional) update Purchase Card 

Transaction Log with all purchase details. 

Posting a Purchase Card Transaction 

 

Goods/service received - including VAT receipt 

 

Goods/service checked and reconciled to requirements 

 

Receive and verify monthly Purchasing Card statement 

(follow procedure A.3) 


A.2. 

Problems with Supply of Goods 

Responsibility of the Cardholder 

Immediately contact supplier requesting a refund voucher be put through the 

Purchasing Card Company and a VAT credit note 

 

 

Does the supplier agree to issue a credit? 

 

YES 

NO 

Detail on the Statement or (optional) 

Purchase Card Transaction Log and 

await receipt of credit. 

Pursue with supplier until agreement is 

reached or 

Contact Barclaycard with 

complaint/problem 

 

On receipt of statement check 

credit has been included and update account on Agresso 

 

If credit has not been received, contact supplier to find out when the refund voucher 

was processed 

NOTE: 

If you experience difficulty in obtaining a credit after following 

these procedures please contact the Head of Purchasing. 

Online access is now available for all cardholders – contact 

Purchasing for details 


A.3. 

Dealing with the Purchasing Card Statement 


On receipt of the statement, do you have all the VAT invoices? 

YES 

NO 

 

Check the details on the statement are the 

same as invoice details and the entries 

made on Agresso and (Optional) 

Purchase Card Transaction Log sheet 

 

 

Contact the supplier 

and request a copy 

invoice 

 

Await copy invoice 

 

Do the entries on Agresso and (optional) Purchase Card 

Transaction Log correspond to the statement? 

 

YES 

NO 

 

 

If discrepancy due to dates, carry 

forward the outstanding 

transactions to the following 

month 

If credit required, contact 

supplier or Purchasing Office 

 

Are the Purchasing Card company statement details correct? 

YES 

 

NO 

 

 

Raise query with Barclaycard 

and advise Purchasing Office. 

Proceed with next step when 

queries resolved 

 

Obtain authorization from budget holder to sign and date the 

Statement and (Optional) the Purchase Card Transaction Log 

 

Attach all invoices and (Optional) copy of the Purchase Card 

Transaction Log or Agresso printout of 6504 to statement 


A.4. 

Dealing with the Purchase Card Transaction Log (now Optional) 


On the face of your log sheet, enter the following: 

Name - Staff Number 

Department and Location 

Phone Number 

 

Enter each individual transaction detail onto the log as soon 

as purchase completed and has been entered on Agresso 

 

Make sure you get a receipt/invoice for each transaction 

review weekly - chase suppliers for invoices not received 

 

Check invoice details against log details 

 

Put receipt/invoice into the log envelope and await receipt of 

monthly statement 

 

Update the Purchase Card Transaction Log with outstanding 

details, process paperwork as outlined in A.1. 

 

Return any invoices that do not appear on the statement to the 

log file and await the next statement 

Further information re posting the Purchase Card Transaction 

Log details onto Agresso can be found at: 

Posting a Purchase Card Transaction 


A.5 Checking of the VAT Invoice 


On receipt of the invoice - is the following correct? 

 

YES 

Items 

Quantity 

Price 

 

NO 

Attach invoice to, and update, (Optional) 

the 

Purchase Card Transaction Log. 

Immediately 

contact supplier 

requesting a 

refund voucher 

be put through 

the Purchasing 

Card company 

AND a VAT 

credit note 


APPENDIX B 

Quick Reference Guide for Internet Transactions 

Cardholder checks to 

make sure supplier 

has a secure site and 

purchases 

goods/services over 

the Internet. Enter 

the transaction onto 

Agresso and 

(Optional) 

Transaction log 

updated with details 

Supplier may 

acknowledge via e- 

mail that he has 

goods/services. 

Supplier then 

delivers 

goods/services with a 

receipt. 

Supplier processes 

transaction through 

Visa network 

Cardholder receives 

goods/services and 

(Optional)updates 

Transaction Log. 


and checks monthly 

statement against 

(Optional) log and 

receipts 

Statement, (Optional) 

Transaction Log and 

receipts are signed 

off by line manager . 



they will immediately suspend and investigate them for you. Whatever happens, you‟ll never 

have to pay for transactions you did not make. 


APPENDIX C 

Purchasing Card Transaction Log 


19. CORPORATE CARD PROCEDURES 

1. Overview 


2.1 Requesting a Corporate Card 

2.2 Card transaction limits and limitations 

2.3 Ordering of goods/services by Corporate Card 

 

VAT Guidelines 

2.4 Receipt of goods 

2.5 Payment of goods/services ordered by Corporate Card 

2.6 Disputes and queries 

2.7 Security 

 

 

 

Password protection 

Lost/stolen cards 

Cards no longer required 

2.8 Best practice purchasing over the internet 

2.9 Miscellaneous questions 

2.10 Contacts 

APPENDICES 

A. Flowcharts: - 

A.1. 

A.2. 

A.3. 

A.4. 

A.5. 

Purchasing goods via a Corporate Card 

Problems with the supply of goods. 

Dealing with Corporate Card statement 

Dealing with UCLAN Transaction Log 

Checking of VAT invoices. 

B. Quick Reference Guide for Internet Transactions 

C. Corporate Card Transaction Log (optional) 


1. Overview 

The Corporate Card was introduced to enable frequent travellers to pay for expenses incurred 

whilst on University business expenses such as travel arrangements (where the Travel Office 

are unable to arrange credit for hotels or other expenses), entertaining guests and purchasing 

fuel. 

The University currently uses a Corporate Card issued by Company Barclaycard, which is a 

VISA credit card. Cards are embossed with: 

the University‟s name 

the cardholder‟s name 

the expiry date 

the card number 

(also supplied is an individual pin number) 

The Corporate Card reduces the need to request either cheque or cash advances, saving time 

and money and easing cash flow. It should also mean less frequent need for reimbursement 

via the Cashiers Office for University business expenditure. A further benefit is that the 

University does not have to pay immediately for the transactions undertaken and can obtain 

up to 33 days of interest free credit. 

Security is improved due to the reduction in cash handling and the fact that guarantee card 

payment reduces financial risk. 

The Card is accepted in over 400,000 UK outlets, 10 million world-wide. 

Cardholders benefit from free travel accident insurance where the card is used as the method 

of payment. 

Procedures and regulations for the use of the Corporate Card and its limitations are contained 

in the following procedure and guidance notes. 

The Purchasing Office will provide the details of all cardholders to SMT on a quarterly 

basis. All cardholders will be subject to Financial Regulations of the University of 

Central Lancashire and the following procedures and regulations will form part of 

these Financial Regulations. Failure to adhere to these regulations may result in 

disciplinary action and cancellation of the card. 



2.1 Requesting a Corporate Card 

The Corporate Card is currently available to the Directorate, Senior Management Team 

members and frequent travellers, subject to approval from the Group Executive Director of 

Finance. 

Requests for a Corporate Card should be made directly to the Purchasing Office, 

accompanied by an authorisation form signed by the Line Manager/Budget Holder (available 

from the purchasing office). Requests should detail the card limit you require (refer to 

section 2.2 for guidance). The Group Executive Director of Finance will authorise all 

qualifying requests. Cards usually take 14 days from the date of the card issuer receiving a 

correctly completed application form. 

The monthly limit is stipulated at the time of issue of the card but may be adjusted according 

to need, on the authority of the Group Executive Director of Finance. 

