Procurement at the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission)
The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the legislative body for Northern Ireland, made up of 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). They are supported by their staff and by the Assembly Commission.
The Assembly Commission is the corporate body responsible for providing all staffing, buildings, goods, services and contracts required for the operation of the Assembly.
As a contracting authority, the Assembly Commission operates in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024.
Current Opportunities
There are currently no live opportunities.
Procurement Pipeline
The procurement pipeline provides an indicative forward look at potential procurement activity. It is for information only and may be updated or amended. Inclusion of an item does not guarantee that a procurement process will begin or that a contract will be awarded.
Delta Portal
The Assembly Commission will advertise all tender opportunities on the Delta eSourcing Portal. Suppliers must be registered on this portal if they wish to bid for any of our contracts.
If you experience any technical difficulties accessing the Delta portal, then please contact the Delta eSourcing Helpdesk 0800 923 9236 or email helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com.
Procurement Information, Guidance and Support
Assembly Commission Procurement Policy
The Assembly Commission’s Procurement Policy sets out the principles and objectives governing how we procure goods, services and works.
Our Social Value Policy complements the Procurement Policy and sets our commitment to ensuring our contracts deliver wider benefits to society, the economy, and the environment.
Standard Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice
All contracts awarded by the Assembly Commission are governed by our Standard Terms and Conditions of Contract for the Provision of Goods and Services.
Our Privacy Notice details how we will collect and use any of your personal data which we collect as part of our tendering processes.
How we buy
The Assembly Commission uses various procurement routes depending on contract value:
- Up to £10,000 – no formal competition. We will ensure value for money.
- £10,001 - £50,000 – a formal quotation exercise is undertaken involving a minimum of three suppliers. These opportunities are not routinely publicly advertised.
- Over £50,000 – a formal tender process using a competitive procurement procedure.
Tenders and the associated notices are advertised in the Current Opportunities section, on Delta eSourcing and on Find a Tender.
The Assembly Commission is committed to conducting procurement processes fairly, transparently and in accordance with applicable procurement legislation. Appropriate measures are in place to identify and manage conflicts of interest.
Collaborating with other Public Bodies
We often work with other public bodies which results in collaborative contracts. We or the other public body may undertake the tender competition.
We also make use of frameworks that are available to us and will follow the call-off process specific to the framework.
How Bids are Evaluated
Tender submissions are evaluated by staff knowledgeable in the subject matter and/or involved in delivering the contract.
Evaluation criteria are specific to each competition. Details of the criteria and how they will be evaluated will be clearly set out in the tender documents.
Contract Award
Following internal approvals, we will notify all bidders of the outcome.
Feedback is provided to all suppliers. Unsuccessful bidders will receive information to help improve future submissions.
View contracts we have awarded over £50,000.
Contract Management
Contract managers will monitor delivery against the requirements set out in the contract, including performance, quality and any agreed reporting arrangements.
Suppliers must maintain (and where possible improve) the quality and performance standards set out in the contract.
General Procurement Information, Guidance and Support
The UK Government provides guidance to help suppliers understand the public procurement process, including 'Knowledge Drops' explaining the changes introduced by the Procurement Act 2023, such as registering on the Central Digital Platform (known as Find a Tender).
Information on how the Procurement Act 2023 applies in Northern Ireland, including the specific exemptions and arrangements that apply, is also available through UK Government procurement guidance.
UK public sector contract opportunities will normally be notified via Find a Tender.
Register with Find a Tender and Delta eSourcing
Registration is free for both Find a Tender (the UK Government's Central Digital Platform for public procurement) and Delta eSourcing. By creating an account and setting up tailored alerts, you can receive details of relevant public sector contract opportunities, helping you identify opportunities that match your business.
Find a Tender also enables suppliers to register and store their organisation’s information, reducing the need to provide the same information each time they bid for a public contract. Delta eSourcing is used by the Assembly Commission to advertise and manage its quotation and tender opportunities.
Top Tips for Preparing Bids
- Familiarise yourself with our standard terms and conditions and relevant policies.
- Allow plenty of time to submit your bid – avoid uploading on the final day.
- Read all instructions carefully.
- Understand the specification and ensure that you can meet the requirements.
- Ask for clarification if anything is unclear.
- Clearly demonstrate how your technical skills and experience match the requirements.
- Only information included in your submission can be evaluated – do not rely on prior knowledge or experience we may have with your organisation or the goods or services you offer.
- Answer each question directly and fully.
- If using a bid writer or AI, ensure the final submission is checked by those who will deliver the contract so they are confident it can be delivered.
