Comparative Quotes

[ijs]

Does anyone know of a company that can detemine you requirements (Goods or services) and provide reliable comparative quotes (normally three) from other suppliers? I find it's so tedious and time consuming to deal with supplier who are all vying for the business when I've have so many other things to be doing.

[glennda]

Is there not a Service provided by the gov which does this?

 

You spec out what you want post it up and people respond with Sealed bids?

[psydii]

Savings for the Nation | Government Procurement Service

 

You want (in general) Buy from a Catalogue.

 

Given them a call, they are quite helpful, though it may take while to get the hang of it.

[teejay]

I've tried all the government procurement schemes and others, they all come back dearer than going to our usual suppliers. Even our suppliers who are also on the frameworks say it's cheaper avoiding the procurement schemes as they can supply cheaper direct rather than going through the schemes.

It's stupid really, but gives you an idea as to why the government wastes so much money in this country, they just have no negotiating skills and get ripped off left right and centre:mad:

[ConradJones]

I've tried all the government procurement schemes and others, they all come back dearer than going to our usual suppliers. Even our suppliers who are also on the frameworks say it's cheaper avoiding the procurement schemes as they can supply cheaper direct rather than going through the schemes.

It's stupid really, but gives you an idea as to why the government wastes so much money in this country, they just have no negotiating skills and get ripped off left right and centre:mad:

 

 

have you ever read the procure21 whitepaper?

[teejay]

have you ever read the procure21 whitepaper?

 

Nope, why?

[teejay]

Does anyone know of a company that can detemine you requirements (Goods or services) and provide reliable comparative quotes (normally three) from other suppliers? I find it's so tedious and time consuming to deal with supplier who are all vying for the business when I've have so many other things to be doing.

 

I just use a select list of suppliers, email them for quotes and see what comes back, it doesn't take long. If they are decent suppliers they know not to hassle you, if they do hassle you then knock em off your list:D

[ConradJones]

Nope, why?

 

you last sentence just made procure21 spring to mind for some reason, it was an incredibly long document, infact far too long than it needed to be.

[psydii]

The point of the various frameworks etc is to

 

a) ensure compliance with various bits of legislation

b) make the compliance with legislation an common policies in the public sector less time consuming

c) provide professional procurement support at a fraction of the cost of hiring a dedicated specialist

d) help mitigate the risk of badly managed / overworked non specialists making poor (and very expensive) purchasing mistakes.

 

So if you want a nice easy quick-quotes system that satisfies your policies, and makes your life easier, then expect to pay a bit for it.

 

I know at least one framework where some vendors have inflated their prices as a response to the pre-entry conditions that require them to offer specific (reasonable) terms regarding renewals/changes of legal entity/exit conditions. If you buy outside of the framework you don't get those protection, unless you are dangling a large six+ figure sum, and have paid your solicitors more than they have.

 

For the small items, it may not be worth it if you might reasonably be consider an expert in that product group.