Procurement

When we procure goods, services, or works, we must comply with national and local regulations.

These regulations are designed to ensure fair, open, and transparent competition conditions for all potential suppliers.

The Procurement Act 2023 marks a major reform in public sector procurement. Having come into force on 24 February 2025; key changes include:

• The introduction of a Competitive Flexible Procedure
• Enhanced transparency through the Central Digital Platform (CDP) Find a Tender.
• Stronger provisions to ensure prompt payment throughout the supply chain.
• A requirement for suppliers to receive consistent feedback on their bids.

For a full overview and official guidance, suppliers should refer to the UK Government’s short guide for suppliers.

Thresholds are inclusive of VAT and are total contract value. Thresholds for 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027 are as follows:

• Works: £5,193,000
• Concessions: £5,193,000
• Goods and services: £207,720
• Light touch: £663,540

At levels below these thresholds, we have our own Procurement Policy governing procurement of goods, services and works.

Training for suppliers

• How to complete the one-time activity to register on the Central Digital Platform and establish you Public Procurement Organisation Number (PPON): GOV.UK
• How to register your organisation and first administrator in 3 easy steps (GOV.UK video)
• Detailed walkthrough: How to register your organisation and first administrator (GOV.UK video)
• Information and guidance for suppliers

Training for everyone

• An overview of the Central Digital Platform (CDP), an enhanced Find a Tender service (GOV.UK video)

Alongside the other two Leicestershire universities, Leicester and Loughborough, De Montfort University has collated the contact details of voluntary and community sector enterprises that may assist tenderers in developing their social value submissions. These details are structured against the Themes Outcomes and Measures system (TOMs)-based social value measurement framework used in our tender process and can be found on the Social Value through Procurement page of the Universities Partnership website.

At De Montfort University, we are committed to ensuring that our procurement activities deliver wider benefits to society alongside value for money. While we do not currently have a formal Social Value Policy, we actively embed social value principles into our processes.

For all appropriate tendering exercises over £100,000, we use the Social Value Portal (SVP). This platform allows us to:

• Capture and evaluate social value commitments during the tender process.
• Monitor supplier performance after contract award to ensure delivery of agreed benefits.

Why this matters

Incorporating social value into procurement helps us achieve more than just cost efficiency. It enables De Montfort University to:

• Support local communities and create positive social impact.
• Encourage suppliers to contribute to economic growth and sustainability.
• Deliver added value that aligns with DMU’s strategic objectives. By embedding social value into our procurement practices, we ensure that every pound spent works harder for the benefit of society.

Levels of competition

Contract value band	Estimated contract value (inc. VAT)	Requirements
Small contract	£0 to £29,999	Minimum of one written quotation or a framework call-off.
Medium contract	£30,000 to £99,999	Wherever possible a minimum of three written quotations, a framework call-off, or a formal Request for Quotation (RfQ).
Large contract	£100,000 to Procurement Act 2023 threshold	Compliant framework agreements when suitable or a competition using In-tend + advert on Find a Tender Service (FTS).
Above-threshold contract (Procurement Act 2023)	Procurement Act 2023 threshold and above	Compliant framework agreements when suitable or a competition using In-tend + advert on Find a Tender Service (FTS).

Alongside these prescribed levels of competition, the University will also access third-party contracts and frameworks for purchase requirements where relevant, appropriate and permissible.

De Montfort University uses the In-tend Electronic Tendering system to manage all procurement competitions valued above £100,000.

Suppliers can:

• Register for free
• Access tender documentation
• Submit responses securely online

Please note: For competitive procurements above £100,000, all documentation and submissions must be made via In-tend. We cannot accept responses outside the portal. Except when a direct award is used through a compliant procurement framework, which does not require routing through In-Tend.

Register on In-tend

De Montfort University advertises contract opportunities valued above £100,000 on:

• In-tend (our primary tendering platform)
• Find a Tender Service (FTS) – both above £100,000 and all UK procurement threshold notices will be published here.

Suppliers can register on these platforms to access opportunities across the public sector.

De Montfort University is a member of the Southern Universities Procurement Consortium, (SUPC). We also make frequent use of frameworks provided by organisations such as Crown Commercial Service and the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation. These bodies offer collaborative contracting routes for universities and other public sector organisations, helping suppliers access opportunities across multiple institutions. We encourage suppliers to explore these routes to market, including UK Universities Purchasing Consortia (UKUPC)‑member frameworks, for wider opportunities.

