If you’re a supplier or business with a commitment to Wigan Borough, you may be interested in working with the Council and its partners on opportunities to build community wealth and add social value, through the delivery of contracts. We welcome opportunities to work with Small to Medium Enterprises, Community and Voluntary Groups, and the local 3rd Sector, via fair and transparent processes, to increase investment in our Borough.
We advertise business opportunities for suppliers to bid for through competitive tendering via the following:
- The Chest (external link) - The Chest is the primary portal we use to advertise new tenders and for suppliers to submit bids for our tender opportunities. You will find full details of how to register, login and manage your account on the website. The site is also used by other public sector bodies across North West England.
We also advertise business opportunities on the following sites:
- Contracts Finder (external link) - We use Contracts Finders to advertise contracts generally worth over £25,000 which are subject to a public advertisement. It is also used across the public sector in England
- Find a Tender (external link) - Find a Tender is used to advertise details of higher value tenders above certain thresholds. Find a Tender has replaced the EU’s Tenders Electronic Daily from 1st January 2021 for high value contracts in the UK
- Tenders Electronic Daily (external link) - Details of our tenders which are subject to advertisement in the European Union (if the procurement process started before 1st January 2021). The Tenders Electronic Daily website is used by EU countries
- Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (external link) - Use this portal to supply goods or services to us through Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO).
Here are some procurement websites that may assist businesses to win public sector contracts across the UK and with partner organisations:
- CCS (external link) - The Crown Commercial Service advertises nationally available contract opportunities
- EU Supply (external link) - Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) use ‘EU Supply’ via NHS Shared Business Services as their tendering portal. The portal contains links to the supplier registration page and the opportunities page, not just for WWL but all available tenders via the portal
- NHS Supply Chain (external link) - For ‘NHS Supply Chain’ the link provides potential suppliers with all of the information to bid National Frameworks
- Multiquote (external link) - Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) also use a system called ‘Multiquote’ for low value quotations.
Social Value - Match My Project
We want to develop a strong partnership with suppliers, businesses, social enterprises, and community and voluntary groups who share our values, invest in Wigan Borough, and have an absolute commitment to delivering a high standard of work. We want suppliers to provide supportive employment, strive for continuous improvement, and carry out ethical business practices within the law; these are minimum expectations. We expect suppliers to invest in our place in return for public money; to make and fulfil social value commitments, and work with our communities and neighbourhoods to understand what’s important to them.
Match My Project (external link) is a meeting point for the business and community sector, where community organisations can get help for their projects from businesses working in Wigan Borough. We encourage all suppliers to register on the platform and look for matches they are able to support. This provides ready opportunities to demonstrate a commitment to social value.
Commissioning intentions
The Commissioning intentions are a published procurement pipeline that contains details of contracts expected to be re-produced and new procurement projects that are expected to be undertaken.
Please bear in mind the following:
- The likelihood of being re-procured or timescale for re-procurement may change from this forecast
- For opportunities with a whole life value under £50k, we will invite quotes from a limited number of suppliers
- For all opportunities, you will need to register on the council's tendering website portal, The Chest (external link)
- Whether or not to use a framework is made on a case-by-case basis at the start of the re-tendering process
- We make use of framework agreements where appropriate, as these are a cost-effective route to procure goods and services in common use
- Framework agreements are tendered by other organisations such as Crown Commercial Services or ESPO
- Our Commissioning Intentions / Procurement Pipeline will include contracts to be considered to be renewable and will be updated on an annual basis.
Note that we are now expected to ensure that suppliers to the council comply with equality and diversity legislation.
We are committed to the highest standards of openness and accountability.
Our Whistleblowing Policy allows employees and staff within contracting organisations to raise any concerns they have without fear of reprisals. If you have concerns about our work, please contact us.
Please note all procurement procedures will be subject to change under the new 'Procurement Act 2023' which is due to be implemented on 24th February 2025.