Corporate Cards are valid for two years and on expiry the Group Executive Director of 

Finance will review the renewal. 

There are two card options: 

 

 

Gold Cards will be issued to Directorate and Deans. 

Silver Cards will be issued to all other parties 

Cardholders will - 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete the Cardholder application form. 

Complete an authorisation memo signed by the budget holder. 

Provide to the Head of Purchasing a nominated project code for the creation and 

setting up of the account in Financial Services. 

Ensure that the card is kept in a safe place and is used solely by themselves. 

Not disclose the card number and pin number and expiry date to any other person 

(other than when charging an expense to the card). 

Agree and abide by the limits and limitations applicable. 

Obtain an itemised invoice / receipt for each transaction, containing VAT details 

where applicable. 

Agree to the completion and timely input of transactions onto Agresso (optional 

Corporate Card Transaction Log see Appendix C.) 


Ensure that the Transaction Log (if used) and all related receipts are retained for a 

period of 7 years after the date of purchase. 

2.2 Card Transaction Limits and Limitations. 

The initial limit for each card is a maximum of £5000. This limit should be sufficient to 

cover the expenses of a two-month period. Card limits may be increased either permanently 

or temporarily via a written request to the Head of Purchasing. Requests should state start and 

end dates, required limit and the justification for the increase. 

In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary for members of SMT to include personal 

expenditure on their corporate card. In such instances; 

the personal expenditure should be highlighted on the statement, 

the amount owed should be paid into Cashiers as soon as practicable, 

the cardholder or their nominee should keep a copy of all records on file for audit 

purposes. 

2.3 Ordering of Goods / Services by Corporate Card 

Goods or services can be charged to the account either in person by presenting the card, or by 

phone quoting all the relevant card details such as your Name, Card Expiry Date, Card 

Number and sometimes your security code. 

Care should be taken only to quote card details to someone known to the cardholder or who 

can reasonably expect to be honestly engaged in business on the cardholder‟s behalf (i.e. 

Travel Office staff). Ensure that the right amount is charged to the account and remember 

that the monthly card limit must not be exceeded. 

The cardholder has personal responsibility to account for the use of their card. Cardholders 

must therefore: 

Ensure the proposed transaction complies with the Corporate Card procedure and 

the seller will accept the card. 

If necessary, obtain authorization from the project budget holder (if you have access 

to more than one project.) 

Order goods/service either in person, or by telephone/fax quoting card number and 

expiry date. Confirm costs/prices and delivery date. 

Ensure that you obtain an itemised invoice/receipt (including VAT details where 

applicable). If ordering goods this should be sent with the transaction voucher and 

goods advice note. 

Enter the transaction details onto Agresso (credit entry to 6516) and also complete 

the Corporate Card Transaction Log if required, immediately following completion 

of purchase. Completing a Corporate Card Transaction Log is now optional. 


2.3.1 VAT Guidelines 

Some expenses charged to the Corporate Card may be vatable. When charging something to 

the card, ask whether VAT is applicable, at what rate it is applicable, and ask for the total 

VAT amount and a VAT receipt. Not everything that the cardholder charges to the corporate 

card will be subject to VAT. 

Some suppliers are able to provide VAT details to VISA, who in turn provides official 

evidence of VAT paid. If a # (hash) appears against the transaction then VAT has been 

captured electronically. If a # does not appear on the statement, the supplier should have 

provided a VAT invoice. If not, the cardholder must ask the supplier to supply a VAT 

invoice. 

Please retain all sales vouchers. Both sales vouchers and VAT receipts must be kept to 

substantiate any transactions made. The VAT receipts will also be used to reclaim VAT 

where applicable. 

2.4 Receipt of Goods 

Check satisfactory receipt of goods ordered. 

Ensure that an itemised invoice / VAT receipt is enclosed with the transaction 

voucher and that the price details are correct. 

Enter the transaction details on the Corporate Card Transaction Log (optional.) 

File the itemised invoice / VAT receipt, awaiting the Corporate Card statement. 

2.5 Payment of Goods/Services ordered by Corporate Card. 

Financial Services will post the total of each cardholder‟s Corporate Card Statement balance 

to a nominated project code on account code 6516 each month when statements are received. 

Cardholders are required to: 

Check the statement received with Agresso by running an enquiry on your 

nominated project code and account code 6516. If you have completed a Corporate 

Card Transaction Log you can also use the log to help check your statement. 

Ensure that an itemised invoice/VAT receipt has been obtained for each transaction. 


Ensure the correct project code, account code, resource number and any other 

appropriate details have been entered on the Corporate Card Transaction Log (if 

completed.) 

If completed, ensure that the Corporate Card Transaction Log is authorised by the 

line manager for the project code detailed, which should in all cases be a person 

different to the cardholder themselves, and ensure that the Log is input onto Agresso 

within 7 days of receipt/date of statement. 

Reconcile the entries on the card statement to Agresso – making any amendments as 

necessary 

Attach itemised invoices/VAT receipts (for each transaction) and statement to the 

back of the Corporate Card Transaction Log or Statement and file in month order. 

Retain all documentation and store in a secure location; the Corporate Card Log, 

Statement and back up documentation are prime documents and must be retained 

for a period of seven years. 

Financial Services will check the accounting system on a monthly basis to ensure 

that all cardholder‟s transactions are being input. 

Financial Services will conduct regular audits to ensure that Corporate Card 

Transaction Logs have been correctly completed and that all required back up 

documentation has been obtained and filed. 

2.6. Disputes and Queries 

 

 

 

Initially disputes and queries should be taken up with the seller (supplier) by the 

cardholder, who should keep a record of the details of the dispute/query and contacts 

made with the seller. 

When a credit is due, the seller should be asked to raise a refund voucher together 

with a VAT credit receipt if applicable and the cardholder should ensure that these 

credits appear on subsequent statements. The credit should also be detailed on the 

Corporate Card Transaction Log in order for the Log to reconcile exactly with the 

value of the statement. 

In the event of non-settled disputes and queries the Corporate Card company will 

intervene (see 2.10 Contacts). If you receive an inadequate response contact the 

Purchasing Office. However, please do not cross out any of the transactions 

concerned on the queried statement; the University must pay promptly to avoid 

interest charges and, therefore, payment cannot be delayed pending any such credits 

or dispute resolution. 

It is the cardholder‟s responsibility to ensure that their statements are correct. 


2.7 Security 

Company Barclaycard will only issue cards after they receive an application form authorised 

by relevant University personnel, including the cardholder. The Head of Purchasing is the 

authorised signatory for the card agreement. Where an application requires two signatures, 

i.e. for a limit >£5000, then a member of Financial Services who is named on the bank 

mandate (Head of Purchasing or Group Executive Director of Finance) will also sign. 

Corporate Cards are posted to the Purchasing Office who will then contact the cardholder to 

advise them that the card is available for collection. 

On collection of the card, the cardholder must sign to confirm receipt and sign their card in 

front of the Purchasing Office member of staff issuing the card and be supplied with their pin 

number. 

2.7.1 Password Protection 

Whilst making a transaction a security number may be required, this is on the reverse of the 

card. A password will also have been entered on the application form and as such will only 

be viewed by the cardholder, the Group Executive Director of Finance, the Purchasing Office 

and Company Barclaycard employees. 

2.7.2 Lost / Stolen Cards 

In the event of cards becoming lost or stolen, or suspected and reported fraudulent use, the 

cardholder should contact Company Barclaycard immediately to arrange for the card to be 

deactivated and for a replacement to be issued. The cardholder should then advise the 

Purchasing Office. 