For more information on consortia and sector-wide opportunities, visit the UK Universities Purchasing Consortia (UKUPC) website.

We want to make it easy for suppliers to work with De Montfort University. Here’s how we support you:

• Clear guidance on our procurement processes
• Free registration on In-tend
• Access to advertised opportunities on national platforms
• Information on collaborative frameworks for wider opportunities
• Dedicated Procurement Team to answer queries and provide advice
• Prompt payment terms – 30 days across contract tiers, including sub-contractors
• Consistent feedback following the award process, including debriefs on bid evaluations
• Early pipeline transparency through published Planned Procurement Notices, with shortened time frames following appropriate notification

If you have questions or need help registering, please contact our Procurement Team at procurement@dmu.ac.uk.

We are committed to ethical and responsible sourcing. Each year De Montfort University publishes an annual statement pursuant to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. 

This statement sets out the steps we take to identify and reduce the risk of modern slavery within our operations and supply chains, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Email: neil.bayliss@dmu.ac.uk

Julie is responsible for estates and facilities management, including:

• Catering, food and beverages
• Cleaning services and supplies
• Estates and buildings construction maintenance
• Estates consultancy
• Furnishings
• Postal equipment and services
• Safety and security
• Utilities

Email: julie.oakley@dmu.ac.uk

Ben is responsible for:

• Art and design equipment
• Clothing and PPE
• Laboratory and medical
• Sport and recreation services and equipment
• Vehicles and fleet

Email: ben.bennett@dmu.ac.uk

Stephen is responsible for Digital and ICT, inluding:

• AV and related equipment
• IT consultancy
• IT hardware
• IT software
• IT services
• Printing, reprographics and photocopying
• Telecoms
• Photographic equipment
• IT peripherals and consumables
• Library services and publications

Email: stephen.phillips@dmu.ac.uk

James is responsible for professional services, including:

• Audit
• Banking
• Consultancy (exc. IT/Estates)
• Health and welfare
• Insurance
• Marketing and communications
• Other professional services
• Staff recruitment and temporary staffing
• Student recruitment
• Training
• Travel and accommodation (staff and student)

Email: james.west@dmu.ac.uk

Mohammed is responsible for:

• Promotional activity and materials
• Stationery and office supplies
• Tail spend

Email: mohammedjoheb.ali@dmu.ac.uk

Our Payments team is responsible for processing supplier invoices and arranging payments. Any queries regarding your invoice should be sent by email to financepayments@dmu.ac.uk or by phone to 0116 257 7329 Please ensure that our Purchase Order number is quoted on all invoices.

Payments

Financial year	Invoices paid within 30 days	Invoices paid within 37 days	Average days to pay
2017/2018	58%	66%	65
2018/2019	67%	73%	44
2019/2020	74%	80%	36
2020/2021	78%	84%	33
2021/2022	84%	88%	31
2022/2023	83%	87%	27
2023/2024	65%	72%	34
2024/2025	77%	83%	35

Our goal is to pay all suppliers’ invoices within 30 days of receipt of an approved invoice. The orders De Montfort University place with suppliers include a purchase order number, which you must include on your invoice when you send it for payment.

For the financial year ending 31 July 2025 the De Montfort University paid 77% of invoices received within 30 days of the invoice date. Invoices not paid within this timeframe were typically delayed due to the following reasons:

• Missing or invalid Purchase Order number
• Use of a previously issued Purchase Order number
• Discrepancies on the invoice, such as price and/or quantity variances
• Incorrect VAT charges where a VAT exemption certificate had been provided
• Invoice sent to the wrong team for processing

For the financial year ending 31 July 2025, 83% of invoices were paid within 37 days of the invoice date. The extra 7 days allows for the time for Accounts Payable to receive and pay valid invoices from suppliers sent to the incorrect address, or for the University to reasonably consider, verify and resolve disputes with suppliers.

All invoices sent to De Montfort University must quote a valid Purchase Order number unless an exemption has been agreed. Invoices received without a valid Purchase Order will be automatically rejected and must be resubmitted ensuring a valid Purchase Order is quoted.

New suppliers

To become a registered supplier, you will need to complete a New Supplier Details Form, which will be provided by your De Montfort University contact. Once you have filled in the form, please return it directly to them.

In addition, the University requires written confirmation of your bank details on your official company letterhead. This measure is in place to help protect both parties and reduce the risk of fraud.

If you would like to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, you can find more information on our Freedom of Information pages.