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1. Introduction
The ongoing uncertainty in the economic environment continues to impact the everyday lives of people. Many suppliers, businesses and supply chains of goods, service and works, continue to be affected, and uncertainty is ongoing for local North Ayrshire businesses. North Ayrshire Council continue to face the challenge of cost volatility and reduced purchasing power.
Procurement Strategy
Section 15 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires North Ayrshire Council’s Corporate Procurement Unit to publish a procurement strategy, and to report annually on the success and compliance with that strategy. This strategy builds on the successes delivered through the previous strategy that covered the period 2020-2023.
The Procurement Strategy sets out the strategic procurement vision, mission and enablers and objectives for the period 2023 to 2026 and it applies to all North Ayrshire Council’s external expenditure on goods, services, works and social care. The Procurement Strategy will be reviewed annually and refreshed as required to take cognisance of the challenges faced by North Ayrshire Council in terms of the impact of the volatile external environment, and progress against each strategic objective will be reviewed every 6 months and reported to the Procurement Board.
Corporate Procurement Unit’s vision
To use our spending power to maximise social, environmental, and economic benefit for the people of North Ayrshire and support sustainable, diverse and local supply chains.
Corporate Procurement Unit’s mission
We will utilise our procurement expertise and experience to provide solutions that support local and national objectives for inclusive, wealthier, and sustainable communities.
Corporate Procurement Unit’s enablers
- Procurement Professionalism - The Corporate Procurement Unit are a team of experienced qualified procurement managers and officers, and all team members are developed/supported to encourage retention and succession planning and to ensure all staff members reach their full potential. A culture of collaboration promotes shared learning.
- Policies and Procedures - The Corporate Procurement Unit have a suite of robust plain English, user-friendly templates and polices, and procedures to ensure procurement professionals, internal service teams and suppliers can navigate the procurement process with ease.
- Engagement - The Corporate Procurement Unit provide channels for suppliers and internal customers to provide feedback on all procurement processes, policies, and projects with the aim of learning lessons and continually improving.
- Digital Technology - The Corporate Procurement Unit utilises Public Contracts Scotland and Public Contracts Scotland - Tender to engage with suppliers, and creates efficiencies through use of e-catalogues, e-invoicing, and punch outs. We also gather real time data to allow us to make quick compliant decisions, share information, measure performance, analyse trends and seek out cost saving opportunities and we also utilise SharePoint to embrace agile and flexible working.
The enablers for the Procurement Strategy are essential to ensure all strategic objectives are met.
The Procurement Strategy will also provide an understanding of how the Corporate Procurement Unit objectives align with the priorities of North Ayrshire Council and Scottish Government and how these objectives will be achieved.
2. The Local North Ayrshire Context
North Ayrshire is home to 134,200 people and covers an area of 342 square miles and includes the islands of Arran, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae. North Ayrshire’s dramatic coastal scenery, rolling hills and long sandy beaches make it a fantastic place to visit.
The main settlements are Irvine, Kilwinning, Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Beith, Dalry, Kilbirnie, Largs, Dreghorn, Springside, West Kilbride, Seamill, Fairlie, Skelmorlie, Brodick and Millport. The area is proud of its history and there are many tourist attractions including Largs seafront, Irvine Beach, Seamill Beach, Eglinton Country Park, the Ayrshire Coastal Path, Goatfell, Brodick Castle, Portencross Castle, the Maritime Museum, the Heritage Centre in Saltcoats, Kilwinning Abbey and Kelburn Castle and Estate. There are also 21 golf courses, centres for water sports and harboursides that offer stunning views.
However, despite these locational strengths, high levels of inequality exist in North Ayrshire, particularly poverty and the associated effects this has. North Ayrshire is one of the most deprived areas in Scotland and deprivation levels are significantly higher than the Scottish average, with 24.3% of children living in poverty.
The Council Plan 2023-2028
In 2023, North Ayrshire Council developed and published its Council Plan 2023-2028 with a vision for “a North Ayrshire that is fair for all” and a mission to “work together to improve lives of our people in North Ayrshire”. There are 4 strategic aims that contribute to the mission and vision:
- Wellbeing – including a community wealth building approach to a wellbeing economy,
- Communities and Local Democracy – to develop strong relationships with communities and partners, including third sector and voluntary sector,
- Climate Change – to achieve net-zero by 2030,
- A Sustainable Council – including maximising financial flexibilities to help support delivery of priorities.