2.7.3 Cards No Longer Required 

If the card holder no longer requires the card, has obtained a replacement or will be leaving 

the University employment, the card must be cut into four pieces and returned to the 

Purchasing Office immediately with an explanatory note. 

2.7.4 Transaction Receipts 

To prevent card details being accessed by unauthorized persons, card transaction receipt 

details should be retained in a secure place at all times. 

When destroying back up transactions details care must be taken to ensure papers are 

shredded or put in confidential waste bins. 


2.8 Best Practice Purchasing over the Internet 

„Company Barclaycard guarantees against unauthorised transactions.‟ 



they will immediately suspend and investigate them for you. Whatever happens, you won‟t 

have to pay for transactions you didn‟t make. 

2.8.1 Take care of your card details online 

Secure sites will start with https, not http. Secure sites have an added encrypted transaction 

layer. Other security systems include Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Secure Electronic 

Transaction (SET) and HyperText Protocol Secure (HTTPS). Use these whenever possible. 

Refer to section 2.8.6 for how to check if a website is secure. 

2.8.2 Get to know a company before you buy 

If you're not familiar with a supplier, it's a good idea to contact them first and ask for some 

company background before you buy. Are the company‟s registered details displayed on the 

home page? Is there some form of accreditation which can be verified, eg Which? If you are 

unsure don‟t buy! 

Contact the Internet Fraud Watch (www.fraud.org) to check out merchants first 

2.8.3 Be aware of private sellers 

Members of the public often use classified ads and auctions to sell online. Most people are 

perfectly honest. However, if you do have any problems, your legal rights may not be the 

same as they would be if you were dealing with a business. So always make sure you know 

who you're buying from - then you can make an informed choice. 

2.8.4 Keep your passwords secret 

If you register with a particular site, you'll be asked to enter a user name and password. Keep 

your passwords completely secret - the same way, as you would look after your personal card 

cash machine PIN number. 

2.8.5 Read the delivery and returns policy before you buy 

Read the delivery and return policies on the merchant‟s home page before completing an online 

transaction. Check you can return any unsatisfactory items and whether you will get a 

refund or a merchant credit. The website ideally should also cover delivery methods, delivery 

cost, currency accepted, taxes applied, return and refund policy, and a contact telephone 

number or e-mail address. 


2.8.6 Check for a secure connection before you enter your 

Company Barclaycard details 

First, make sure that you're using a secure browser 

Your browser is the piece of software that enables your computer to access the World Wide 

Web. (You probably know that already, but not everyone does!) 

A secure browser such as Netscape Navigator version 4.0 or later, or Microsoft Internet 

Explorer version 4.0 or later will show you whether or not the web site you are visiting is 

secure. Internet Explorer uses the padlock symbols below while Netscape uses keys. 

A broken key or padlock = unprotected 

An intact key or padlock = secure 

These browsers also scramble your personal data before sending it, so no one else can read it. 

Next, check the web site address 

A secure site will often have https:// at the beginning instead of http:// (The 's' stands for 

secure). Never send your card details by e-mail i.e. if the address starts mailto. 

Secure 

Unsecure 

Again, if the web site gives you the option of using a secure checkout - say yes! 

Ensure that a single browser window is open when submitting the data. 

2.8.7 Save a record of your transactions 

Just as you save till receipts in case you need to return or exchange something, you need to 

keep a record of all online transactions too. 

Print and save a copy of your completed order form and your order confirmation. Most 

reputable suppliers will e-mail you with an order confirmation within 24 hours. Always keep 

a record of the website address. 

2.8.8 Inspect your goods carefully 

When you take delivery of goods you buy online, be sure to check that they're exactly what 

you ordered. If you're unhappy with the quality, or have any other problem, first contact the 

supplier direct. If you have any difficulty resolving the query with the supplier, then contact 


your card administrator for guidance. If in the unlikely event you are in dispute with your 

supplier please contact Company Barclaycard Customer Service 08448 222 150 

2.8.9 Check your statement 

Check the items on your monthly statement as soon as you receive it against your saved 

receipts and Corporate Card Transaction Log. If there are items on your statement that you 

don't recognise call Company Barclaycard Customer Service 08448 222 150 

2.9 Online access 

All cardholders have the facility to access their accounts online and the Purchasing Office 

encourages this as it helps to reduce fraud and enables cardholders to view their statements, 

transactions and remaining credit. Statements can be printed from the website and this assists 

in reconciling accounts – vital at year end. Registration details available from the Purchasing 

Office and details are on the Purchasing Office website. 

2.10 Contacts 

NAME TITLE TELEPHONE 

Head 

Purchasing 

of 

Leanne Horton 

AB133 Adelphi Building 

2220 

Email: lhorton2@uclan.ac.uk 

Purchasing 

Officers 

Purchasing Office 

AB 135 Adelphi Building 

2221/2223/2225 

Customer 

Services* 

Company Barclaycard 

www.companybarclaycard.co.uk 

08448 222 150 

+44 1642 663 663 (from 

abroad) 

Lost/Stolen Cards/ 

24 hour 

customer 

service 

Company Barclaycard 01642 230 230 

+44 1642 230 230 (from 

abroad) 

* Quote card number, name, transaction query, date and amount. 


APPENDIX A (Flow Charts) 

A.1 Purchasing Goods via Corporate Card 

Cardholder identifies purchasing requirement 

 

Purchase authorized by budget holder 

 

Transaction log or account 6516 checked to confirm credit available 

(if not and purchase urgent, limit may be increased temporarily by 

Purchasing Office) 

 

Proceed to order goods from supplier by phone/fax / web quoting all 

relevant numbers and confirming with the supplier the amount of the 

transaction. The transaction voucher is sent with the VAT receipt 

and the goods advice note, which is dispatched with the goods. 

Both item to be addressed to the cardholder and marked “Paid by 

Corporate Card” 

 

Input details onto Agresso and (optional) update Corporate Card 

Transaction Log with all purchase details. 

PostingCardTransaction 

 

Goods/service received - including VAT receipt 

 

Goods/service checked and reconciled to requirements 

 

Receive and verify monthly Corporate Card statement 

(follow procedure A.3) 


A.2. 

Problems with Supply of Goods 


Immediately contact supplier requesting a refund voucher be put through the 

Corporate Card Company and a VAT credit note 

 

Does the supplier agree to issue a credit? 

 

 

YES 

NO 

Detail on the Statement or (optional) 

Corporate Card Transaction Log and 

await receipt of credit. 

Pursue with supplier until agreement is 

reached or 

contact Barclaycard with complaint/problem 

 

On receipt of statement check credit has been included and update account on 

Agressso 

 

If credit has not been received, contact supplier to find out when the refund voucher 

was processed 

NOTE: 

If you experience difficulty in obtaining a credit after following 

these procedures please contact the Head of Purchasing. 

Online access is now available for all cardholders – contact 

Purchasing for details 


A.3. 

Dealing with the Corporate Card Statement 


On receipt of the statement, do you have all the VAT invoices? 

YES 

NO 

 

Check the details on the statement are the 

same as invoice details and the entries 

made on Agresso and (Optional) 

Corporate Card Transaction Log sheet 

 

 

Contact the supplier 

and request a copy 

invoice 

 

Await copy invoice 

 

Do the entries on Agresso and (optional) Corporate Card 

Transaction Log correspond to the statement? 

