Procurement
Purchase Orders - important message
It is important that a purchase order is raised by the University before any other commitment is made to acquire goods or services.
Staff must raise a purchase order before any delivery is made by a supplier.
Suppliers must quote a valid University purchase order number on invoices, otherwise there is a danger that payment will be delayed or the invoice will be rejected.
More information is available on the Finance website.
The Procurement Team
The University of Bristol’s Procurement team is a professionally qualified and experienced team that work to ensure the University obtains value for money in all the goods and services it purchases, in line with the University’s Financial Regulations.
The Procurement team works with colleagues and suppliers alike to drive value and reduce risk across supply chains that serve the University. As a sign of the University’s commitment to sustainability, Procurement has earned the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supplies (CIPS) Ethical mark and appears on its Ethical Register.
University's Status Under the Procurement Act 2023
The University of Bristol is not a ‘contracting authority’ for the purposes of the Procurement Act 2023 (the "2023 Act"), from the point of its full entry into force on 24 February 2025.
In circumstances where the University advertises public contracts (and publishes associated information) via the UK e-notification services (the ‘Central Digital Platform’), it does so on a voluntary basis and does not undertake any obligation to comply with the 2023 Act or associated procurement legislation. When publishing opportunities in this way, the University reserves its rights in full to adapt or step outside the procedures in the 2023 Act and associated procurement legislation as the University considers necessary.
However, the University reserves the right (despite not being under a general legal obligation to adhere to the procurement legislation) to undertake certain tender exercises in accordance with the 2023 Act and associated procurement legislation, either where mandated by the requirements of project funding or voluntarily and at the University's own discretion.
The procedure applicable to any individual procurement will be detailed in the relevant tender documentation.
Information for suppliers
- Trading with the UniversityWorking together to beat Procurement fraud.
- Invoicing the UniversityAbout invoicing the University and our Purchase Order policy
- Tender Opportunity PortalSuppliers can register on the University's Opportunity Portal where tenders run by the University are advertised to a large community of suppliers.
- Procurement Terms and Conditions - Goods and services (PDF)These terms and conditions apply in relation to dealings between the buyer and the seller with reference to the goods or services throughout the University.
- Procurement Terms and Conditions - Maintenance and Repair (PDF)These terms and conditions apply in relation to dealings between the buyer and the seller with reference to Purchase Orders and Work Orders for Maintenance and Repair Services provided to the University’s Campus Division.