Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Selling to HSE
All contracts are let or overseen by the central Procurement Unit (PU) who act as a focus for all matters relating to procurement, propriety, the development and implementation of procurement policy, strategy and procedures whilst ensuring value for money.
Please refer to the A to Z directory listing the current contracts, with expiry dates, for all of HSE`s known needs.
It would be helpful if suppliers could refrain from contacting HSE Info Line with an enquiry. Instead suppliers wishing to make an introduction for the products and services listed under the existing HSE contracts should contact HSE Procurement Unit.
Please monitor announcements under new contract opportunities. PU also utilise the OGC catalist framework to obtain products and services, when appropriate.
Where appropriate we advertise contract opportunities in the Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) and Supply 2.gov.uk
In certain circumstances, our contract opportunities are also advertised in the national and / or local press and in trade specific journals.
We welcome applications from Small and medium size enterprises (SME’s) and we utilise the services of sole traders where appropriate.
It is Government policy, as far as possible, to give people with disabilities the opportunity to enter the labour market. For this reason, Government sponsors supported employment.
The Online Supported Business Directory has been developed to support changes in the EU Public Sector and Utilities Directives, which now allow procurement officials in central, regional, and local government and wider public authorities more scope to reserve and place public procurement contracts for supported factories and businesses.
The directory is sponsored by Job Centre Plus and spearheaded by DWP, Remploy, GMB, OGC and the British Association of Supported Employment to bridge the gap between Government procurement and people with disabilities.
HSE will invite supported factories and businesses (defined where more than 50% of their employees are people with disabilities), to tender for the provision of products and services wherever this is practical.
In instances where a large number of applications are anticipated we may decide to conduct a pre-qualification stage. Applicants will be asked to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). Detailed evaluation criteria will be provided with the questionnaire to explain the basis on which submissions will be judged. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full bid in response to an Invitation to Tender (ITT).
HSE’s requirements will be set out explicitly in the ITT documentation. For example the technical capability, quality, method of delivery , timescales and performance measures. We also include technical and commercial questionnaires to be completed where there has not been a PQQ stage. Detailed evaluation criteria will be provided to explain the basis on which bids will be judged. Late or incomplete tenders will not be accepted .
HSE expects that any business employing more than 5 people, to have a Health & Safety policy and operate appropriate health and safety systems. Details will be requested as part of the PQQ and ITT process described above. Failure to provide sufficient assurance that the business actively promotes and manages health and safety, may rule out being selected. Contract specific health and safety considerations will be included in the ITT specification as appropriate and these will form part of the evaluation criteria and scored accordingly.
The protection of people, property,assets and information is of paramount importance to HSE and the appropriate specific requirements will be articulated in the PQQ/ITT.
We have standard sets of terms and conditions covering covering products and services which we expect businesses to accept.
We use a formal evaluation process to identify the bidder(s) who will provide the best overall value for money for the particular purchase, which is not necessarily the lowest price. We conduct all tendering activities in a fair and open manner. Records are made at all stages in the process to provide an audit trail. During the evaluation process we may ask bidders for samples or to provide a demonstration / presentation to address any questions we may have. In some instances we may visit bidders premises.
HSE`s current policy is to pay all invoices within 10 working days of receiving a valid invoice or from receipt of the goods/services (whichever is the later).
We may receive requests for disclosure of information on tenders and will comply with our obligations as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
We will approach suppliers and/or contractors for permission before disclosing any information to enquiring parties.