The general information requested provides basic details about an organisation, verifies that it can be identified as a legitimate discreet trading organisation (address of office, registration number, company group information), that it has acceptable levels of economic and financial standing and that it promotes good practice in areas of equal opportunities, environmental protection, social responsibility and health and safety.

The areas assessed can be summarised as follows.

Financial information

In this section companies will be asked for certain financial information relating to each of the last three years. Private limited companies and public limited companies must submit fully audited accounts as registered with Companies House. Other applicants should forward copies of financial statements, business plans or certified statements of turnover. This information is used to assess the financial position of the company in relation to the size of the contract. To assist in the process, the council may also use the services of a credit reference agency or construction on-line (the Governments sponsored contracts database).

Equal opportunities

The residents of Chesterfield Borough consist of various groups, each with specific differences and values. These groups form the diverse community in which we live and work.

Chesterfield Borough Council seeks to create, maintain and promote a working environment and a community where every individual has equitable opportunities to receive quality services regardless of age, association with a national minority colour, disability, family circumstances, hours of work, language, national or social origin, political or other opinion, property, race, religion, sex, or other status as identified within the European Convention of Human Rights.

Individuals should not be discriminated against in the employment relationship or in the way goods and services are provided. The council is committed to promoting a just society, that gives everyone an equal chance to learn, work and live free from discrimination and prejudice.

To ensure this commitment is put into practice, the council will seek to adopt polices and practices which seek to remove any barriers to equality of opportunity and to eliminate unfair and unlawful discrimination.

Environmental responsibilities

Chesterfield Borough Council is committed to protecting the local environment and take a responsibility for minimising the wider environmental effects of its purchasing decisions. The council has adopted a Community Plan, Corporate Plan, Procurement Strategy/Policy and an Energy Policy, which commits the authority to minimising energy and water consumption, reducing waste (and maximising recycling), minimising transport impacts, protecting wildlife and habitats, and implementing an environmental response to purchasing.

Chesterfield Borough Council expects its contractors and suppliers to demonstrate and meet a similar level of commitment to looking after the environment.

Social responsibility

Chesterfield Borough Council has a commitment to creating strong and healthy communities within the Borough and a responsibility to ensure that its purchasing practices are ethically sound. The authority will seek to avoid purchases of products, which have been produced (either wholly or in part) under conditions, which would be unacceptable in the UK (eg, forced labour, child labour, unnecessarily dangerous working conditions, or other forms of exploitation). Wherever practical the council will choose products carrying an internationally recognised symbol of ethical production (eg, fair trade mark). Chesterfield Borough Council expects its contractors and suppliers to demonstrate and meet a similar level of social responsibility.

Health and safety

Depending on the nature of goods or services, organisations may be required to submit a Health and Safety Policy signed by a senior person of the organisation, which refers to Health and Safety legislation. This will apply for all applications for the approved lists. Also the requirements to provide Health and Safety data sheets in relation to products/materials and Risk Assessments and Method Statements in relation to services and works.

Experience and technical ability

Further information requested seeks to assess whether a company has relevant experience and technical abilities to carry out the categories of work or to provide the type and quality of service required by the council.

References

References will be required from at least three previous customers of the tenderers and should be relating to works, services or supplies appertaining to the tender applied for. The references should also relate to the most recent contracts giving the contact name, position within organisation, address, telephone number, email address, value of contract and start and finish dates and a brief description of the works, services or supplies, which were undertaken.