Jargon Buster
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APL
Approved Providers List or Approved List of Suppliers.
CIPS
Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.
CRE
Commission for Racial Equality
eAuction
An on-line exercise in which suppliers compete against each other
with open bids for the right to provide goods or services to the
buyer.
eProcurement
An eProcurement service which supports the full purchase to pay
cycle providing a range of services including e-sourcing
(electronic tendering and auctions) and transactional purchase to
pay solutions.
eSourcing
The use of web-based technologies and electronic communication
networks for the pre-contract phases of the purchasing process.
EMB
Ethnic Minority Business.
EOI
Expression of Interest. An advertisement or letter requesting
responses from suitably qualified firms or individuals by a set
date.
EU Legislation
European Union Public Procurement Directives are rules and
regulations that public sector organisations must adhere to when
undertaking procurement exercises.
FOI
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
ITT
Invitation to Tender Document. This is the official document which
provides background to your requirement, specification, terms and
conditions of the contract.
KPI
Key Performance Indicator. KPIs are tools which help to measure the
performance of suppliers against their contractual obligations.
KPIs are normally detailed in the service specification
document.
Leverage
The aggregation of individual purchases to gain the benefits of
bulk buying.
MEAT
Most Economically Advantageous Tender.
Method Statement
The document used in a tender process which sets out questions for
the suppliers to answer which help understand how you intend to
provide the goods or services.
NPQS
National Pre Qualification Service. An organisation to manage APL's
on behalf of public sector bodies. Suppliers will be asked to
register and then be assessed against set criteria such as
Financial and Health and Safety.
OGC
Office of Government Commerce.
OJEU
Official Journal of the European Union. Every procurement exercise
in excess of the OJEU thresholds must be advertised here.
PFI
Private Finance Initiative. A system for providing capital assets
for the provision of public services.
PPP
Public Private Partnership. An agreement between public and private
sector bodies for the provision of public infrastructure.
PQQ
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire. Issued to companies interested in
a particular tender. It assesses suitability and capability prior
to the issue of a tender document.
Procurement
The act of obtaining goods and/or services by purchase, lease or
rental.
Purchasing Cards
A payment card issued to staff that may be used to purchase goods
and/or services up to an agreed value from certain suppliers.
Although similar in operation, it is not a credit card that can be
used anywhere and there is no credit facility. For suppliers the
important fact is that typically payment in full will be made
direct to their bank accounts within three working days, thereby
improving their cash flow.
RFQ
Request for Quotation. A written quotation or bid from an approved
or qualified supplier.
SLA
Service Level Agreement. An agreement between the service provider
and the customer that specifies in measureable terms what the
service provider will furnish.
SME
Small Medium Enterprise.
Standing Orders
The Public Authorities own internal procedures for procurement and
contracting.
Sustainability
Taking steps towards minimising the negative impact of contracts on
the environment, for instance, through the use of renewable
materials and energies.
T's & C's
Terms and Conditions. States the legal standing of a contract and
covers areas such as breach of contract and early termination.
TED
Tenders Electronic Daily. Website where all OJEU adverts are
placed.
Tender
The procurement process of inviting and evaluating bids from
suppliers to provide goods or services.
VFM
Value for Money. The principal underpinning all public sectors
purchasing activity.
