Partners for Change - The Three Conversations

About the buyer

Middlesbrough Council is a local authority, and its Contract and Commissioning Unit handles procurement enquiries. All quotations and tenders go through the NEPO portal, the North East Procurement Organisation's shared e-tendering system. NEPO works in partnership with 12 North East local authorities on the strategic procurement of goods and services. Contracts above the higher thresholds are also advertised on Contracts Finder and the Find a Tender Service. Buy Boro, the council's simplified quotation procedure, directs smaller contracts toward local businesses and SMEs. Suppliers can register on the NEPO portal free of charge to receive notifications of new opportunities.

UK local government drives £140bn in annual procurement, led by social protection (£66.6bn) and education (£57.1bn).

Over the past 5 years, most of Middlesbrough Council's contract awards have been in business services, repair and maintenance and health and social work.