Doing business with the Council

How we do business

Our Commissioning and Procurement Plan is an accessible guide to how we work. It sets out our aims and priorities for the things we buy and explains how we build maximum social and financial value into every contract opportunity.

On this page you will find links to live contract opportunities, our upcoming commissioning intentions, our contract list, and information on how you can find support to bid for contracts.

Open to replace the NEPO Portal

On 28th October 2024 Newcastle City Council gradually started to move to the Open e-tendering platform. All Suppliers wishing to bid for public sector opportunities issued by Newcastle City Council should register on the Open platform which is free to register and use. Click on the image below to register and for further information.

The Procurement Act 2023 and Newcastle City Council

Procurement Act 2023: Implementation Date Update

We would like to inform you that the implementation date for the Procurement Act 2023 has been moved from 28th October 2024 to 24th February 2025.
While the date has changed, we are continuing our preparation to ensure a smooth transition. Suppliers and all other stakeholders affected by the changes are encouraged to stay engaged with any forthcoming updates or training related to the new procurement processes.
Newcastle City Council are working with The Government Commercial Function, Transforming Public Procurement and the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) regarding the new legislation.

Check out and download the Government Commercial Function Factsheet here (Oct 2024)

Please check here for regular updates.

New Central Digital Platform for Suppliers

As part of the UK Government's commitment to streamline public procurement, all suppliers are now required to register on the new Central Digital Platform. This platform will serve as the primary hub for accessing opportunities, submitting tender information, and co-ordinating contracts with public sector organisations, including local authorities.  Registration is quick and ensures you remain eligible to participate in procurement exercises.

To support readiness for the new regime and platform, Gov.uk are running two webinars for suppliers and other external organisations in January. These sessions will focus primarily on what the key changes are, how the central digital platform will work (featuring a live demonstration) and will be an opportunity to ask questions on your own preparations for go-live.
The sessions will be recorded and shared on the GOV.UK webpages for those unable to attend. 

You can book your place using the links below:
Thursday, 23 January 2025 (10.30-11.30)
Friday, 24 January 2025 (11.00-12.00)
Don't miss this opportunity to stay connected with public sector procurement and ensure compliance with the latest requirements.
To help you navigate this transition, more Gov.uk resources are available here  Information and guidance for suppliers - GOV.UK
 

Find live contract opportunities

Open opportunities over £25,000

We publish the majority of our competitive contract opportunities over £25,000 on Open  along with the other North East local authorities. While we are transitioning to this new system you may also find some opportunities on the NEPO Portal

If you would like to work with the Council you can register on Open, free of charge, here. Once registered you will receive automatic alerts as new contract opportunities are published for a category/delivery area you are interested in.

For the publication of new procurement notices Find A Tender has replaced the Official Journal of the European Union's Tenders Electronic Daily (OJEU/TED) and provides a UK wide gov.uk search function for the publication and viewing of high value new procurement notices (usually above £138,760 - including VAT). 

For lower value opportunities worth over £12,000 (including VAT) in England this information can be found via gov.uk Contracts Finder

Consultancy and training opportunities of any value

If you offer a  consultancy or training service our live opportunities are published on the Bloom website. You need to register with Bloom to bid for these opportunities.

 Please contact Bloom directly to undertake this simple process at projects@bloom.services or 020 3948 9400 .

Contractual Arrangements

You can view details of out contractual arrangements here

Support to bid

You can access a range of support through the Council's business support partners to help improve your chances of bidding successfully:

• The NEPO Supplier Partnership Programme offers free training and networking events for local organisations in areas such as bid writing, understanding procurement, and developing social value in your business
• Our Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) offers free support on intellectual property, and provides training events on things like content marketing, and developing innovative practice

Find out more about the support offered and book training via their websites at the links above.