Membership
How much does it cost to become a member of the CPC?
Membership is absolutely free.
How do we become a member of the CPC?
The joining process is really quick and simple. Visit our How To Join page where you will find the joining template documents together with full instructions on how to join.
We will be changing our name when we convert to an Academy. Is this a problem?
No. As soon as you are operating under your new academy name, simply contact the CPC Helpdesk team on 0800 066 2188 and they will gladly update your records.
What is a Liaison Officer?
The Liaison Officer is our primary contact at your academy, and is pivotal in the success of your relationship with the CPC. They will receive all general correspondence and updates from CPC and provide contact updates to us as necessary.
Insurance
Where are the insurance documents?
For FE Institutions, the Further Education Colleges, Sixth Form Colleges and similar institutions insurance page, contains essential insurance documents you will need to complete your insurance tender.
For Academies, the Insurance for Academies, Free Schools and Similar Institutions page will provide you with all the important documentation for your insurance tender.
I need help completing the insurance questionnaire. Who should I speak to?
You can contact Lisa O'Shea (0161 974 0947) or Graham Peck (01452 864874), who will be happy to discuss your requirements in more detail.
Purchasing through CPC
What is the Quote Tool?
The Quote Tool allows you to request a quote for a product or service from all of our registered suppliers on the majority of our frameworks in 1 simple form. You can select the relevant framework from the dropdown menu, complete the criteria and your request will automatically be sent to all of the providers on the framework.
What is the Direct Award Tool?
The Direct Award Tool can be used to make a direct award to a CPC supplier where the framework allows. A direct award is best suited to procurements such as (but not limited to):
Low value / low complexity requirements
Where goods or services are exclusive to one supplier / provider
Continuity or additions to existing goods or services
Urgent / one-off requirements
We currently use A N Other Ltd to purchase our goods/ services. Can I still use them having joined CPC?
We engage with our members to ensure that your incumbent suppliers have the opportunity to tender for CPC framework agreements, so you may well find that your current supplier is also a CPC supplier. If that is the case in most instances you can continue to use them, but you will need to ask the supplier to transfer you over to the CPC agreement, this will usually result in improved value for money for your institution. If you have an existing formal contract with the supplier which has an agreed termination date you will need to work with the supplier to transfer you over without penalty. There may also be a requirement to run a further competition to assign the supplier, depending on the framework. It is always worthwhile checking out the pricing offered by CPC suppliers against those offered by the suppliers you are using. Major savings can often be made across a range of products or services.
Who should we send our Request to?
In order to comply with regulations you should send your request to all of the suppliers on the framework. You can do this by either using the Get a Quote template or by sending an email to each of the suppliers on the template.
Miscellaneous
I first heard about CPC because we were looking at insurance. What else can CPC offer?
CPC offer contracts across a number of commodity areas. A full list of our current frameworks is available on our 'Frameworks' page.
We need purchasing advice. Can CPC help?
Yes. Please call our helpdesk team on 0800 066 2188 who will direct your call to someone who can offer you advice as required.
Website
How do I register as a user on the CPC website?
You can create an account to access the CPC website if you are EITHER
A member of staff from one of our member institutions (if you are not sure, please try to register and it will automatically check for you)
You are a Key Account Holder from one of our approved suppliers
Members can register an account by going to the Create Account page and using your staff email address. For institutions the domain part of your email address (e.g. @institutionname.ac.uk) will be checked against our database of member institutions. For suppliers the email address which is used to register an account must match with the email address which we hold for the relevant Key Account Holder. For all other members of staff of an approved supplier, please speak to your Key Account Holder who is able to nominate additional users.
When I try to login I receive the error message "Username or password incorrect. Login Failed."
Please check that you are using the correct email address as your username (you will have registered with your staff email address). The password is case-sensitive so check if the Caps Lock button on your keyboard has accidentally been switched on. If you are unsure that you are entering the correct password, you can request a new password by going to the Forgotten Your Password page and entering your email address.
I've forgotten my password. How can I get a new one?
You can request a new password by going to the Forgotten Your Password page and entering your email address. An email will be sent to your address with a new, randomly generated, password. Once you have successfully logged in you can change your password to something more memorable by going to the Change Password page.
How can I provide feedback on the CPC?
You can provide feedback by either completing the Feedback form or else by contacting the CPC office directly on 0800 066 2188.