Metrology Laboratory

About the buyer

North Northamptonshire Council is a unitary local authority that runs procurement through its own dedicated in-house team. Larger contracts are advertised publicly through the government's Find a Tender service once they pass a set value threshold. Suppliers register and submit their bids electronically through the council's e-procurement portal, ProContract. Smaller purchases are sourced through written quotations, with a clear preference for suppliers based locally. Mid-value contracts move through a more formal request-for-quotation process ahead of any public advertising. A public contracts register lists every active agreement the council currently holds with its suppliers.

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 North Northamptonshire Council's contract awards have been in construction work, business services and health and social work.