A negotiated agreement is an arrangement agreed between the buyer(s) and the seller(s) without going through a formal competitive tendering process. These are sometimes referred to as ‘single sourcing’, ‘one-quote’ or ‘direct award’. The latter phrase not to be confused with a direct award process through a framework, which is discussed elsewhere.
CPC has put in place a small number of arrangements that were entered into through dialogue with the relevant suppliers to negotiate the offer. This has been done where aggregated member requirements are unlikely to exceed procurement regulation thresholds or where there is little evidenced appetite amongst our members for a particular requirement.
The process followed by CPC to establish negotiated agreements through which CPC members can make direct awards, is:
CPC identifies the products / services where a potential negotiated agreement might be developed, or CPC are approached by a supplier in an emerging market
CPC researches the potential suppliers and contacts them about the product or services required and invite them to a meeting after carrying out the necessary basic supplier(s) checks.
All the requirements and protocols are discussed at the meeting and a proposal is developed by the supplier.
The supplier offerings are carefully analysed by CPC and negotiated further if required.
When appropriate CPC accepts the offer and the supplier set up processes are completed.
The suppliers are launched on the CPC website with all the information attached to their supplier page including agreed pricing, where applicable.
The Contract Manager involved with the negotiations with the suppliers(s) monitors the agreement on a regular basis to make sure things are happening as they should, and takes action where required.
Institutions that wish to access CPC negotiated agreements for their purchases or simply wish to conduct their own negotiated agreement or single-source ‘direct award’ should follow their own relevant financial procedures before placing an order with a supplier directly in the case of a single supplier negotiated agreement. Where there are several suppliers on a CPC or other purchasing consortium agreement members should compare the pricing for simple requirements and select the best value, while ensuring their own financial procedures are followed. Where a pricelist is not available or for bespoke requirements CPC recommends that the members get a quote from all the suppliers on the agreement, also ensuring that their own financial procedures are followed.
Please ensure that you let the supplier know that you are a CPC member to get the CPC preferential rates when calling-off a CPC negotiated agreement.
School / MAT members - the information on this page aligns with the following ISBL Professional Standards: 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, 3.15, 3.16