BECOME A SUPPLIER
We are one of eight higher education purchasing consortia in the UK that lets and contract manages framework agreements on the behalf of its members, known as UK Universities Purchasing Consortia (UKUPC). We offer agreements that are exclusively tendered and accessible to our members. To reduce duplication and maximise economies of scale, we collaborate with our UKUPC partners, which enables an agreement awarded by one consortium to be available to members across all partnered consortia. As we are a Public Contracting Authority, we advertise all frameworks on the government’s Find a Tender Service. We dual publish on OJEU to satisfy ERDF obligations.
WHAT'S THE FIRST STEP?
We use Mercell UK’s e-Sourcing Solution to advertise our tender opportunities. To apply or keep updated on NWUPC tender opportunities, register free below.
If you’re a supplier and new to the public procurement process, don’t worry! We encourage you to read through this page and consider the benefits before registering.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Once logged in, you can manage business alerts by accessing the ‘Manage Business Alerts’ function. We recommend you register with a generic email address to minimise updating the system when staff leave. We do not have access to update your details on the system, please contact the helpdesk, accessible when you log in.
Completing your registration on our system does not mean you are a supplier to NWUPC Members. To become an approved supplier, you will have to be awarded a contract with NWUPC, following a full tender exercise.
We work collaboratively on a number of frameworks through UKUPC, which are available to our members but not neccessarily, led or managed by us. To stay updated on the next tender opportunity across our partnered consortia, you would need to register with the relevant tendering organisation.
You can access links to our UKUPC partners webpages here.
SPEND REPORTING
One of your obligations as a framework supplier is to report spend information to us on a quarterly basis. This information is used to help our members, your customers, fulfill their obligations as a public sector body to report collaborative spend. We try to keep this process as simple as possible:
Step 1. You will be sent a workbook to complete which contains a tab for each consortia that the framework is open to and each tab lists the members of that particular consortia. Please complete for the relevant quarter with a total monthly spend on each tab for each member.
Step 2. You return the workbook by the deadline specified, via email to the address provided.
Step 3. Our admin staff will upload the information for you to the system used across UKUPC called Hunter
Step 4. The information is shared with members for them to check it’s correct.
Step 5. If the framework has a levy attached then you will be sent an invoice from each consortia.
You can find a Suppliers’ Guide to Data Reporting here.
MI REPORTING
As part of our contract management activity we will ask you to provide us with MI data usually on a quarterly basis. This information helps to inform us how you are performing against the KPIs set in the agreement. It also helps us to understand how the framework is performing so that we can support our members with offering the best service available and so we can support our suppliers by ensuring you have up to date contact information and opportunities to engage with customers. We will also provide information to you in contract review meetings that helps you to understand your position on the framework and your market share as well as that of your competitors so that you can target sales.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO BEING AN NWUPC SUPPLIER?
Whilst we serve our members, we listen to you too! We conduct supplier surveys to stay engaged on how best we can support you and create resources for suppliers
We provide awarded suppliers access to use NETpositive Sustainability Management Tool, so you can manage and demonstrate your sustainability initiatives to members. More information on the supplier resources page.
Once you've been awarded to the framework, you can compliantly sell to members via a reduced process. Meaning a simplified tender exercise and shorter timescales
You'll be listed on Higher Education Contracts Database (HEC), giving you visibility to members from all UK regional Higher Education purchasing consortia.
We will support you in promoting your organisation through our member publications and access to supplier showcases such as exhibiting at our annual conference
The Category Manager who leads on the framework you're awarded to, will facilitate your relationship with buyers, support you breaking into the market, keep you in the loop on our members needs and sector needs hot topics.
With each new member we gain in the public sector, we actively promote our frameworks to members and the organisations awarded to them. We will work with you to ensure that you gain increased exposure and access to members and sales opportunities in a sector valued at around £1.92BN per year
FAQs
No, you would need to take part in the next tender process and be successfully awarded a contract to become an approved supplier with us.
Member spend has increased year on year. We can recommend approved suppliers, frameworks and provide various exposure opportunities for our members to understand your offering, from inclusion in our newsletters, advertisement opportunities to getting directly in front of member at our annual conference exhibition and category member meetings. Take a look at our supplier benefits for more.
Our website lists the agreements that we currently have in place and when they are due to expire. As the Tendering process starts anywhere between six to twelve months prior to expiry it is wise to look out for the advert during this period. Click here to view our range of framework agreements.
No, our tender portal covers just NWUPC tenders. You can visit our partner's websites and register for their tender opportunities.
FRAMEWORK SUPPLIER MARKETING
