Rules and regulations

  1. Table of contents

Public procurement legislation

There are a number of Scottish Government rules and regulations which must be complied with when spending public money. The procurement processes followed by Falkirk Council ensure that the following legislation is adhered with:

In addition, there are various statutory duties which the Council must fulfil. Procurement activity can improve social, economic and environmental wellbeing, as well as reduce inequality.

Statutory guidance

Statutory guidance includes the following:

Contract Standing Orders, Procurement Procedures and Financial Regulations

Contract Standing Orders (CSOs)

The primary rules governing procurement within the Council are the Contract Standing Orders. These promote:

  • consistency
  • transparency
  • accountability
  • fair opportunity
  • equality of treatment

Officers responsible for contracting, whatever the value, should be familiar with, and apply the requirements of the CSOs and associated guidance.

Contract Standing Orders
PDF file, 304.2 KB

Corporate Procurement Procedures

The Procurement Procedures supplement the CSOs and provide additional guidance for Officers to procure in accordance public procurement legislation. Following these procedures is mandatory under the Council's CSOs.

Procurement Procedures
DOCX file, 412.1 KB

Financial Regulations

Officers must ensure that they maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity in dealing with public money and take all appropriate steps to ensure best value is achieved. The Financial Regulations provide a framework to help ensure compliance with this requirement. The Financial Regulations form part of the Council's Standing Orders (these are different to CSOs) and must be read in conjunction with the CSOs.

Financial regulations doc

Falkirk Council Financial Regulations - October 2021
DOCX file, 75.7 KB

Procurement thresholds

Our specific procurement thresholds:

Nature of contract Contract value Route to market Engagement required
Supplies / Services £5,000 - £49,999 PCS Quick Quote Minimum 3 quotes*
£5,000 - £49,999 ** PCS Website Notice No restriction, open to all registering Category interest on PCS website
£50,000 - £179.086
£179.087+ UK Find a Tender Notice No restriction, open to all EU Economic Operators
Works £5,000 - £249,999 PCS Quick Quote Minimum 3 quotes*
£5,000 - £249,999 ** PCS Website Notice No restriction, open to all registering Category interest on PCS website
£250,000 - £4,477,173
£4,477,174+ UK Find a Tender Notice No restriction, open to all EU Economic Operators
Health and Social Care Services £5,000 - £49,999 PCS Quick Quote Minimum 3 quotes*
£5,000 - £49,999 ** PCS Website Notice No restriction, open to all registering Category interest on PCS website
£50,000 - £552,950
£552,950+ UK Find a Tender Notice No restriction, open to all EU Economic Operators

* At least one local provider (where applicable) must be invited to quote.

** A notice can be published on Public Contracts Scotland where the minimum number of providers cannot be invited to quote, or the size of the market is unknown.

Regulatory thresholds

Scottish Ministers must revise the threshold values of the procurement regulations every two years to ensure that they remain aligned to thresholds set out in the World Trade Organisation's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). Under the rules of the GPA, the procurement thresholds must include VAT.

Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 - procurement thresholds from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2025

Contract type Threshold level
(exclusive of VAT)
Supplies contracts £179.086
Services contracts £179.086
Works contracts £4,477,173
Light Touch Regime £552,950

Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 - Regulated procurements

Contract type Threshold level
(exclusive of VAT)
Supplies contracts £50,000
Services contracts £50,000
Works contracts £2,000,000

Concession Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016

Contract type Threshold level
(exclusive of VAT)
Concession contracts £4,477,174+

Terms and Conditions

Where a competitive procurement process has been completed, the subsequent contract will be subject to the Terms and Conditions issued to the suppliers.

A standard set of Terms and Conditions for Supplies and Services have been developed for tender exercises facilitated by Falkirk Council: Standard Terms and Conditions.

Standard Terms and Conditions
DOCX file, 206 KB

Where an order is called off from a collaborative framework agreement arranged by another organisation, the framework's standard terms and conditions (or amended terms and conditions where Falkirk Council has amended these) shall apply.