FAQs
Who are the procurement team?
The Procurement and Contracts team provide professional and contractual advice to Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey District Council and South Holland District Council, also referred to as the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership (SELCP).
The team consists of our Head of Procurement and Contracts, Procurement Manager, Senior Procurement Officer, two Procurement Officers, Contract Support Officer and Procurement Apprentice.
How do we ensure Fairness and Transparency?
In line with legislation for public sector authorities, all contracts above the threshold of £5,000 are listed on the contracts register for each council, and easily accessible on the council's websites. The procurement processes included within the contracts registers include Invitations to Tender, Request for Quotation, Framework Agreements and any other legally enforceable agreements.
Dependent on the contract value, tender opportunities are listed on our tender portal.
This ensures all registered suppliers have access to documentation once the opportunity is published. All suppliers have the same evaluation criteria, which is included within the tender documentation. There is the opportunity to clarify the document set and have a suitable timeframe to compile a bid.
What is the process for supplier selection?
Supplier selection will be done in line with the relevant procurement thresholds and current procurement contract regulations.
Suppliers are marked against set evaluation criteria which includes price and quality factors. Information regarding the weightings and how this process works is detailed within the document set for each available opportunity.
How do we support the councils and partnership?
Public Sector Partnership Services Ltd (PSPS), is the external service provider to Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey District Council and South Holland District Council. The PSPS Procurement and Contracts service began on the 1st April 2023.
The Procurement and Contracts team provides support with advertising tender opportunities, providing contract support, updating the council's contracts registers, obtaining quotations, spend analysis and assisting clients across the partnership with any procurement related queries.
We pride ourselves on providing a professional, transparent and supportive service to the councils within the SELCP area.
How do I view upcoming procurement opportunities?
If you are a supplier, hoping to work with us in the future, registering to our e-tendering portal, 'In-Tend', will allow you to see all the tender opportunities we have currently listed and keep you updated on any opportunities we advertise in the future. (Please note, it's important to select the appropriate CPV/ Classification code for your area of industry).
Please refer to the client council's website for the current contracts registers.
How do I view current procurement opportunities?
Please register your business on our tender portal.
You will be able to view the contracts being currently advertised and express an interest to view the documents relevant to the opportunity.
How can we help you?
The procurement team are keen to assist council personnel with any Procurement and Contract queries or projects. Please refer back to questions 2 & 3 for the list of services and support we offer.
For any supplier or any other external queries, please get in touch and we will advise accordingly. We are happy to discuss all things procurement & contracts related, and look to make things as simple as possible for suppliers interested in potential opportunities to supply to the Council(s).
Please note, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests should be directed towards the relevant council. Please view their websites for further details.
General procurement timelines
Each procurement opportunity is unique, and timelines can vary, depending on both the complexity of the requirement, and the required procurement process (such as an advertised tender).
The contract value dictates any minimum statutory procurement timelines and processes.
A tender process has a timeline from researching & drafting the document set, through advertisement, evaluation, and then awarding the contract.
As a guide, a standard tender process can take between four to six months from initial project request to contract start date.
To ensure that we can support the SELCP Councils to our fullest potential, we aim to have achievable timelines to get drafted projects to the award stage. Early involvement from our team is recommended to ensure a cohesive and efficient process.
The councils reserve the right to change any procurement timelines where appropriate.
How do I view the current contracts registers for the councils within the SELCP?
The contracts can be found on the following webpages. The Contracts Registers for each council are updated monthly:
- Boston Council Contracts Register
- East Lindsey Council Contract Register
- South Holland Council Contract Register
I'm having difficulty registering on the tender portal
Please see below for some frequent supplier issues regarding registration to the portal
Personal Details
When registering onto In-Tend, please fill in all information so we can contact you about tender opportunities and send you clarifications. Please be aware that the email and telephone number you register with, will be the contact information we use to communicate with you.
Other In-Tend portals
Check that you are attempting to log into the PSPS (SELCP) In-Tend portal. There are other In-Tend portals that you may have previously registered with, that are unrelated to ours. Simply follow the link to the opportunity, as per the tender advertisement.
Forgotten passwords/log-in details
If you have previously registered and you are having trouble logging in, please double check your details and try again. If the problem persists, please submit a general enquiry to procurement@pspsl.co.uk.
If you still cannot access the portal, please submit a general enquiry to procurement@pspsl.co.uk and one of the team will be happy to advise.