The Riverside Group Procurement Department is responsible for best practice procurement of all goods, services and works on behalf of the group. The department ensures procurement activity is conducted with integrity, honesty, impartiality and in a competitive manner that complies with the UK Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended).

Categories of expenditure includes but is not limited to; business services, consultancy, IT and asset related goods and services.

In addition to Public Procurement Rules we procure in accordance with our Financial Regulations.

The following thresholds are applied:

** UK Threshold limits (From January 2022)

New threshold from 1 January 2022 (inclusive of VAT)

• Supply and services: £213,477
• Works: £5,336,937

All significant future requirements and contract opportunities will be advertised and procured via our e-procurement portal, RiverSource.

Contracts will also be advertised in the following places:

• Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk)
• Gov.uk Contracts Finder

The site enables you to:

• View current and future tendering opportunities
• Self-register as a prospective supplier
• Maintain your own profile information
• Obtain tender documents electronically
• Submit tender documents electronically
• View your own historical records

Please register on the RiverSource website to look for opportunities now.

SSIP Accreditation

Riverside is making improvements to the way it manages its contractors.

We have made the long-term decision to partner with Alcumus Safe Contractor, as our chosen Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) provider. Because of this, we now require all contractors to be SSIP accredited to be eligible for our approved contractors list.

We have chosen Safe Contractor to assist us with building a risk-based business profile, far beyond a standard SSIP Accreditation.

Safe Contractor will provide us with the assurance that all our approved contractors meet our minimum required Health and Safety standards. As a Safe Contractor member, it demonstrates to us and others that you have a commitment to best practise which makes you more appealing to work with.

Paying our Suppliers

When ordering goods or services we create a purchase order (PO) with a unique number. You should be in receipt of a valid PO before providing the goods or services to us.

Your PO will automatically be sent to the email address provided at the time the order is raised and will include an email address for invoices to be sent.

We have a ‘no purchase order, no pay’ policy which means if you cannot quote this number on an invoice it will delay your payment.

It is our policy that all sums owed to suppliers will be due for payment on the 30th day after the date of the invoice. However, where clauses are agreed which vary the terms of payment, these will be honoured.

The main way we pay our suppliers is through BACS (Bank Automated Clearing System). As we pay you we will email you the remittance advice.

We expect our suppliers to pay any sums due to subcontractors in line with the Prompt payment policy – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Our terms also include provision for late payment in accordance with the November 1998 Act of Parliament. We reserves the right to withhold payment where the goods or services have not been provided in accordance with the contract.

At Riverside we are driven by our vision of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods. To help achieve our vision we are looking to maximise the social value opportunities through our supply chain so that we can continue to provide services and opportunities that matter to us, our customers and our communities.

What is social value?

This is the term used to describe the additional value, resources and equipment to help benefit the wider community through procurement activity with our suppliers.

What does this look at Riverside?

Our customers and communities are at the heart of everything we do and our social value opportunities include:

Donations to:

• our charity, the Riverside Foundation, that supports a diverse range of products aimed at promoting community action and cohesion, and breaking down the cycle of poverty in our neighbourhoods.
• our innovative GROW (Giving Real Opportunities for Work) programme to support those with lived experience to find fixed term employment. Helping to improve their skills, build confidence and develop workplace skills for the future. They are enhancing the everyday by supporting customers with their own relatable lived experience – helping those going through what they have been through. Making real connections and providing guidance and support like no one else can.
• job starter pack fund. To help fund essential items that a Riverside customer may need to start a new job from a smart phone, to work clothes, PPE to transportation help.
• home starter packs. For those moving on to their own independent accommodation and need support buying the things they need to get started.
• our feed a family scheme. Providing meal boxes to support customers experiencing food poverty during the cost-of-living crisis.

Employment and training opportunities for:

• Riverside customers looking to get into, or back to, work
• new apprenticeship opportunities
• meaningful work placements to help gain insight into future career choices
• skills based volunteering opportunities. To support those into work, to offer time up to support our communities and give back to the areas in which we work.

For procurement at One Housing , visit https://www.onehousing.co.uk/about-us/who-we-are/procurement