Procurement at FCO Services
Details of FCO Services purchasing and information for those looking to become a supplier to FCO Services.
Procurement in FCO Services
As a Trading Fund of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), FCO Services can provide a range of integrated, secure services worldwide to the FCO and other UK and foreign government departments. FCO Services can offer contract opportunities to supply goods, services and works to support our customer requirements. What we procure can range from protective security, estates and construction, cloud computing, communications and monitoring, logistics, translation and interpreting. We use competition to maximise our potential to deliver value for money. We procure, where possible from Crown Commercial Services and other government organisations frameworks in addition to offering contract opportunities to a wider supply market.
Supply to FCO Services
We are legally obliged to advertise certain requirements so you are advised to look for opportunities to supply to FCO Services in Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) and the FCO eSourcing Portal - BRAVO. FCO Services shares the use of Bravo with the FCO, so you are advised to look specifically for FCO Services opportunities. Also visit Contracts Finder for contract opportunities (over £10,000).
We mandate use of the government procurement card for low value purchases. FCO Services will also issue competitions that range from a straightforward comparison of quotations to a formal sealed tender process, dependent on the commercial, operational and legal risk involved. We use contract conditions to manage these risks.
Contract terms and conditions
FCO Services normally contracts with its suppliers on its standard terms and conditions, except where different terms and conditions have been previously agreed. These exceptions include:
- contracts placed under pre-existing framework agreements, including frameworks set up by the Crown Commercial Service and other government organisations
- all other competed contracts and those with large-scale, complex requirements
Payment of invoices
All valid goods, services and works invoices received are paid as soon as they have been approved by authorised FCO Services staff. We rely on suppliers to ensure their invoices provide the details needed to match them quickly to the original purchase order. We will not be changing our existing contractual terms and conditions which remain at 30 days. Where a supplier lets a sub-contract in connection with an FCO Services contract we expect them to include similar prompt payment terms to those above in respect of payments to their sub-contractors.
Supporting government policy
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
See the European Union definition of an SME.
We support the government’s SME target of awarding 33% of spend with third-party suppliers to SMEs through:
- following government guidelines and principles
- regularly reviewing our procurement plans to ensure that they do not prohibit SME involvement
- researching the market and developing appropriate market engagement strategies to encourage competition and attract a diverse range of suppliers
- tracking the amount of expenditure awarded to SMEs
- advertising our contracts in a transparent way
Transparency
We support the Government Transparency in Procurement initiative by publishing details of our contract opportunities, contract award and purchase order contracts over £10,000 on Contracts Finder.
Sustainable procurement
We practice sustainable procurement to achieve value for money while minimising environmental damage and waste.
Guidance on bribery, modern slavery & ethical procurement
See the corporate responsibility page of our FCO Services website. FCO Services staff engaged in procurement have a duty to act in a professional and impartial manor and be mindful of the Bribery Act 2010. We expect our suppliers to act in accordance with the Bribery Act. In addition, our anti bribery and corruption policy defines a code of conduct establishing a set of expectations and standards for all FCO Services staff outlining how they will behave and work together to ensure our business remains free of bribery and corruption.
Our Ethical Code also ensures all our officers and staff understand and abide by our corporate ethical standards. FCO Services has a legal obligation to produce and publish an annual Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement and our Ethics Policy Statement for Suppliers and Sub Contractors sets out the core principles that suppliers and their sub-contractors must follow to maintain high standards of integrity and professionalism in their working practices. All contracted suppliers are required to declare their working practices meet the minimum standards.
All FCO Services procurement staff annually undertake the CIPS Ethical Procurement and Supply e-learning and FCO Services have been awarded the CIPS Corporate Ethics mark and appear on the CIPS Corporate Ethics register
Prompt payment policy
We aim to pay 80% of all valid invoices within 5 working days from receipt, to meet the government’s prompt payment initiative. Read the FCO’s latest prompt payment data. FCO Services prompt payment data excludes the FCO and partners across government.