Procurement Policy - DCU

This procurement policy is designed to support the University’s mission and strategy. To this end, the policy ensures that procurement procedures and practices:

• are appropriate and fully responsive to the University’s diverse needs;
• are timely and effective;
• provide excellent value for money;
• comply with all legislation effecting the University’s procurement activities;
• minimise commercial and contractual risk;
• are open and fair to the supplier community including, wherever possible, small local suppliers;
• give due consideration to the environmental impact and sustainability objectives;
• are based upon the principle of competitive tendering; &
• promote high ethical standards and financial probity.

The University has a devolved procurement policy which aims to put control and responsibility as near as possible to the point of need. This is underpinned by centrally provided accounting and procurement functions which provide both advice and support to departmental procurement activities.

Heads of department are responsible for procuring the goods and services they require within defined budgets. Purchasing authority may be delegated to designated budget holders within a department. In exercising this delegated authority, budget holders are required to observe the University’s policies and procedures regarding the authorisation of expenditure and procurement.

Heads of department and their delegated budget holders are only authorised to commit the University to any expenditure after ensuring that sufficient funds are available to meet the purchase cost of goods, services and works. In addition, only bona fide expenditure, as outlined in the financial procedures, may be authorised from University funds.

The University requires all budget centre and grant holders, irrespective of the source of funds, to obtain supplies, equipment and services at the lowest possible cost consistent with quality, delivery requirements and social and environmental factors, and in accordance with sound business practice. Factors to be considered in determining lowest cost are noted in the procurement procedures, and it should be noted that “lowest cost” does not necessarily mean “cheapest”.

The University acknowledges that its purchasing decisions have major socioeconomic and environmental implications, both locally and globally. We aim to manage our procurement activities in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner and to achieve this we will:

• Make procurement decisions based on a balance between economic, social and environmental factors;
• Provide guidance to staff involved in purchasing to help them make more sustainable purchasing decisions;
• Consider whole life costs and environmental impacts when making purchasing decisions;
• Include environmental performance in supplier appraisal criteria during supplier selection;
• Encourage suppliers to operate cleaner production processes, supply more environmentally friendly products and help spread environmental improvements through the supply chain;&
• Encourage suppliers to minimise the use of packaging.

Further information on sustainability at DCU can be found at this link.

The University actively works with the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) to ensure that procurement activities are taking place in accordance with requirements of the operating model put in place by the OGP.

Further information on the EU Procurement Directive and the OGP can be found at this link.

Failure to comply with procurement policies and procedures may result in the University incurring unnecessary or excessive expenditure. This may result in disciplinary procedures against the individual(s) concerned.

Procurement Policy Manual - Available from the DCU Procurement team and on the Finance Office Webpages.

Other University policies - Available at this link.

For further details on any aspect of this policy, please contact:

Strategic Procurement and Supply Chain Manager.

Tel: 01-7007886