 

YES 

NO 

 

 

If discrepancy due to dates, carry 

forward the outstanding 

transactions to the following 

month 

If credit required, contact 

supplier or Purchasing Office 

 

Are the Corporate Card company statement details correct? 

YES 

 

NO 

 

 

Raise query with Barclaycard 

and advise Purchasing Office. 

Proceed with next step when 

queries resolved 

 

Obtain authorization from budget holder to sign and date the 

Statement and (Optional) the Corporate Card Transaction Log 

 

Attach all invoices and (Optional) copy of the Corporate Card 

Transaction Log or Agresso printout of 6516 to statement 


A.4. 

Dealing with the Corporate Card Transaction Log (now optional) 


On the face of your log sheet, enter the following: 

Name and staff number 

Department and Location 

Phone Number 

 

Enter each individual transaction detail onto the log as soon 

as purchase completed and has been entered on Agresso 

 

Make sure you get an itemised invoice/VAT receipt for each 

transaction; review weekly - chase suppliers for invoices not 

received 

 

Check invoice details against log details 

 

Put receipt/invoice into the log envelope and await receipt of 

monthly statement 

 

Update Corporate Card Transaction Log with outstanding 

details, process paperwork as outlined in A.1. 

 

Return any invoices that do not appear on the statement to the 

log file and await the next statement 

Further information re posting the Corporate Card 

Transaction Log details onto Agresso can be found at: 

CardLogEntry 


A.5 Checking of the VAT Invoice 


On receipt of the invoice - is the following correct? 

Items 

Quantity 

Price 

 

YES 

Attach invoice to, and update, the 

Corporate Card Transaction Log 

 

NO 

Immediately 

contact supplier 

requesting a 

refund voucher 

be put through 

the Corporate 

Card company 

AND a VAT 

credit note 


APPENDIX B 

Quick Reference Guide for Internet Transactions 

Cardholder checks to 

make sure supplier 

has a secure site and 

purchases 

goods/services over 

the Internet. Enter 

the transaction onto 

Agresso and 

(Optional) 

Transaction log 

updated with details 

Supplier may 

acknowledge via e- 

mail that he has 

goods/services. 

Supplier then 

delivers 

goods/services with a 

receipt. 

Supplier processes 

transaction through 

Visa network 


goods/services and 

updates transaction 

log (optional) 


and checks monthly 

statement against log 

(optional) and 

receipts 

Statement, 

transaction log and 

receipts are signed 

off by line manager 

and sent to accounts. 



they will immediately suspend and investigate them for you. Whatever happens, you‟ll never 

have to pay for transactions you did not make. 


APPENDIX C 

Corporate card log 


20: NEGOTIATION BRIEFING NOTES 

Why negotiate 

As we are spending taxpayers money, we are publicly accountable and must ensure 

that value for money is obtained. Negotiation is one method of achieving this. Also 

savings made enable budget holders to gain more from typically decreasing budgets. 

When conducted with integrity and professionalism negotiation is a perfectly logical 

step in the procurement process. It must be carefully planned and managed so that 

confidence and trust in the purchaser (which in the longer term translates into better 

value for money) are always retained. Suppliers who realise that their customer always 

wishes to negotiate will invariably add a little on to their price to compensate. 

Conducting a basic negotiation 

A negotiation strategy should be developed prior to the negotiations taking place. 

Analysing information, identifying objectives, formulating a strategy and ensuring that 

you are authorised to conduct the proposed negotiations will help you to negotiate 

from a position of strength and achieve an effective result. Ensure you differentiate 

from facts and assumptions. 

1. Pre-Meeting Strategy Development 

When creating your strategy consider all potential items for negotiation and ways 

in which the University‟s needs may be met. Consider also the current market 

trends and the suppliers current and future business situation e.g. seasonal 

variations, current financial standing and market strategies. Analyse the faults of 

suppliers products, even if they are unimportant to the purchaser, getting the 

supplier to identify / confirm weaknesses can put the balance of power on your 

side. Considering many options will allow you to change tack during negotiations if 

necessary. 

1a. What to negotiate 

Price (except in EU contracts) 

supply and cost of spare parts 

earlier delivery/completion dates 

warranties/guarantees/maintenance/repair/after sales service 

compensation for failure to meet specified requirements. 

quantity/educational discounts. This list is not exhaustive, it is a concept of 

purchasing that “everything is negotiable”. 

2. Meeting - Introduction 

Home „turf‟ is always useful, familiarity with environment and information to hand 

offers a position of strength from which to conduct proceedings. The meeting 

should commence with an introduction, giving background information and gently 

leading up to points to discuss. Allow suppliers time to talk, you can pick up useful 

information prior to negotiating. 


3. Meeting - Discussion 

Commencing the process of discussion, start with items you will find easy to agree 

on to build a relationship. Suggest a break if things become difficult or 

deadlocked. 

4. Tactics 

Ask suppliers what you could do to improve your dealings with them, there may be 

something important to them which involves little effort on your part. Such 

concessions can dramatically improve a supplier‟s impression of the University as a 

customer. 

Salespeople are highly trained and motivated to fend off their competitors and win 

your custom so be on your guard. 

Avoid situations where a supplier knows they will get an order. This can occur 

when they have the best product to meet our needs, deadline date or because an end 

user has advised them! 

When undertaking team negotiations ensure that all members are aware of their 

role in the negotiations and the tactics to be deployed. 

Ask for cost breakdowns to include the profit margin, labour and various product 

components. This enables comparison between suppliers, which you can then use 

to query any anomalies. 

Recognise suppliers strengths and weaknesses in relation to your requirements. 

Ensure that your weaknesses are played down, put in a positive light, or not 

disclosed at all. Make more of the suppliers weaknesses and less of their strengths. 

Make more of your strengths. Think not of how little your concessions mean to you 

but of how much they may mean to the supplier. 

Reserve your position until you see the full scope of the proposed deal. Never agree 

point by point. Using conditional language e.g. if... then perhaps ... can assist you in 

this. Try not to concede without gaining a concession from the supplier, always 

SOMETHING FOR SOMETHING! Observe how the supplier negotiates and 

adjust your tactics accordingly, or choose to take the lead. 

5. Meeting - Close 

Once agreement has been made summarise the points and method of 

implementation. Make an effort to leave the supplier with some satisfaction at the 

completion of a negotiation. Such satisfaction may be nothing more than 

understanding why it has been necessary for him to make concessions. Aim for a 

„win win‟ situation. 


6. Ethics 

Contracts for the supply of goods and services do not have to be in writing to be 

legally enforceable and so great care must be taken during any negotiations to avoid 

entering contracts orally. 

Negotiation should not be conducted in ways, which put suppliers at a 

disadvantage, distort competition or adversely affect trust in the procurement 

process. Avoid Dutch auctions and empty threats and ensure suppliers are treated in 

an honest, fair and ethical manner whilst retaining confidentiality of their bids. 

Exercise of control on all types of information, only partially revealing or choosing 

only that which is suitable for your purpose, is a perfectly legitimate tactic. Care 

should be taken however to avoid leaving bidders with a misleading impression, 

otherwise the failure to supply the information may be held to be a 

misrepresentation by omission. 

If discussions regarding bid clarification result in an exchange of further 

information to one or more of the suppliers it is imperative that the same 

information is given to all bidders. 

Negotiations must be fully documented so that a clear audit trail is left. 

