NI Assembly Procurement Processes
FoI 26-15
20 April 2015
1. Do you have a procurement compliance function (department or responsible
person)?
The NI Assembly has a Procurement Office which has responsibility for
procurement compliance.
2. How do you undertake analysis of the Council’s spend – using your financial
management system or third party spend analytical tool?
The NI Assembly uses a financial management tool to analyse its spend.
3. How often do you use that?
The financial management tool is used annually to analyse spend.
4. How many suppliers did you make a payment to within the periods:
a. 2012/13 - 837 suppliers
b. 2013/14 - 978 suppliers
c. 2014/15 - 1041 suppliers
5. What % of suppliers accounts for 80% of your spend (period covering 1 Apr 13 to 31 Mar 14)
In 2013-2014 the top 2% of suppliers accounted for 80% of the expenditure.
6. Does this spend analysis form part of Management Information presented/considered by a formal management group / procurement board?
Suppliers’ expenditure analysis is not provided as part of monthly management information.
7. What’s the approval mechanism for spend:
a. above £500
i. budget holder
ii. specific board
b. £10,000
i. budget holder
ii. specific board
c. £25,000
i. budget holder
ii. specific board
d. £100,000
i. budget holder
ii. specific board
e. £1,000,000
i. budget holder
ii. specific board
The approval mechanism for spend within the NI Assembly is not dependent on the amount involved. The approvals are dependent on the complexity of the proposed procurement and whether or not a business case is required. Where a business case is required, the approval mechanism is by a specific board. Non-complex procurements are approved by a budget holder.
8. What is the level of early market engagement undertaken by your organisation?
Is it carried out based on;
a. Value threshold, if so what
b. Risk
c. Value and Risk
d. Other, please specify
The early market engagement undertaken by the NI Assembly is carried out
based on value and risk.
9. Approximately, as a % of all procurements undertaken, what % involve early
market engagement?
a. less than 25%,
b. 25%
c. 50%
d. 75%
e. don’t know
Approximately 75% of all procurements undertaken by the NI Assembly involve early market engagement.
10. On what basis are you engaging with the market, as part of your early market engagement activity; tick all that apply
a. Pricing models
b. length of contracts
c. service specification
d. outcomes
e. new technology / products
f. contract packaging / lots
g. other, please specify
The NI Assembly engages with the market as part of its early market engagement in relation to pricing models, length of contracts, service specification, outcomes, new technology/products and contract packaging/lots.
11. Do you have a formal process for the consideration of the following procurement processes and can you evidence this i.e. sample reports, documents, minutes etc.?
a. Use of in-house service
b. Use of existing contract
c. Use of wider frameworks / collaborative arrangements
d. Shared services with another body
e. other delivery model
i. Joint Ventures
ii. Local Authority owned Company
iii. Teckel arrangement
iv. Social Enterprise
f. Decommissioning
g. Demand management
h. Facilitating sub-contract / consortium / partnerships
The NI Assembly has a formal process for the consideration of the following procurement processes:-
Use of existing contract
Use of wide frameworks/collaborative arrangements
Shared services with another body
Facilitating sub-contract/consortium/partnerships
Sample reports, documents etc. are not appropriate as these solutions
are addressed by procurement strategy on a case by case basis.
