Procurement and the council

How we procure goods and services

We procure works, supplies and services to local communities and deliver critical public services. This includes large projects, such as building schools, or everyday items such as office supplies.

We make sure everything we purchase balances cost and quality to achieve best value for money. Every process follows clear rules to remain fair, open and transparent.

How procurement works

Procurement is the structured process we use to choose suppliers and manage public contracts, including:

advertising opportunities openly
selecting suppliers based on objective criteria
agreeing contracts with clear terms and conditions
managing performance through regular reviews
treating all suppliers equally and ensure every process is fair and open

Procurement regulations and value thresholds

Public procurement in Scotland is governed by the following legislation:

These laws apply to higher-value purchases and help make sure spending is accountable and fair.

Standing orders on contracts

Our Standing Orders on Contracts are a statutory requirement, agreed and approved by the Council's Executive Committee. Standing Orders apply to the procurement of supplies, services and works and are defined by three value thresholds:

Contracts below £10,000

we do not run a formal tender process
we make sure we get value for money
we comply with the council's code of Corporate Governance

Contracts between £10,000 and £50,000

we do not run a formal tender process
we ask suppliers to provide quotes
we usually request at least 5 quotes through Public Contracts Scotland Quick Quote including 4 from local SMEs, if available

Contracts above £50,000

regulated procurement rules apply
we run a formal tender process
we follow Scottish procurement regulations
contracts are open to competition

What our Procurement Team does

Our procurement team supports services across the council. They

run formal tender processes and award compliant contracts
secure best value for money, achieving over £2.5m financial efficiencies on the Procured spend review
provide professional advice and guidance on risk and legal challenge
drive community wealth building by increasing spend with local businesses and SMEs
support sustainable and efficient purchasing to reduce our environmental impact
support sustainable and efficient purchasing to reduce our environmental impact
ensures procurement helps deliver our key corporate objectives

They help us balance cost with quality, service and long-term value.

Community benefits and social value

We require suppliers to give back to South Lanarkshire. Through Community Benefits, contractors deliver tangible social improvements, such as building repairs, school equipment donations, and local community group funding. We also use bespoke Procured Services Arrangements (PSA) under Light Touch Rules for social and care contracts to prioritise long-term community care needs.

Find current contracts - contract register

You can view our Contract register to see details of contracts we have awarded. This helps keep our procurement process open and transparent.

What you will find in the register

The contracts register includes:

current and recent contracts
supplier names
contract values
start and end dates