Commercial and Procurement services supplier newsletters

July 2024 newsletter

Welcome to the summer edition of our supplier newsletter.

In this issue we’d like to reinforce the mandatory purchase order requirement and remind you to make sure you have a purchase order before delivering any goods, works or services. 

We also share useful information, resources and training available to suppliers to support them in carbon reduction, cost savings and environmental improvement. 

You can read about our monthly supplier drop-in sessions, and as always, we’ve included a list of upcoming tender opportunities and encourage you to register for alerts on Public Contract Scotland website.

We look forward to working with you.

Lynette Robertson

Head of Commercial and Procurement Services

The key principles of being paid timeously

The Council is committed to ensuring all supplier invoices are paid promptly. Our policy is to pay valid invoices within 30 days of receipt by Payment Services, except where other terms are agreed. Each month around 95% of invoices are paid within 30 days. Here are key steps that any supplier can take to support being paid timeously.

Make sure you have a Purchase Order

All suppliers should ensure they are in receipt of a valid purchase order before delivering any goods, works or services.  Having a purchase order before provision means you can submit an invoice as soon as the order has been fulfilled.

Submitting an invoice with a purchase order number

To aid quicker payment, send your invoice to invoices@edinburgh.gov.uk in an unprotected email. Please don’t hand write purchase order numbers, ensure you send your invoice in a pdf format and don’t stack multiple invoices in one pdf. 

There are a few exceptions to this approach, for example, purchases relating to out of hours emergencies, homelessness or respite care.  In this scenario, please engage with the requester to receive a purchase order at the earliest opportunity.

Still not paid?

Reach out to the requisitioner who raised the purchase order.  They can check the status of their order and dependant on the system, receipt it, which should then trigger the payment process. You can also email invoice.queries@edinburgh.gov.uk .

Has something changed in your organisation?

If something has changed such as an address or bank account, please let us know via our webform as outdated details may result in payment delays.

If you receive a purchase order with incorrect information, or not for your company, please let the requester know.  If you have a contract manager, you can also reach out to that person and advise them that an update is required.

More information on being paid is available on our website

Sustainability tools

Business Energy Scotland provides expert and impartial advice, fully funded by the Scottish Government for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Their advisors are ready to help you save energy, save money and grow a greener business. They also have a free CPD certified online Green Champion training course, where companies can gain new skills and tools to improve their environmental performance and save money.

Energy Saving Trust provides further information on training providers and other useful resources for becoming a heat pump installer in their heat pump installer toolkit. They also have another insulation installer toolkit to encourage careers in the insulation sector.

Finally, Carbon Trust offers a free Carbon Footprint Calculator which has been designed to help UK based SMEs measure their corporate emission footprint following GHG Protocol Guidance. It does not require registration and includes direct emissions from fuel and processes (Scope 1 emissions) and those emissions from purchased electricity (or Scope 2 emissions) for the assets they operate.

Disclaimer – we are not endorsing any of these products but raising awareness of these being a few of many free to access tools available.

Save the date

We plan to hold a supplier engagement event on the morning of 14th November. Registration will be via the Supplier Development Programme portal. More information including how to register will be included in the next supplier newsletter.

Supplier drop in sessions

Did you know that our Commercial and Procurement Services team runs monthly virtual engagement sessions? These are an excellent opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have if you’re interested in working in, or becoming part of, the supply chain that delivers goods, services or works to the Council. If you’d like to drop-in please email procurement.delivery@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Tender opportunities

You can find details of contract opportunities with the Council on the Public Contract Scotland website. You will also find future opportunities for noting interest and engaging in the development where appropriate, we expect these will include the following.

Current opportunities

Prior information notices

Future opportunities

  • Ross Fountain Repair & Maintenance, estimated publishing date July 2024
  • Insurance Framework Agreement, estimated publishing date July 2024
  • Decriminalised Parking and Traffic Enforcement (DPE) Services, estimated publishing date July 2024 
  • Housing Capital Works Framework, estimated publishing date July/August 2024
  • New Build Housing Framework, estimated publishing date July/August 2024
  • Residential, Special Schools and Supported Accommodation Framework, estimated publishing date August 2024
  • Fostering and Continuing Care Framework, estimated publishing date August/September 2024
  • Construction Professional Services Framework, estimated publishing date September 2024
  • EV Charging Expansion Concession Contract, estimated publishing date September 2024
  • City Car Club, estimated publishing date October 2024
  • Contractor Works Framework, estimated publishing date November 2024

Useful resources