The key elements of the end user's role in the procurement process are to:
- adequately define the user's needs, identifying minimum and desirable elements and ensuring that there is adequate consultation with users and their representative bodies (where necessary);
- ensure that the requirement takes account of the organisation's policy requirements, including its corporate social responsibility/sustainability policies, and is aligned against organisational objectives;
- ensure compliance with relevant legal obligations relating to the goods, services or works to be purchased, e.g. environmental/health and safety legislation;
- where appropriate, prepare a business case;
- ensure that funding is in place;
- contribute to drafting the tender specification;
- contribute to development of the procurement strategy;
- be involved throughout the life cycle of the procurement exercise - implementation, review, ongoing intelligence groups;
- provide technical expertise and input to support the bid assessment processes;
- prepare the technical recommendation in any bid assessment report; and
- approve key review stages throughout the procurement process.
End users should not deal directly with bidders or potential bidders during the procurement process without the full involvement of and/or approval by the procurement officer.