The Principles of Public Procurement:
| Transparency - Ensure that there is openess and clarity on procurement policy and its delivery. |
| Competitive Supply - Procurement should be carried out by competition unless there are reasons to contray. |
| Efficiency - Procurement processes carried out as cost effectively as possible. |
| Effectiveness - Public bodies should meet commercial, soci-economic and regulatory goals of government in a balanced manner appropriate to the procurement requirement. |
| Integrity - Ensure that there is no corruption or collusion with suppliers or others. |
| Consistency - Suppliers should expect the same general procurement policy across the public sector. |
| Accountability - Ensure effective mechanisms are in place in order to enable departmental accounting officers to discharge their responsibilitites on issues of procurement risk and expenditure. |
| Fair Dealing - treat suppliers fairly including protection of commercial confidentiality where required. Public bodies should not impose unnecessary burdens or constraints on suppliers or potential suppliers. |
| Legality - Public bodies to conform to European Community and other legal requirements. |
| Responsiveness - public bodies should endeavour to meet the aspirations, expectations and needs of the community served by the procurement. |
| Integration - Policy on joined-up government, procurement policy should pay due to Governments other economic and social policies, rather than cut across them. |
| Informed decision-making - Public bodies make decisions based on accurate information and monitor requirements to ensure they are being met. |
Breach of these principles amounts to failure to observe the European Treaty.
The ultimate objective is to achieve a fully open, fair and transparent European Internal Market with the highest levels of market competitiveness and efficiency.
Suppliers should make themselves fully aware of these principles, as they are entitled to be treated in accordance with the principles.
If a supplier should find that the principles have been breached they should consider getting legal advice on the contract award process.
For European contracts (that is, contracts above the European thresholds) complaints can be made directly to the European Commission by writing to:
Commission of the European Communities
Attn: Secretary General
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium.
For a complaint to be admissible, it must relate to an infringement of community law by a Member State.
If such a situation should arise, it is recommended that suppliers should seek a meeting first and a debriefing with the buying organisation to clarify the issues.