How we buy goods and services
We spend over £180million each year on works, goods and services.
We must follow UK government procurement rules to encourage:
- competition
- transparency
- equal treatment of suppliers
The rules for public procurement changed from February 2025 when the Procurement Act came into force – go to GOV.UK: The Procurement Act 2023: A short guide for suppliers.
Our suppliers
We have a wide range of suppliers to make sure we get the best value for money. This means we don't just accept the lowest initial price. We also look at:
- quality
- whole life cost
- environmental impact
- social impact
All awarded contracts are monitored by a contract manager to ensure performance and delivery.
Our procedure
UK Procurement Regulations thresholds apply within our procedures for buying goods and services. For details, go to: Procurement Act 2023 guidance documents - Define phase - GOV.UK
| Total contract value | Our procedure |
|---|---|
| Up to £25,000 | Ask for at least 1 written quote |
| Over £25,000 up to £75,000 for goods and services, Over £25,000 up to £500,000 for works |
Ask for at least 3 written quotes |
| Over £75,000 up to the UK Procurement Regulations threshold for goods and services, Over £500,000 up to the UK Procurement Regulations threshold for works |
Carry out a formal competitive tender process |
| Over the UK Procurement Regulations |
Carry out a formal competitive tender process – following UK Procurement Regulations – and advertise on the government's Find a Tender service (FTS) |
Approved supplier lists and bespoke contract lists
We do not keep approved supplier lists for any purchases, nor do we set-up bespoke contract lists.
Support for small local businesses
To support small local businesses and third sector organisations, we:
- pay all small businesses in Thurrock in 10 days – our standard payment terms are 30 days
- provide written feedback on unsuccessful tenders to help businesses make improvements
By law, we cannot give local businesses any advantage over other businesses when tendering for our contracts.
Contact us
Our Procurement team manages purchasing and suppliers.