financial regs may 2016 page 15

1. CONTRACTS 1.1. Procedures as to contracts are laid down as follows: a. Every contract shall comply with these financial regulations, and no exceptions shall be made otherwise than in an emergency provided that th i s regul ation need not apply to contracts which relate to items (i) to (vi) below: i. for the supply of gas, electricity, water, sewerage and telephone services; ii. for specialist services such as are provided by solicitors, accountants, surveyors and planning consultan ts; iii. for work to be executed or goods or materials to be supplied which consist of repairs to or parts for existing machinery or equipment or plant; iv. for work to be executed or goods or materials to be supplied which constitute an extension of an existing co ntract by the c ouncil; v. for additio nal audit work of the external a uditor up to an estimated value of £ 1 00 (in excess of this sum the Clerk and RFO shall act after consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of c ouncil); and vi. for goods or materials prop osed to be purchased which are proprietary articles and / or are only sold at a fixed price. b. Where it is intended to enter into a contract exceeding £ 3 ,000 in value for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works or specialist services o ther than such goods, materials, works or specialist services as are excepted as set out in paragraph (a) the Clerk shall invite tenders from at least three firms to be taken from the appropriate approved list. c. When applications are made to waive financia l regulations relating to contracts to enable a price to be negotiated without competition the reason shall be embodied in a recommendation to the c ouncil. d. Such invitation to tender shall state the general nature of the intended contract and the Clerk shal l obtain the necessary technical assistance to prepare a specification in appropriate cases. The invitation shall in addition state that tenders must be addressed to the Clerk in the ordinary course of post. Each tendering firm shall be supplied with a spe cifically marked envelope in which the tender is to be sealed and remain sealed until the prescribed date for opening tenders for that contract. All sealed tenders shall be opened at the same time on the prescribed date by the Clerk in the presence of at l east one member of c ouncil.