Those suppliers who have been unsuccessful should be given constructive feedback 

to assist them in becoming more competitive for future requirements in the interest 

of market forces. 

For negotiation to be effective both parties must foster a relationship that is based 

on trust, fair dealing and respect for each others viewpoint. 

7. Post Tender Negotiation 

Post Tender Negotiation must only be undertaken with a member of the Purchasing Office. 


21: PURCHASING GUIDANCE NOTES WHEN BIDDING FOR FUNDS 

Below are a number of „key‟ points that will have to be considered and acted upon when 

University staff are bidding for funds to purchase equipment and services. It is important for 

„bidders‟ to recognise any mandatory requirements as they could affect the timeframe and 

procurement process if the bid were to be successful. 

University Financial Regulations 

All purchases for equipment and services are subject to the University‟s Financial 

Regulations. 

Headline Regulations are, 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchases up to £5k – estimated price 

Purchases £5k to £50k – a minimum of three written quotations 

Purchases £50k to £100k – a minimum of four tenders – allow a minimum of four 

months for this process 

Purchases £100k to £156k – a minimum of six tenders 

Purchases greater than £156k, subject to EU Procurement (tender) Regulations (see 

below). – allow a minimum of six months for this process 

Statutory Requirements 

All purchases for equipment and services over the value of £156k that could be aggregated 

or purchased from a single supplier will be subject to EU Procurement Regulations. 

What does this mean? 

Each procurement is subject to statutory regulations and timetables. 

For an „open‟ tender all applicants must receive a tender pack. The tender timeframe 

is a minimum of 52 days. 

The specification must be generic and must not include any artificial „lock out‟ 

barriers to competition within the specification i.e. quoting any „brand names‟. 

Every supplier must be treated equally and fairly. 

If the EU Tender Regulations are NOT followed precisely then the University may be 

challenged in a court of law and if found guilty could be fined up to the value of the potential 

contract. 

External Requirement and Good Practice Purchasing 

Most external funding agencies now impose procedures on bidding institution. These will be 

a combination of strict procedures or good practices. Organisations such as HEFCE, the 

Research Councils and the Wellcome Trust all insist the proper tender regulations are 

observed and „whole life costings‟ are included within the bid and procurement process. 

Most agencies now insist the institution Purchasing Office is included within the process and 

sign off the bid/procurement documentation. Failure to do so may result in the bid not being 

accepted or funds being denied. 


What is „whole life costing’? 

Whole life costing asks that the purchase of equipment or a service be costed through to the 

end of the expected life of the equipment or project. This will include but not limited to, 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Initial purchase cost 

Delivery and implementation costs 

Consultancy, manuals and Training 

Annual maintenance and licensing costs, 

Consumables and spares 

Upgrades 

Insurance 

Resale or trade in value 

It is important that the Purchasing Office is included early on in the bid process as they can 

advise in more depth, the various requirements involved in a „high value‟ purchase. The 

Purchasing Office has an extensive website which includes guidance notes on most topics 

involved with purchasing equipment (goods) and services. 

This can be found at - Purchasing Office 

or alternatively contact the Purchasing Office on extension 2220. 


22. CONSULTANCY 

GUIDANCE FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF CONSULTANCY 

CONTENTS 

1. FOREWORD 

2. PRINCIPLES 

3. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS 

4. THE PROCESS 

5. GUIDELINES 

6. METHODS OF PAYMENT 

APPENDIX 1: 

CONSULTANTS TRAVEL EXPENSES 

APPENDIX 2: 

ADVICE ON DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN EMPLOYEE 

AND SELF-EMPLOYED STATUS 


1. Foreword 

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to those members of staff involved in 

the difficult task of hiring external consultants to undertake work on behalf of the University. 

The following check lists, procedures and principles will provide complete assurance in the 

safety of the placement of a consultancy contract (legal contract “Standard Contract for the 

Purchase of Consultancy” available from 

www.uclan.ac.uk/information/services/finance/purchasing/terms_and_conditions.php. Do 

please note that travel expenses listed under Appendix 1 are intended as a guideline only and 

should be checked for any revisions. 

Please remember the Purchasing Office are always available to assist and contact should be 

made with the Head of Purchasing on ext. 2220 in the first instance if any member of staff 

wishes to take advantage of their expertise in this matter. 

The aim of this document is to improve the quality of consultants‟ reports as a management 

tool by laying out the University‟s expectations, highlighting best practice and documenting 

the risks associated with consultant reports and presentations. 

In general terms, as part of a broader management framework, consultant reports, like all 

other elements of such a framework, must be subject to and demonstrate value for money, 

risk awareness, audit ability and a connectedness to corporate planning and strategic 

priorities. 

In specific terms the outputs of such consultant contributions should demonstrate objectivity, 

rigour, validity, reliability, coherence and focus. 

These general and specific considerations are directly related. A consultant‟s report which 

lacks validity will lack value for money. Similarly a review which lacks objectivity is 

unlikely to contribute satisfactorily to risk assessment or mitigation processes. 

The cost of ineffective or flawed consultancy is potentially not just the fee paid for the 

consultancy work but the business cost of poor decisions made on the basis of such 

consultancy. 

All consultants‟ reports are different and the commissioning conditions and briefs can vary 

significantly. There is no single correct way to carry out effective consultancy. However, the 

University is committed to maximising the quality of decision making generally and is 

focused therefore on establishing best practice in relation to those reports it commissions. 

The following set of principles indicates a set of expectations to which all consultants and 

commissioning mangers should adhere. Promotion of these principles and raising awareness 

of the issues they address, both internally and to potential consultants, is designed to raise 

standards of consultancy reports and improve decision making. 


POLICY 

2.0 Principles 

2.1 All consultancies will be expected to adhere to a professional Code of Practice 

This will be either the MCA (Management Consultancies Association) Code of 

Professional Conduct or equivalent 1 . Additionally all consultancies shall adhere to 

the University‟s policies on diversity and equal opportunities in all work and not just 

such work which has diversity as an explicit element of the brief. 

2.2 All consultancies will be appropriately commissioned. 

This means that all commissions will be consistent with the University‟s Financial 

Regulations and will normally incorporate the model contract for consultants issued 

by Financial Services. 

2.3 All consultancies will have a clear brief 

This means that all consultancies will have as a minimum a written statement of 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The scope of the work with relevant terms appropriately defined 

The methodologies and instruments to be used (e.g. survey, interview, focus group 

etc) 

In the case of survey work the population from which the sample will be drawn and 

the sampling frame. 

A stated link to University Strategy (e.g. Corporate Plan, Risk Register, VFM 

schedule or equivalent), and previous relevant documents and research work where 

known. 

Who is commissioning the consultancy and to whom the outputs should be delivered 

in the first instance 

The nature of the outputs (reports, presentations etc) 

The time frame for final report and any intermediate drafts to be delivered 

Utilising the Standard Contract for the Purchase of Consultancy will cover all of the 

above requirements. 

2.4 All quantitative surveys will be reliable, valid and appropriately executed and 

reported. 

This means that 

 

 

 

Survey questions will adhere to social science good practice and questions or items 

should be both reliable and valid. 

Appropriate confidentiality and informed consent must be exercised. 

Statistical analysis should be decided prior to data collection. 

