Procurement and the council

How we procure goods and services

We procure works, supplies and services to deliver critical public services. This includes large projects, such as building housing, 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 ensuring 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; however, at least three quotes are sought
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 ask suppliers to provide quotes
we usually request at least five quotes through Public Contracts Scotland Quick Quote, including four from local South Lanarkshire based companies, 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 in accordance with our Procurement Strategy
secure best value for money, achieving over £4.5m financial efficiencies on the Procured spend review
provide professional advice and guidance on procurement to all council services
drive community wealth building by increasing spend with local businesses and SMEs
support sustainable and efficient purchasing to reduce our environmental impact
ensure 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.

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.

If you experience any issues opening the Contract register or any other documents on this page, see our guidance on open document formats for help.

What you will find in the register

The contracts register includes:

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