Get a Quote
You can get quotes from fully-vetted suppliers by using the Quote Tool or the Sourcing Cloud. Both quotation tools enable you to perform and manage a further competition (also known as a mini competition), helping you to comply with procurement regulations.*
How the quote tools work:
- Enter details of what you need to buy
- All suppliers on the framework receive your request
- CPC suppliers send you quotes
Select the quotation tool which is most suitable for your purchase:
CPC Quote Tool
A quick and easy to use tool that members know and love, which is best used for simple or low value procurements.
- Issue documents electronically
- Issue clarifications to all suppliers
- Hard copy tender returns
- Emailed tender returns
- Electronic tender returns
- Auditable correspondence and Audit trails
- Sealed bids
- Post Contracts Finder Award Notice
CPC Sourcing Cloud
A comprehensive tool provided by Elcom for more complex procurements and all mini competitions that exceed £214,904.00.
- Issue documents electronically
- Issue clarifications to all suppliers
- Hard copy tender returns
- Emailed tender returns
- Electronic tender returns
- Auditable correspondence and Audit trails
- Sealed bids
- Post Contracts Finder Award Notice
Using a CPC quote tool helps you comply with procurement regulations
Under Procurement Regulations, if there is more than one supplier on a framework you are typically required to carry out a mini competition exercise to give all eligible suppliers an opportunity to submit a proposal in response to your requirement. The CPC Quote Tool and CPC Sourcing Cloud are designed to help you to manage this process.
Procurement thresholds and compliance
To comply with Procurement Regulations, the CPC Quote Tool should not be used for mini competitions that exceed the relevant procurement threshold for your institution type:
The majority of CPC member institutions:
The threshold for schools, academies, MAT’s, 6th form colleges and universities is £214,904.00 inc. VAT.
English FE institutions:
Following the reclassification of these institutions as central government authorities in January 2024, a new lower threshold of £139,688.00 inc. VAT has been introduced.
Scottish and Welsh FE institutions:
These have not been reclassified and are subject to the £214,904.00 threshold.
What if my requirement exceeds the threshold?
If your procurement is above threshold you will need to run the mini competition through the CPC Sourcing Cloud e-procurement software or your own e-tendering procurement solution that has functionality to allow electronic tender returns. More information on the Regulations concerning electronic communications is available on FELP.
*It is the user's responsibility to ensure that the tool is used compliantly and that all relevant suppliers have received notice of the request. CPC shall not be held responsible for errors or omissions that cause compliance concerns for the user if the user has not checked for, and actioned anomalies.
For Contracts Finder guidance, please see FELP.