Procurement at DFID
Details of our purchasing arrangements and information for those looking to become a Supply Partner or contractor.
As part of the UK Government response to COVID-19, the International Development Secretary has issued a letter to DFID Supply Partners to explain how we will support them to continue to deliver UK Aid programmes.
Details of DFID’s commercial strategy and information for those looking to become a Supply Partner or contractor.
How to become a Supply Partner
Supply Partner portal
Register on DFID’s Supply Partner Portal
To use the supply partner portal you must register and complete a company profile. Access is then provided through a username and password. Full user guidance for the new portal can be found here:
Funding awards and opportunities
- Details of early market engagements and other events can be found on our , which is updated with upcoming dates regularly
- You can also hear about news and opportunities through our Twitter account, please follow @DFIDProcurement
- highlights opportunities from 2019-2021 and this will be updated quarterly
- Details of contracts we have awarded can be viewed on the Contracts Finder for Central Government. This enables organisations to search for information about contracts with the government and its agencies.
To reduce duplication, DFID works closely with other UK government departments where appropriate for example; The Department for International Trade (DIT) through its Aid Funded Business service. DIT also list hundreds of opportunities every month in more than 40 sectors worldwide. Register for updates for export opportunities.
Frameworks
| Framework Agreement | Start date | Expiry date | Number of suppliers | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Evaluation Framework (GEFA) | 12 Sept 2016 | 11 Sept 2020 | 20 suppliers | Framework available to other Government Departments |
| Expert Advisory Call Down Service (EACDS) | 1 Sept 2016 | 31 Oct 2020 | 3 lead suppliers | Framework available to other Government Departments |
| International Multi Disciplinary Programme (IMDP) | 1 May 2019 | 30 April 2021 | 22 lots, up to 15 suppliers per lot | Framework available to other Government Departments |
| Generalist Economic Development (GEDF) | 1 Feb 2019 | 31 Jan 2021 | 13 suppliers | Framework available to other Government Departments |
| Independent Monitoring and Process Evaluation (IMPERFA) | 15 April 2019 | 14 April 2021 | 12 lots, 3-5 suppliers per lot | Framework available to other Government Departments |
DFID procurement: current frameworks
DFID Terms and Conditions of Contract
Prior to tendering for a DFID Contract tendering organisations should ensure that they are able to fully comply with DFID’s , which includes . These are also available on the Supply Partner portal.
If you are unable to comply with any of the terms, you should raise a clarification question during the tender process. Failure to accept our terms during the tender may invalidate your bid.
DFID’s contract Terms and Conditions are periodically reviewed to ensure they are reflective of new policy and legislative requirements. Please refer to the for a guide to key changes.
DFID policies
DFID has robust policies and processes in place to ensure we obtain maximum impact from UK Aid funds. The guidance documents below outline DFID’s internal processes, which we expect organisations to adhere to and have in place, as well as operate similar policies and processes throughout their delivery chain.
- Guidance on digital spend advice and controls for DFID partners and Supply Partners
- UK Aid Branding Guidance
- DFID Security policy for contractors, consultants and Supply Partners
How DFID pay supply partners
All central government departments are required to pay 90% of undisputed invoices within 5 days. You need to be aware of the correct procedures involved to achieve this.
As part of our Purchase to Pay Policy all invoices must contain a valid Purchase Order and should be sent directly to Accounts Payable via our e-invoicing initiative. Please see for more information and criteria.
Supply Partners must send invoices directly to: e-invoicing@dfid.gov.uk
Any queries should be directed to: Central helpdesk :FinOpsSupplierQuery@dfid.gov.uk
For prompt payment statistics please see our DFID payment performance.
Paying your subcontractors
Where you use sub-contractors for the performance of their contract with DFID, you are required to pay the sub-contractor invoices within 30 days.
On 29 November 2018, Oliver Dowden, Minister for Implementation for the Cabinet Office, announced a new policy which will require bidders (during the selection process) to answer a series of questions about their supply chain management and tracking systems, which will include providing details about payment practices, processes and performance including the percentage of invoices paid within 60 days across both their private and public sector business. Supply Partners who are unable to demonstrate that they have systems in place that are effective and ensure a fair and responsible approach to payment of their supply chain may be excluded from bidding.
You can read more about this change in an open letter to all current and potential supply partners regarding .
Our Commercial vision
defines the aims of our organisation and sets out the steps we are taking to achieve this.
Annual Procurement and Commercial Report
DFID’s second Annual Procurement and Commercial Report meets our commitment from DFID’s Supply Partner Review in October 2017 to place more commercial information in the public domain. It summarises key aspects of DFID’s procurement and commercial performance and that of our strategic supply partners, complementing the information contained in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts. It is accompanied by an .
Improving opportunities for small and medium enterprises
DFID’s focus on improving its business opportunities, awareness and facilitating SME access to its tenders have generated a consistent growth in SME spend. DFID is fully committed to the long-term government strategy to increase the SME supply base and to ensure inclusivity for organisations that have traditionally found routes to accessing DFID work difficult for a variety of reasons. Our new outlines how we continue to support SMEs and sets out three main areas of focus:
- SME Opportunities – improving the visibility and accessibility of our funding opportunities and how we communicate them
- Continual Improvement – applying best practice, supporting compliance and opening up opportunities
- SME Engagement with DFID and large Supply Partners – developing a strong market engagement programme, reducing barriers to working with DFID and improving links between SMEs and our large prime Supply Partners
For further information SME’s can contact our dedicated SME Engagement team via email at SMEengagement@DFID.GOV.uk.
Supply Partner Compliance
Supply Partners should refer to our and , designed to guide all Supply Partner(s) through the steps required to respond efficiently and consistently to the Code of Conduct and to upload the required documentation.
Supply Partners may also find it helpful to refer to our document where we have set out common Code compliance queries and responses from the Compliance Team.
Following we have reviewed the Commercial Cost template. We have simplified the and will tailor where possible to synchronise with the tender it accompanies. There remains simply one separate that is focused wholly on cost eligibility.
If you have any further questions on our Supply Partner guidance or any of the supporting documentation, please contact suppliercompliance@dfid.GOV.uk
Contact Us
For further information SME’s can contact our dedicated SME Engagement team via email at SMEengagement@DFID.GOV.uk
For specific questions that you would like to ask the DFID commercial team about any aspect of our procurement processes, please write to us at supplierengagement@dfid.GOV.uk
For queries regarding the Supply Partner Portal please write to us at supplierportalenquiries@dfid.GOV.uk