1.1 Role of Procurement Function

Registers of Scotland has a dedicated central procurement function. The function is lead by the Head of Procurement with full responsibility for Procurement across the organisation^.

The Head of Procurement is a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and reports to the Accountable Officer.

At a high level, however, the primary role of the procurement function is to:

• provide professional, qualified procurement expertise, advice and services;
• provide strategic procurement advice;
• ensure that business needs are met through its procurement of goods, services and works;
• contribute to the aims and objectives of the organisation;
• pro-actively manage and develop the supplier base, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and third sector and voluntary sector organisations, identifying and managing any supply risks or value add opportunities;
• ensure that value for money is achieved, including through implementation of national contracts;
• advise, guide and support the development of and adherence to procurement policy, best practice and law;
• develop, promote and implement appropriate procurement strategies and procedures;
• establish and address training needs, utilising national/sectoral training contracts where appropriate;
• co-ordinate training development and registering of procurement officers across the organisation;
• assess procurement competencies across the organisation, using tools such as the Scottish Procurement Competency Framework;
• promote and engage in collaboration and information sharing with relevant Centres of Expertise and SPD;
• support sustainable policies through procurement processes;
• comply with and, where appropriate, promote equalities legislation and policy; and
• promote and engage in the implementation of relevant technology solutions, including e-procurement, to minimise purchase to pay costs.

In addition to this the function will also:

• act as the interface between the contracting organisation and the external marketplace on commercial matters;
• determine requirements and establish specifications in collaboration with end users;
• challenge the organisation's/end-users' requirements critically for need and cost effectiveness, taking account of whole life costs and corporate social responsibility/sustainability issues;
• conduct market engagement and research;
• engage effectively with Centres of Expertise and SPD in relation to issues of policy, practice, information sharing and collaboration;
• manage supplier relationships, including responding to suppliers' complaints;
• manage commercial relationships;
• manage procurement competitions;
• manage the award of contracts;
• contract management;
• establish a comprehensive contract register;
• establish arrangements relating to authority to procure;
• measure and report procurement performance, including Best Practice Indicators (BPIs); and
• encourage participation of users/feedback into relevant advisory groups (user intelligence groups).