What you need to work with us

You’ll need to have some standard levels of insurance cover:

• Employers’ liability £5m (Unless a sole trader)
• Public liability £2m
• Professional indemnity (if applicable) £1m

Your company will also have to:

• Comply with the statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010
• Comply with the duties imposed by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Comply with any other relevant legislation, in particular the duty of care (not only to your own employees but to other people such as Yorkshire Housing representatives and members of the public)
• Comply with GDPR regulations where appropriate

Our supply chain must also not include the use of:

• Child labour
• Slavery, forced, bonded or involuntary labour
• Human trafficking and exploitation

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.
• 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.
• We expect our suppliers to pay any sums due to subcontractors in line with the Prompt payment policy – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
• The main way we pay our suppliers is through BACS (Bank Automated Clearing System).
  
  

Data Protection (GDPR)

UK GDPR Compliance Notice for Suppliers

 As part of our commitment to protecting the privacy and personal data of individuals, we require all suppliers to adhere to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This regulation applies to any public or private organisation that processes personal data and establishes specific obligations for data controllers and data processors. By entering a business relationship with us, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

You must ensure that any personal data processed as part of our partnership is handled in full compliance with UK GDPR requirements.

Where necessary, you agree to enter into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with us, detailing the terms of the data processing activities. The UK GDPR mandates that any processing of personal data by a Processor must be governed by a contract containing specific provisions.

All commercial relationship involving the sharing of personal information with the Supplier will be governed by Aspire Housing’s Standard Forms of Contract, which include UK GDPR provisions. For other contracts, such as JCT/NEC3/Framework Agreements, these will either incorporate UK GDPR provisions or be accompanied by a Schedule of Amendments to include such terms. Failure to agree to these terms will prevent Aspire Housing from appointing you for any such supplies, services, or works.

You acknowledge that non-compliance with UK GDPR can result in significant fines and penalties. Any breach of UK GDPR by you that leads to such penalties or damages to us shall render you liable for all associated costs and damages.

 By continuing to engage with us as a supplier, you confirm your commitment to these UK GDPR obligations.

Social value

The Procurement team work closely with teams across Aspire Housing to drive social value through all contracts.

We are committed to deriving social value from all our procurement activities and this is included as a scored element within tenders.

Social value commitments are managed and monitored by the Procurement together with support from Contract Managers.

Top Tips

1. Download all the documentation.
   Ensure you download and read all the documentation that comprises the RFQ/Invitation to tender/DPS.
   
   
2. Read the instructions 
   Ensure you read the instructions on completion of the documentation, and follow them! I.e. if there is a word limit set, then stick to it. If you are required to follow a numbering convention, make sure you follow it. Failure to follow instructions may lead to an invalid response.
   
   
3. Understand what is required
   Ensure you read and understand what is required– i.e. the full remit of the contract provision, and satisfy yourself that you can meet all of the minimum requirements, before completing your submission.
   
   
4. If you don’t understand anything – ask! 
   If you don’t understand anything – ask a question – you are permitted to ask for clarification and Aspire Housing are happy to provide it, but make sure you ask the question within the timescales stated within the RFQ/ Invitation to tender/DPS documents, otherwise you are not guaranteed a response.
   
   
5. Follow the instructions for communication
   If you need to ask a question or request clarification, always ensure you follow the instructions for methods of communication – i.e. if it states contact x person or use x electronic method by xxx date then ensure you do that.
   
   
6. Your submission should be as concise as possible. 
   Aspire Housing may have a lot of submissions to evaluate and they will not spend huge amounts of time reviewing lengthy responses. Stick to the word limits/page lengths set and do not include unnecessary attachments unless specifically asked for. Lengthy responses may therefore not be considered.
   
   
7. Your response should follow a logical format
   Ensure your response follows a logical format, is easy to read, and does not require the evaluator to search through reams of documentation to find an answer to a question asked. Ie Ensure it is in number order, appendices are labelled and follow in sequence, and are referred to within the response. Don’t include/ refer the evaluator to generic marketing information and unnecessary attachments unless specifically asked - answer the question where asked.
   
