Purchasing

Preferred Suppliers

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Central Contracts

 

Certain commonly used items must be purchased from what are called “central contracts”. These are deals that are negotiated on behalf of the whole University for items that have common usage across the institution. It is mandatory that departments purchase from these central contracts because by combining all of our spend with one supplier it ensures that we get the best possible prices. In many cases the preferred supplier will not be an outside company but will be another University department who will purchase the goods on your behalf. For example, all printed materials must be ordered via the Design & Production Unit who will liaise with suppliers on your behalf.

 

This website provides a full A-Z list of all preferred suppliers. If a preferred supplier has not been appointed for the items you wish to purchase you will have to identify potential suppliers yourself, a process known as sourcing.

 

Sourcing Your Requirements

 

If you can't find the products you need from a central contract you will have to source the goods you need yourself. You can view a guide to sourcing goods & services which will give you some ideas of where to find details of potential suppliers. The Purchasing Office can offer advice on locating certain products if you are experiencing difficulties.