1 http://www.mca.org.uk/MCA/AboutUs/CodeOfConduct.aspx 


Samples used in surveys should be representative of the population defined in the 

brief. Large samples can still be unrepresentative. The sampling method should be 

clearly defined and will normally be randomly determined (involving stratification 

where appropriate). Where there is weighting of samples by key population variables 

to yield better population estimates, this should be clearly documented and justified. 

Where appropriate and feasible, new or bespoke question sets should be piloted prior 

to full survey. 

2.5 All statistical results reported in surveys should be accurate, comprehensible to 

the intelligent lay reader and should not be misleading or overstated. 

This means that statistical findings should be presented clearly and rooted in the 

actual data. Comparative statistical judgments should reflect normal standards 

associated with inferential statistics. Survey response rates and any significant issues 

in validity arising from unsatisfactorily low response rates or potentially skewed 

response rates must be foregrounded. 

Specifically this means that: 

 

 

 

 

 

Where comparisons are the focus of a sample survey, differences should normally 

only be highlighted where they are statistically significant (normally at 5% level of 

significance but there will be exceptions). 

Tables which report means across groups (with or without claims of statistically 

significant differences) should also report measures of dispersion such as standard 

deviation. 

Nonparametric statistics should be used where more appropriate than parametric 

statistics. Parametric statistics should not be used where normal parametric 

assumptions are violated, with particular care and attention to Likert study data. 

Sub sample analyses should be reported with caution particularly where sub sample 

sizes are small. 

Statements which are only true of a sub sample should not be presented as being true 

of the sample as a whole. Equally, statements which are true of the sample as a whole 

should not be presented as true only of a sub sample. 

2.6 All surveys should be auditable and reproducible 

This means that raw data, appropriately anonymised, should be available for any other 

party nominated by the commissioning manager to check statistical assumptions, 

calculations and inferential assessments as appropriate. The University will normally 

carry out an „evidence trail‟ for a small number of selected specific conclusions in 

each final report (see below). 


2.7 All qualitative surveys and associated reports will be clearly identified as such 

and conclusions presented appropriately. 

Focus groups, interviews and desk (document) reviews can make a significant 

contribution to policy or organizational development and review. They are able to 

identify emerging themes, patterns, perceptions and narratives. Appropriately 

designed and executed they can provide thought-provoking suggestions and 

possibilities which other methods fail to identify. However, such methods by their 

very nature are open to the dangers of subjective interpretations, incomplete 

summation and „spin‟. There is no reason in principle why these difficulties 

cannot be overcome. Research suggests that such methods are least useful when the 

consultant is unfamiliar with the vocabulary, cultures and practices of the target 

population. This presents a particular challenge to consultants who can in principle 

add value through externality and disinterest. In practical terms such methods present 

further difficulties since (i) confidentiality and an ethical treatment of the participant‟s 

contribution are paramount (ii) participants are not anonymous to the consultant, (iii) 

the elicitation of the participant‟s views is conversational, (iv) in the case of focus 

groups, the participants‟ contribution can reflect peer pressure and (v) in some 

settings more vocal and more confident participants can generate more content and be 

more influential. In some settings this can lead to some views from minority or less 

powerful respondents being excluded and undervalued. Consultants should 

demonstrate awareness of these limitations and put conclusions and recommendations 

in an appropriate context. Presentation of results of qualitative research is an area of 

particular difficulty due to the role of subjectivity, individuality, and particular 

circumstances in which the views of participants are solicited. Normally, the 

University will expect such methods at the early stages of a review to identify the 

areas meriting further structured assessment through surveys or other methods. 

Qualitative methods can support a wide range of activities and can add value on 

topics during periods of change or which are subject to multiple stakeholder 

perspectives. 

This means that 

 

 

 

 

Data from interviews and focus groups should not be presented as though they had 

been collected via a quantitative survey. 

Summaries, conclusions and recommendations based wholly or principally on 

qualitative methods should normally indicate areas or issues for further systematic 

structured work or robust analysis rather than be offered as definitive statements of 

stakeholders‟ views in general. 

Consultant research involving qualitative methods should indicate how they have 

sought to ensure that issues around anonymity, „conversationalism‟, peer pressure and 

inclusion have been addressed. It is acknowledged that these issues can never be 

entirely eliminated but conclusions should reflect that fact. 

Conclusions in qualitative research should be derived from the data as systematically 

as with quantitative research. Clear contemporaneous notes should be made at the 


point of elicitation of participants‟ views such that they can normally be distinguished 

from any subsequent interpretative work done on such notes. 

 

 

 

 

 

It is good practice particularly in interview methods to allow the participant to check 

that the interviewer has correctly recorded the views expressed. This can be done by 

presenting a brief summary of main points. 

Consultants should be able to demonstrate how conclusions and recommendations 

follow from the data. The University will normally carry out an „evidence trail‟ for a 

small number of selected specific conclusions in each final report while respecting the 

confidentiality of the data. 

Vague or casual statements such as „The view was expressed that X” or “Some 

respondents did not wish to comment on topic Y” add little value and should be 

avoided. Ideally the percentage of respondents in interviews indicating a specific view 

should be highlighted where a precise question is asked and answer given. However, 

this should not be used to give the impression of quantitative rigour where this is not 

valid. Clear statements of “small minority”, “large minority” [i.e. less than half], 

“majority”, “large majority”, “almost all” or “all” should be used. If other 

conventions are used they should be clearly flagged up. Whatever conventions are 

used they should be used consistently. 

Reporting specific quotes from participants can be a good way a highlighting a key 

issue in a manner which captures attention and help the reader relate to a perspective 

other than their own. However there is a danger that these can skew perceptions 

inappropriately. „Illustrative‟ quotes should be used sparingly and should be 

representative. Report writers should avoid the temptation to foreground dramatic, 

extreme, witty or pithy comments when they are not representative of majority 

opinion 2. 

Statements which are only true of a sub sample should not be presented as being true 

of the sample as a whole. Equally, statements which are true of the sample as a whole 

should not be presented as true only of a sub sample. 

2.8 All consultancies will be evaluated and subject to audit 

As part of a commitment to continuous improvement, the University will assess the 

extent to which a consultancy brief has been met through a report from the 

commissioning manager normally to the commissioning managers own manger. 

2 Highlighting an unrepresentative but memorable quote early in a report but then presenting information that 

indicates the view expressed is not necessarily representative - to cover the author - is particularly poor practice 


3.0 Financial Regulations 

POLICY 

3.1 The Financial Regulations of the University apply to all consultancy contracts let by 

the University. Particularly important are those regulations pertaining to competition 

and proof of value for money specifically: 

(a) 

Contracts over £5000 are let following at least three quotations being 

obtained. 

(b) 

Contracts over £50,000 are subject to a formal tendering process involving a 

minimum of four suppliers and the Group Executive Director of Finance‟ 

approval 

(c) 

Contracts over £173,000 are subject to an EU tendering process and the 

University‟s approved authorisation levels. 

Where such conditions apply that compliance with a) or b) is not possible or 

impracticable then the approval of the Group Executive Director of Finance, via the 

Head of Purchasing must be obtained prior to the placing of any purchase order or 

contract (see 3.5). EU tenders are a legal requirement and as such the requirement 

cannot be waived. 

3.2 Contract signatures 

The University part of any resultant contract can be signed by the Faculty/Service 

approved signatory. For contracts greater than £5000, these can only be signed by the 

Group Executive Director of Finance. Contracts for signature should be forwarded in 

the first instance through the Head of Purchasing. 

