Policy on major contracts

1. Where the value of a contract for the supply of goods or services to Community Base is likely to exceed £50,000 excluding VAT and professional fees (per year if the contract is recurring) or in the case of building contracts requiring the supervision of a surveyor or architect £25,000 excluding VAT and professional fees, the contract will be known as a major contract.
2. Details of potential contractors for all major contracts will be sought from professional advisers, other charitable and community organisations, public records and elsewhere. For each major contract the director will send an invitation to tender to at least four potential contractors at least three weeks before the closing date for the tender.
3. The invitation to tender will state the nature and purpose of the contract, the closing date for tenders and the criteria that will be used to evaluate tenders. Evaluation criteria for tenders will be determined in advance by the board of trustees. Price will always be included as a criterion and Community Base's policy of good practice will always be considered when determining evaluation criteria.
4. The director will maintain a record of all tenders received. Any tender received after the closing date for tenders will not be considered.
5. Shortly after the closing date at least two trustees, the director and the building manager will consider all tenders received by the closing date. If one or more of the tenders are considered to adequately satisfy the evaluation criteria, the tender that best meets the evaluation criteria will be accepted.
6. Once a tender is accepted the director and building manager will negotiate a contract on the basis of the tender. A record of all negotiation meetings will be kept by the director. Only the chair, treasurer or, if empowered to do so by the board of trustees, the director may sign a major contract on behalf of Community Base.
7. It will be a condition of all major contracts that contractors, contractors' employees, sub-contractors and agents utilised by Community Base will at all times comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all secondary legislation made under that Act.
8. No major contract will be awarded unless the expenditure involved has been included in capital or revenue budgets approved by the board of trustees or has been otherwise approved by the board of trustees.
9. A copy of all major contracts will be kept by the director and be available for inspection by any trustee.
10. Community Base staff and trustees will declare any interest which may affect the tendering process for major contracts. Any staff member or trustee who declares a conflict of interest will take no part in the relevant contracting process. Community Base staff must not invite or accept any gift or reward in respect of the award or performance of any major contract.
11. This policy will be reviewed by the board of trustees at least every calendar year.