   
8. Use Templates Provided Where forms/templates are provided – use them! 
   Failure to do so may invalidate your submission. Do not attempt to alter forms/templates to suit your requirements – they may have been created in such a format to enable efficient evaluation of responses. Any alterations to forms/templates provided may also invalidate your response
   
   
9. Answer all of the questions asked 
   Failure to do say may invalidate your response. Note the weighting of each of the questions, this will give you an indication of the importance of the specific topic area to the award decision.
   
   
10. Answer the entire question 
    If the question asks for a number of points, make sure you address each point – failure to do so may lead to poor marks or may even invalidate your response.
    
    
11. If unable to answer a question or unable to meet a requirement, - say so, and Why 
    If you are unable to answer a question or unable to meet a specific requirement, then you should clearly state that within your response, and explain why you are unable to meet, and what alternative solution you propose to meet the requirement, or alternatively seek clarification from Aspire Housing, if you are unsure.
    
    
12. What would lead to automatic exclusion from the process?
    Where a question is indicated as a PASS/FAIL within the evaluation criteria– failure to meet the minimum requirements specified will mean that your response may be rejected. For example, if Aspire Housing states that it is a requirement to agree to Aspire Housing Terms and Conditions of Contract then this means that this is non-negotiable and any requests to negotiate on this will lead to a rejection of your submission.
    
    
13. Do not assume Aspire Housing “knows” your Organisation 
    Even if you have worked with us before, do not assume Aspire knows your Organisation. Approach your submission as if you have never provided any goods/services/works to Aspire housing before. Treat your submission as if Aspire knows nothing about your Organisation, and hence provide full details in your response to the questions asked. Aspire will only take into consideration information provided within your response. Prior knowledge/experience/ assumptions etc cannot be taken into consideration. This ensures a fair, open and transparent process.
    
    
14. Q/A your submission. 
    Presentation is important. Poor quality submissions give a bad impression of the quality of the goods/services/works your Organisation provides, and this may be reflected in the scoring of your submission.
    
    
15. Submit your response in plenty of time ahead of the closing date and time 
    Do not leave it until the last minute to submit your response - Make sure you submit your response in sufficient time to ensure receipt before/at the time and closing date for submissions. - The time and date for completion of submissions is FIXED. Late responses may not be considered.
    
    

GOOD LUCK and thank you for the interest shown in working with Aspire Housing!

Welcome to the Aspire Standard Conditions of Contract. This document outlines the terms and conditions that apply to all contracts for the supply of goods and/or services to Aspire Housing Limited.

It is essential for all parties involved to understand these conditions to ensure a smooth and transparent relationship. The content is structured to provide clear guidance on roles, responsibilities, and obligations throughout the contract lifecycle.

To download a copy of the full Terms and Conditions for offline reference, please use the link below

Our Supplier Code of Conduct is an essential document outlining Aspire’s expectations for suppliers and partners who wish to collaborate with us. It serves as a guide to ensure that all business interactions are conducted ethically, transparently, and in a manner that aligns with our core values of fairness, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

This code of conduct helps potential suppliers to understand the standards they are expected to meet, from compliance with applicable laws to commitments to customer satisfaction, sustainability, and safeguarding.

Embracing these guidelines will help foster a strong, mutually beneficial partnership dedicated to building better futures for our communities.

A short guide for suppliers

Public procurement law is changing. The reforms will shake up the outdated system and improve the way procurement is done, so that every pound goes further for our public services.

If your business supplies goods, works or services in the public and utility sectors – or hopes to do so – you need to know about the changes.

The new Procurement Act will benefit suppliers of all sizes, particularly start-ups, scale-ups and small businesses.

For detailed information about the Procurement Act 2023, click the link below to be taken to Gov.uk and find out more.

Our Procurement policy focuses on delivering excellent value while supporting our community and ethical goals.

We aim to work with organisations that share our vision of social responsibility. We prioritise local businesses to boost our local economy, and we consider the broader social and environmental impacts of our contracts.

Quality is just as important as cost in our decision-making. We're committed to getting the best value for money while following fair and transparent practices. We're always working to improve our procurement processes and make smart decisions about where to focus our resources.

Want to learn more about our policies?

Just click the button below to visit our policies page or click to download our Procurement Policy.