Contracts register

Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)

A Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is a procedure available for contracts for works, services and goods commonly available on the market. As a procurement tool, it facilitates a list of approved suppliers who have committed to a specification, quality standards and terms and conditions for the scope of works, services or goods required. A DPS has some aspects that are similar to a framework agreement, the difference is that new suppliers can join at any time. Each DPS is set up as an individual opportunity and divided into categories of products, works or services called LOTS. The Council will call for competition through a specific LOT list of suppliers who meet the requirement. All suppliers have the opportunity to respond to the opportunity and the bid submission will be evaluated by the Council before award of contract. 

The DPS is a two-stage process. In the initial set-up stage, all suppliers who meet the selection criteria on the selection questionnaire and are not excluded* are admitted to the DPS. There are no limits on the number of suppliers that may join and suppliers can apply to join at any point during its lifetime. At this stage the supplier sits on the DPS LOT as an approved supplier with no guarantee of work. In stage two, the Council invites all suppliers on the DPS (or the relevant category within the DPS) to bid for the specific contract. Individual opportunities are released for competition, evaluated and a contract is awarded to a successful supplier.

*Where a supplier has been excluded, a rejection notification will be sent by the Council to the supplier. On receipt of the notification the supplier can remedy the area of rejection on the original selection questionnaire and resubmit for evaluation again. This can repeat itself until the selection criteria has been met.

The contracts register

The contracts register details the Councils Contracts. Where a DPS is in place there may be multiple suppliers appointed for each LOT. Download and view all suppliers approved to the Council’s DPS:

• adult services
• children’s services
• construction
• inward investment and business support
• learning and development
• print services
• transport services.

Last updated: 06/09/2023 12:29