Procurement
Procurement
Important Information: This course is organised by DALC but will be delivered by The Parkinson Partnership through an online Zoom session. We recommend booking well in advance, as spots tend to fill up quickly. Secure your place early to avoid disappointment!
This session is designed for anyone involved in purchasing, tendering, or contracting on behalf of local councils. It introduces the key changes under the Procurement Act 2023, which replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 on 24 February 2025.
Participants will learn the fundamentals of the new procurement rules, including how to invite quotes, prepare tender documents, ensure fair competition, and achieve best value for money.
Details
For anyone involved in procuring goods and services, preparing tenders or entering into contracts on behalf of local councils.
Please note that on 12 September the Government decided to postpone implementation of this Act by 4 months, giving authorities more time to prepare for the changes and allowing the Government time to rewrite the National Procurement Policy Statement, rather than using one prepared by the previous Government.
This session introduces the new rules of the Procurement Act 2023, which will now come into force on 24 February 2025 and replaces the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The session covers the basics of procurement for local councils – inviting quotes, producing specifications and tender documentation, achieving competition and value for money.
Topics include:
• Overview and purpose of the Procurement Act 2023
• Procurement principles and objectives
• Procurement lifecycle
• Conflicts of Interest
• Roles and responsibilities
• Thresholds
• Below threshold contracts
• Excluded contracts
• Direct Awards
• Estimating the contract value
• Scope/Specification
• Frameworks
• Procurement procedures
• Timescales
• Publication of your procurement
• Assessment summaries
• Contract Award Notice & Standstill
• Contracting authorities' requirements (mandatory or voluntary).
Session benefits:
By the end of the Procurement Act 2023 course you will:
• Have a deeper knowledge of the procurement regulations
• Understand the council's duties regarding procurement
• Understand the Do’ and Don’ts of procurement
• Be aware of relevant legislation and sources of guidance
Session leader: Iain M Alexander BSc FCIPS, Director of ISPS Associates Limited
Iain is a chartered procurement professional, a fellow and member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. Iain has over 30 years’ experience within private & public sector organisations specialising in procurement, supply chain management and commercial operations, predominantly in construction and infrastructure sectors using PA23, UCR and PCR procurement legislation. Iain has held the position of Chairman of Parish Council and currently resides as a Parish Councillor.
This is an interactive session, you will need a device with a reasonable screen size such as a PC, laptop or tablet to be able to participate fully.
Your booking confirmation will contain a link to the online event. Please ensure that you log in at least 10 minutes before the session starts, make sure that your screen name includes your first and last names.