Low Value Spend (under £10k)

More Detailed Information about Challenge

Is the purchase necessary for the purposes of the school/CYPF project?

If it will not contribute to current or future objectives it may not be needed.

Could the money be better spent elsewhere?

If the purchase has not been identified in the School Development/CYPF Plan or is likely to have little impact on teaching and learning, consider if the resources could be applied elsewhere to increase that impact. For CYPF this is a good place to challenge whether a proper needs assessment has been carried out.

Can the item or service be borrowed/shared?

Quite a few examples exist of schools sharing specialist equipment or expertise. Consider whether this can be done within, or from another school/CYPF project.

Is this the time to make the procurement?

It is expensive to let a contract, reduce this cost by putting in place a contract for the right length taking into account factors such as potential changes in the market and associated risks. Try and avoid bulk buying at the end as schools and others will be doing the same, all placing pressures on suppliers and driving up costs.

Can the cost of the procurement exercise be justified/reduced?

Try to reduce procurement costs by bringing similar purchases together into one purchasing exercise. Also, look at opportunities to work with other schools / CYPF projects to share the costs involved and increase purchasing power — possibly achieving benefits in addition to a lower price.

Is the necessary technical expertise available in-house to run this particular procurement exercise?

Running a procurement exercise with inexperienced people may result in a poorly negotiated contract and costly in the long term. If this expertise isn't available in-house look to your local authority and other schools for advice.

Are the resources available for managing the procurement?

Even purchases under the £10 000 mark will require staff time to draw up the right specification — staff time is an added cost. Consider if it would be more cost effective to draw from a Framework agreement already in place. Also, on an more practical level check whether budget been allocated for the purchase. If it has not then the budget holder will need to know before proceeding any further.