3.3 Teaching Services, and Contracts Involving Members of Staff 

If it is proposed that existing staff members undertake additional duties outside their 

job description, then advice should be sought, in the first instance, via Human 

Resources, given that it is not University policy to engage existing staff on 

consultancy contracts. 

3.4 Standard Contract 

The‟ Standard Contract for the Purchase of Consultancy‟ must be used for all 

consultancy contracts over £1,000 in total value (repeat contracts where the sum of 

the parts is over £1000 also require use of the contract). Requests for assistance with 

variations or prospective alternative contracts should be addressed initially through 

the Head of Purchasing. 


3.5 Single Source Tenders or Quotations 

The Financial Regulations require that all contracts let between £5,000 and £50,000 

are subject to the three-quotation rule. In the unlikely event of only one quotation 

being obtained, a full written explanation stating the reasons for this should be sent to 

the Head of Purchasing prior to any contract or order placement. The Head of 

Purchasing will approve such contracts upon receipt of valid explanations. 

3.6 Relationship with Prospective Suppliers 

All members of staff are reminded of the University requirement for full disclosure of 

any personal relationships with prospective suppliers at the earliest possible juncture. 


4.0 The Process: Hiring of Consultants 

Prepare 

Specification 

Check if internal 

resources are available 

No 

OVER 

£50,000? 

Yes 

Send specification to prospective 

consultants requesting quotation 

(minimum of 3 written quotes 

required) 

Receive and Assess 

Responses 

Contact Purchasing Office to 

Arrange formal tender 

Meet with successful 

candidate to discuss 

aspects of contract 

Prepare contract and 

send to Head of Purchasing 

if over £5k 

Send signed contract to 

consultant for signature 

Once returned raise 

PURCHASE ORDER ON 

AGRESSO 

Monitor contract against 

deliverables, cost and timescales 

As part of a commitment to continuous improvement, the University will assess the extent to which a 

consultancy brief has been met through a report from the commissioning manager, normally to the 

commissioning managers own manager. 


GUIDELINES 

5.1 Introduction 

The process of hiring external consultants can be difficult and resultant success of the 

consultancy can hinge on the strength, accuracy and arrangement of detail in the 

contract and contracting process. 

5.2 Specification 

The specification is a crucial part of any consultancy contract. This should contain: 

1. A full brief for the prospective consultants outlining the University‟s 

problem/needs/requirements. 

2. Detail of the scope and type of advice required from the prospective 

consultants. 

3. Detail of any constraints which the University wishes to place on the 

preferred solutions. 

4. Lists of tasks which must be performed by both University and prospective 

consultants. 

5. Timescales for the consultancy contract including expected start and 

completion dates. 

6. A list of expected tangible deliverables from the prospective consultancy 

(see points 4.7.1 and 4.9.1 for further details) 

7. References where appropriate. 

5.3 Internal Resources 

Once the specification document is complete, it is very important to consider the 

possibility of internal University resources providing solutions to the consultancy 

requirement. 

5.4 Preparation for Invitation to Quote/Tender 

5.4.1. The Financial Regulations of the University dictate the route that should be 

followed as the next step. Requirements where expected expenditure will be 

less than £50,000 can be covered by an invitation to quote. Requirements 

above this figure are subject to a formal tendering requirement. 

5.4.2. Invitation to quote will normally be instigated by letter. A copy of the 

specification and a copy of the standard consultancy agreement should always 

be sent with the letter. (See Standard Contract for the Purchase of 

Consultancy) 

The letter should also contain the following statement: 


“Any contract for consultancy resulting from this invitation will be covered 

only by the terms and conditions attached. Other terms and conditions will 

not be accepted.” 

This has the effect of imposing the University contract at the earliest possible 

stage and responses can then only be sent subject to our terms and conditions. 

5.4.3. The letter should also formally request that the prospective consultant sets out 

in full all charges for undertaking the work including: 

1. A basis for the quoted fees. 

2. A statement of total fees 

3. Expenses: wherever possible all expenses should be an inclusive item 

of the total fees. Wherever this is not possible, see note 4.11.1 for 

further advice. 

5.4.4 When engaging with an external consultant it is important to establish whether 

he/she is VAT registered. If the consultant is VAT registered, VAT at the 

current rate will be incurred on the services supplied to the University, in most 

circumstances. In most cases the VAT will be a cost to the University (as the 

University cannot recover all of the VAT it incurs), and therefore this needs to 

be considered when determining the cost of a project. It is important to check 

the service contract with the consultant to determine whether the fees charged 

are VAT inclusive or exclusive. Where the consultant is not VAT registered, 

no VAT will be charged on their services to the University. 

5.4.5. Formal tenders are dealt with exclusively by the Purchasing Office and the 

Head of Purchasing will have responsibility for ensuring the contract is sound 

and complete i.e. minimising risk whilst ensuring expected benefits are 

delivered. Contact should be made at the earliest possible opportunity 

(extension 2220) to commence the tendering process, which can take up to 6 

months. 

5.5 The Tendering Process 

There are several advantages and some misconceptions regarding the tendering 

process where some clarification is beneficial: 

1. The actual tendering process need not be a long process, and indeed can be faster 

in some cases than a quotation exercise. 

2. After the production of the specification, the Purchasing Office will undertake all 

the work up to the point of assessing tender responses. 

3. The formal tendering process can be used for any value of contract over £50,000 

and can in certain instances be used for values below this amount. 


4. There is greater security and safety in the tendering process in that it forces 

suppliers to be very exact in their response. 

Please consult with the Head of Purchasing who can advise upon the Tendering Procedures 

(which can be found on the Purchasing Offices web site) for further information and assistance. 

5.6 Assessment of Responses 

5.6.1. Assessment of responses to either a tender or quotation exercise should be 

carried out against standard value for money criteria or technical merit as 

detailed within the specification. 

5.6.2. It may be necessary and in some cases advisable to request the potential 

supplier to undertake a verbal presentation regarding their submission, in order 

for both parties to clarify points and aspects of the intended contract. This is 

however entirely up to the individual or working party overseeing the 

assessment part of the process. 

5.7 Making a contract 

Prior to award of contract, it will be necessary to undertake some final negotiation 

with the prospective consultant. Points which require address could include: 

1. Method of authorisation for any additional work above the billing (invoicing) 

agreed for the original contract (if necessary). 

2. Method of payment and billing. 

3. Agree firm deliverables with the prospective consultant against which the success 

of the consultancy can be measured (see Schedule A of the Consultancy 

Agreement). 

4. Confirm timescales (see Schedule A of the Consultancy Agreement) 

5. Do you require the consultant to be exclusive to the University or to prevent them 

from supplying similar services elsewhere? If so contact the Purchasing Office 

who will obtain legal advice on your behalf. 

5.8 Contract and Signature 

5.8.1. Once both parties have agreed to all aspects of the consultancy and prior to 

raising a purchase order, a consultancy agreement should be completed and 

sent to the Head of Purchasing (See Standard Contract for the Purchase of 

Consultancy) who will arrange Group Executive Director of Finance signature 

(refer to „Authorisation Levels‟). 

5.8.2. Once signed the contract should then be sent to the supplier for signature and 

following return a purchase order can be raised and issued. 


5.9 Monitoring of Consultancy 

It is important at stages of consultancies (particularly those of length in time) to assess 

progress against deliverables, timescales and costs. It must be remembered that the 

consultant has contracted to provide a timely and full service and any payment for 

service rests and should be linked to your satisfaction with the results. A timely 

warning if it is felt that targets are not being achieved may well rescue a situation, 

turning a poor result into something more acceptable. Critical but constructive 

honesty should be welcomed by most consultants. Therefore, monitoring or contract 

review meetings should always form part of the contract. 

