All advertisements for contracts over a total estimated value of £75,000 are published on this website.
Contracts which exceed EU fixed thresholds are advertised in the OJEU.
Contracts may also be advertised in the Cambridge News and an appropriate professional or trade journal.
Advertisements will either:
- be an 'open' invitation which means that anyone who wants to can tender for the contract being advertised (we do not use open invitations very often); or
- ask for 'expressions of interest'. This means that you will have to fill in and return a questionnaire asking for information about your company. This information will be used by us to select a shortlist of companies who will be invited to tender.
With an 'open invitation', email the person named in the advertisement and ask for a tender pack for the contract.
When we ask for an 'expression of interest', if the advertisement asks you to express an interest in a tender opportunity you will need to email the person named in the advertisement. They will give you more information about the subject matter of the contract.
You will need to ask for a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). This questionnaire will be different for different types and values of contracts.
For low value contracts the PQQ is likely to be quite short and ask you for a financial statement and information about your company trading accounts and for details about your:
- incorporation if you are a company
- customer and trade references
- health and safety policies
- equal opportunity policies
- insurances
- quality, training and environmental systems
For higher value or more complex contracts you will also be asked:
- about relevant experience
- about the staff who will work on our contract
- for more information about your health and safety, environmental and equality policies
Please keep your answers concise and to the point and note that we do not welcome general marketing information, unless it is specifically asked for.
We take into consideration any non-compliance with any limitation or restriction on the size of the PQQ return.
We apply legal, financial and technical tests to organisations wanting to do business with us.
You will need to complete and return the PQQ to the name and address identified in the PQQ by the specified return date.
We will use the information in the PQQ to draw up a shortlist of the best organisations for the particular contract.
These companies will be invited to tender for the contract.
You will be informed about the outcome of your PQQ on or around the date specified in the PQQ.
Further information is available on the tendering process
Legal tests
You must accept English law as the governing law of any contract and the jurisdiction of the English courts.
You must accept our contract conditions (where these are supplied), although minor changes may be agreed if they are in the interests of both parties.
You must have no convictions for serious environmental offences, fraud, corruption or other major breaches of the Companies Act in the last three years or, if you have you can explain what steps your company has taken to respond to any such convictions.
You must have no findings of unlawful discrimination of any kind in the employment field against your company in the last three years or, if you have, you can explain what steps you have taken to respond to such findings.
Financial tests
You must pass a financial check. This is usually based on your (preferably audited) accounts and financial statement.
You must provide evidence of an acceptable level of public liability insurance, employers’ liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance where required.
Very occasionally and dependent upon the subject matter of the contract we may require additional/alternative specialist insurances.
Further information is available on contract procedure rules and financial regulations and approved contractors.
Technical tests
You must provide references for your company that we can contact.
You must provide evidence of any quality standards (appropriate to the subject matter of the contract) held by your company
You must provide (as a minimum) a company policy statement covering health and safety, environment and equalities aspects of your business that must meet legislative requirements.
Further information is available on the tendering process and approved contrators.
For procurement questions, email Debbie Quincey, the strategic procurement advisor, or call 01223 457400.
