Procurement is the process through which the council establishes contracts for goods, services and works.
On these pages you will find all the information and advice you need to do business with us.
Our procurement activity covers a wide range of spend types across the works, goods and service sectors.
In order to view current tender opportunities for Cheltenham Borough Council please visit our e-procurement system.
Suppliers will need to be registered on the portal in order to view live opportunities. Please visit the supplier registration pages for further information.
The operational procurement service at Cheltenham Borough Council is provided by Publica. The Publica procurement team provide this service to a number of councils: Cheltenham Borough Council; Cotswold District Council; Forest of Dean District Council; West Oxfordshire District Council.
The council uses the e-procurement system In-tend for all formal tendering requirements. All suppliers interested in tendering for our business are encouraged to take the time to register, free of charge.
Register on our e-procurement systemOnce registered you can complete your supplier profile, this allows your organisation to be visible to both Cheltenham Borough Council and other organisations that use the site.
Should you require assistance with registration, please contact In-tend support on 0844 2728810 or email support@in-tend.co.uk.
When you register, you can state your interest against business classification codes and will then receive automatic notification of any suitable opportunities as soon as they are advertised by the council.
The council can use the e-procurement system to:
Suppliers can use the e-procurement system to:
For all procurement requirements above £30,000, suppliers are required to use the e-procurement system. This applies to all correspondence and tender submissions related to the opportunity.
In addition, for all contracts valued above relevant threshold we require suppliers to be registered on the find a tender service (FTS) which is the central digital platform for public procurement. You can find out more about how to register on the FTS on the Procurement Act 2023 drop down below.
Our procurement processes are not only governed by UK procurement legislation but also at a local level through our own contract rules which are part of the council's constitution. Our contract rules set out the standards which contracts may be entered.
Before carrying out a procurement process, we will consider whether there is a suitable framework agreement, dynamic market or existing contract to which the council is a party that provides a mechanism for ordering goods, services and works and, if so, consider whether it’s use is appropriate, legal and adheres to the principles of best value. Where there is no suitable framework agreement, dynamic market or existing contract the procurement procedure depends on the value of the contract.
From source that offers the best value for money. This could be demonstrated by obtaining two written quotes where possible, using the council’s e-procurement system where appropriate.
When seeking quotations, where possible we will seek at least one quote from a local supplier, with a particular preference to SMEs.
Minimum of three written quotes through the council’s e-procurement system.
When seeking quotations, where possible we will seek at least one quote from a local supplier, with a particular preference to SMEs.
Advertised competitive invitation to tender process through the council’s e-procurement system.
Regulated procurement spend thresholds are reviewed and amended every two years. You can view the current thresholds on GOV.UK.
Advertised competitive invitation to tender process through the council’s e-procurement system.
Waivers (below threshold) and direct awards (above threshold) can only be used in specific circumstances as set out the contract rules.
If you require any further information, please email procurement@publicagroup.uk.
The information you will be asked to provide will depend on the value and nature of the contract and will be used by the council to determine whether you meet our minimum requirements.
You will generally be asked to submit some or all of the following:
If you have any concerns about the tender process, then please contact us at procurement@publicagroup.uk.
Below are the standard terms and conditions for supply of goods or services to Cheltenham Borough Council.
The council is committed to payment of undisputed invoices in line with agreed payment terms. The contractor will submit invoices for payment promptly in accordance with the terms and conditions.
The council is a member of the Better Payment Practice Code whose aims are defined as:
A list of the council’s current contracts can be found on our contracts register.
The register lists all contracts, commissioned activity, purchase orders, call offs from framework agreements that exceed £5,000. It is updated quarterly.
The register shows a number of columns of data which are explained in the table below:
| Column | Field name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A | Organisation name | The name of the organisation |
| B | Contract reference | The reference number assigned to the contract |
| C | Title of agreement | Name of contract being awarded |
| D | Directorate | Service area responsible for managing the contract |
| E | Description | What is covered by the contract |
| F | Contract start date | The start date of the contract |
| G | Contract end date | The end date of the contract |
| H | Review date | Review of whether or not to be re-tendered and when it should be re-tendered |
| I | Estimated contract value (excluding VAT) | The value of the contract exclusive of VAT |
| J | Estimated contract value (including VAT) | The value of the contract inclusive of VAT |
| K | Process type | The procurement process used |
| L | Supplier name | The full name of the company awarded the contract |
| M | Is SME | If the company is a small medium enterprise |
| N | Is VCSE | If the company is a voluntary, community and social enterprise organisation. |
| O | Company registration number | The company registration number where applicable |
| P | Registered charity number | The registered charity number where applicable |
| Q | Irrecoverable VAT (£) | VAT that is not recoverable. |
Our procurement processes are governed by UK procurement legislation and at a local level through our own contract rules which are part of ’s the council constitution.
The contract rules assist officers in achieving good and compliant procurement, and to ensure that we obtain value for money and fulfil our duty of best value in all our procurement activity.
The council’s procurement strategy is currently under review. It will set out our priorities, objectives and approach to procurement activity which meets the needs of the council and its key stakeholders whilst ensuring compliance with the Procurement Act 2023.
New legislation is now in effect that directs the way the public sector buys goods and services.
The Procurement Act 2023 will apply to all procurements which have been published after Monday 24 February 2025
Procurements already in progress or calls offs from frameworks which were procured prior to this date will remain subject to the Public Contract Regulations 2015.
There is already a range of information and resources available on GOV.UK's transforming public procurement pages.
If you have not already, we strongly recommend you watch the official 'transforming public procurement knowledge drop' videos with dedicated versions designed specifically for suppliers, including SME and VCSE suppliers. These videos will give you a broader understanding of the changes.
© Cheltenham Borough Council 2026