5.10 Contract extension 

Any contract extension will necessarily change the terms and/or circumstances of the 

original contract. The change could be in respect of payment, fees, agreed delivery 

time, agreed deliverables, reporting mechanisms etc. The safest way of dealing with 

this on a contractual basis is to agree and raise a new contract stating the new 

arrangement. Any contract extensions shall be in compliance with the University‟s 

Financial Regulations and EU Tender Regulations. 

5.11 Travel expenses 

Travel expenses should always be negotiated into the contract sum agreed to be paid 

to the Consultant. On rare occasions this is not possible and it will be necessary to 

agree to pay daily travel and subsistence expenses on top of the contract sum. Staff 

are advised to use the current University travel expense allowances for staff as a 

guideline to what can be considered a reasonable basis for negotiations (Appendix 1 

for current rates), noting that expenses are revised annually. It is also important to 

constantly monitor all Consultant expense claims insisting that receipts are rendered 

with each invoiced claim 

5.12 Assistance 

Every form of assistance with any and all aspects of this contracting process is always 

available from any member of the Purchasing Office. 

6.0 Methods of payment 

There are only two methods which should be used to facilitate payment to suppliers, 

these being an Agresso purchase order / invoice or Procurement Card. When 

contracting with Consultants the preferred method of processing a payment will be 

through the Agresso Purchasing/Finance system, by the receipt of an invoice from the 

Consultant. 


Appendix 1 (see point 5.11) 

Current University staff rates are available on the Travel Office web site and are 

revised annually 

Travel Subsistence Rates 

Please note that consultant‟s travel expenses should be negotiated as part of the 

overall price package offered for the contract offered. Use of the above as an extra to 

a consultancy contract should only be considered as a “special” or where extra work 

is to be undertaken outside the contract. The above rates are presented as a guideline 

only, any rates agreed should be “gross” and inclusive of VAT. 


Appendix 2 

Advice on Differentiation Between Employee and Self-Employed Status 

Firstly, it must be emphasised that the distinction between a contract of employment and a 

contract for services is very important. It affects whether a person is liable to pay income tax 

under PAYE, the level of National insurance contributions paid, whether a person is entitled 

to Statutory sick pay and whether the person has the employment protection and other rights 

of an employee. The difficulty for employers in making this distinction is that even when 

both parties explicitly agree that the contractual relationship between them is to have the 

status of a contract for services rather than be governed by a contract of employment, this 

agreement could be challenged by HMRC. Such a challenge could involve HMRC imposing 

expensive financial penalties. In some purported self-employment cases the HMRC has 

claimed arrears of PAYE from the employer on the grounds that the reality of the relationship 

was that of employer and employee under a contract of employment. The University wishes 

to minimise the risk of this situation arising and, accordingly, wishes to ensure that the 

contractual arrangements entered into correctly reflect the status of that relationship as either 

one of employment or self-employment. 

This issue is not merely of hypothetical interest. In a recent case a University had to defend 

itself at an Industrial Tribunal case brought by a person formerly engaged by that University 

on a self-employed basis who claimed that in reality he was an employee of the University 

and should, therefore, enjoy specific employment rights and protections. Correspondence was 

also issued to the same University from the HMRC querying the self-employed status of 

another individual paid by the University on a consultancy basis. 

Unfortunately, there is no simple checklist of factors which allow the distinction between the 

two categories of contractual relationships to be safely made. The courts have made 

judgements on individual cases based on an overall assessment of all the relevant factors in a 

particular case, accepting that not all the relevant factors are of equal weight or importance in 

any given situation. 

Being employed or self employed in one job does not mean that a person will have the same 

status in another job. A consultant could be employed and self employed at the same time. It 

is the responsibility of those engaging consultants to ascertain the correct status. 

The HMRC do have a useful online tool to try; 

https://esi2calculator.hmrc.gov.uk/esi/external-cod.html which provides a series of questions 

for you to answer, and then provides a guide to the consultants status. 

Employed or self-employed? 

A consultant answering „Yes‟ to all of the following questions may indicate employee status. 

1. Do you have to do the work yourself? 

2. Can someone tell you at any time what to do, where to carry out the work or when and 

how to do it? 

3. Do you work a set amount of hours? 


4. Can someone move you from task to task? 

5. Are you paid by the hour, week or month? 

6. Can you get overtime pay or bonus payment? 

A consultant answering „Yes‟ to all of the following questions may indicate self-employed 

status. 

1. Can you hire someone to do the work for you or engage helpers at your own expense? 

2. Do you risk your own money? 

3. Do you provide the main items of equipment you need to do your job, not just the small 

tools many employees provide for themselves? 

4. Do you agree to do a job for a fixed price regardless of how long the job may take? 

5. Can you decide what work to do, how and when to do the work and where to provide the 

services? 

6. Do you regularly work for a number of different people? 

7. Do you have to correct unsatisfactory work in your own time and at your own expense? 

The general advice is that wherever there is an element of ambiguity about the status of a 

proposed contractual relationship the University should commission the work under a 

contract of employment so as to eliminate vulnerability to subsequent challenge by either the 

HMRC or the DSS in respect of PAYE contributions or National Insurance contributions 

respectively. Please do not hesitate to contact Margaret Good, the Payroll Manager (x 2213 / 

MEGood@uclan.ac.uk) whenever you are in need of advice as to the appropriate nature of 

any proposed contractual relationship. 

Finally, 

All formal offers of employment and contracts of employment may only be issued by Human 

Resources (with the authority of the Head of Service). 

and 

When you propose to enter into a contract for services you must first send a new supplier 

account request to the Purchasing Office. 



23: PURCHASING FLOWCHART 

Does a contract exist for the goods/services you wish to purchase? 

Yes 

Place your order by 

Purchasing Card or on 

Agresso 

Don‟t know 

Check on the Purchasing Office website 

buyers guide 

Buyers Guide 

or call 2223/5 for advice 

No 

How much are you 

spending singly or 

cumulatively 

excluding VAT? 

Purchasing Card 

Typically used for 

stationery, mobile 

phones and any “low 

value, one-off” 

purchases. Generally 

limited to £1000 per 

transaction and £5000 

per month 

Agresso 

Ensure supplier set up on Agresso before ordering. To set a supplier 

up complete form 1 and email to purchasing. 

Your order should contain: 

Price 

Delivery date 

Delivery charge if any 

Delivery address 

Detail your name and tel no for queries 

Anything the supplier wishes you to quote on your order eg 

ref no‟s. 

Ensure that you only trade on the University‟s terms and conditions. 

If a supplier wishes you to accept their conditions contact 

Purchasing. 

Up to £30 £31 - £5,000 £5,001 - £50,000 £50,001 

upwards 

Petty cash 

or the 

Purchasing 

Card 

should be 

used. 

Obtain an 

estimated price 

from the supplier 

or contact 

Purchasing to 

obtain prices on 

your behalf 

Obtain 3 written 

quotations on the 

UCLan quote 

form or complete 

Purchasing 

request form and 

Purchasing will 

obtain on your 

behalf 

Tender 

procedure 

contact 

Purchasing 

Office 

as soon as 

possible for 

advice

PURCHASING PROCEDURES - University of Central Lancashire

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