Maintained schools and academies have a duty to make sure they obtain the best value for money from any contracts they enter into. Whether an existing contract is coming to an end or a new service or good is required, schools need to follow a procurement process. Here are some quick guidelines for schools to help you ensure you are buying in the right way and complying with the law.
Check with your local authority, multi-academy trust or diocese before you start, as they may be responsible for buying certain things. However, in many circumstances you do not necessarily have to go with the option your local authority is recommending (for example, in the case of an MIS supplier) and so it is important to consider what option is best for your individual school. When contracts come to an end it is good practice to “re-procure”, to make sure the product or service still meets your needs and gives you the best value for money. Whether there has been a significant or material change in what the existing supplier is providing (for example, upgrading IT systems to a cloud-based product) or not, it is still best practice to go through the procurement process again.
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