These strategic aims contribute to the delivery of Scotland’s 11 National outcomes under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, and these are published within the National Performance Framework which aims to create a more successful country with more opportunities and better wellbeing for the people of Scotland.
The Procurement Strategy strategic objectives clearly align with the Council Plan strategic aims and the 11 National outcomes, as well as the Scottish Model of Procurement that sets the principals of embedding sustainability, improving supplier access to public contracts, maximises efficiency and collaboration and delivering savings and benefits. The Corporate Procurement Unit continue to work closely with stakeholders achieve these aims/outcomes/principals.
Community Wealth Building Strategy 2024-2027
North Ayrshire Council’s 2024-2027 Community Wealth Building Strategy builds upon the pioneering approach of Scotland’s first Community Wealth Building Strategy which the Council launched in 2020. The 2024-2027 strategy supports the Council Plan of a North Ayrshire that is ‘Fair for All’ and outlines the Council's next steps in creating a Wellbeing Economy. Community Wealth Building uses the economic levers available to Anchor Institutions to develop resilient, inclusive local economies with more local employment and a larger more diverse business base, ensuring wealth is locally owned and benefits local people. Anchor institutions are large organisations that are rooted in the area, they employ significant numbers of people and have real buying and spending power e.g., Councils, NHS, Colleges, and large private organisations.
There are six objectives within the strategy, one of which is Procurement. The strategy positions progressive procurement as a key mechanism to develop dense local supply chains of local enterprises, small and medium enterprises, employee-owned businesses, social enterprises, cooperatives and other forms of community owned enterprises. The Community Wealth Building procurement objective is for North Ayrshire Council to use spend to actively encourage and support a growing, diverse, and resilient local business base, and to support our net zero carbon ambition. The Procurement Strategy actively supports this pillar, by supporting and developing local suppliers to help them win North Ayrshire Council contracts.
Another objective is Fair Employment and North Ayrshire Council have shown the key role that good procurement can play to support the delivery of local jobs through Community Benefits and working with suppliers to promote fair working practices, including payment of the real living wage. North Ayrshire Council have a published Fair Work First Statement, that confirms North Ayrshire Councils commitment to ensuring fair working practices are in place to support “Fair Work First”. Community Benefit clauses (including Jobs, training and work experience) are included in all procurement exercises over 50K for supplies and services and 100K for works and fair work first requirements are included in all procurement exercises over 10K.
Health and Social Care Partnership Strategies and Plans
North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership is responsible for delivering health and social care services in North Ayrshire and they are responsible for some services across Ayrshire and Arran, including acute mental health services. The partnerships are made up of North Ayrshire Council, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, Third Sector Interface in North Ayrshire, and Independent Sector. The Corporate Procurement Unit support the Health and Social Care Partnership procuring essential care services and equipment to help deliver the Health and Social Care Partnership strategies and plans.
3. Strategy Rationale and Context
The Scottish public sector spends a substantial amount per annum on goods, services and works and public procurement is governed by a very complex legal landscape. Applicable legislation includes the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016.
Scottish Government also continues to expand the remit and responsibilities of public procurement through the issue of new legislation, Scottish Procurement Policy Notes and Construction Policy Notes.
Procurement is a significant activity across North Ayrshire Council with influenceable spend of £300.5 million on the purchase of goods, services, works and social care during the financial year 2024/2025. The table below provides a breakdown of the spend by category for the year 2024/2025.
| Categories | Spend | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | £124,537,908.10 | 41% |
| Social Care & Services | £73,273,299.74 | 24% |
| Facilities Management | £27,666,306.59 | 9% |
| Utilities & Energy | £22,904,849.49 | 8% |
| ICT | £7,776,557.68 | 3% |
| Arts, Sports & Leisure | £6,266,870.27 | 2% |
| Education | £4,840,664.48 | 2% |
| Waste & Environmental Services | £4,718,836.32 | 2% |
| Food, Beverage & Catering | £4,075,011.07 | 1% |
| Healthcare | £4,056,273.01 | 1% |
| Other | £20,404,104.60 | 7% |
| Total | £300,520,681.35 | 100% |
In line with the Council Plan and Community Wealth Building aspirations, North Ayrshire Council would prefer to retain as much of the influential spend within the local economy as is possible. Therefore it is important to understand the current geographical spend profile. The graphic below shows the supplier size and location, where known, for the 2024/2025 spend data.
As per the above graphic, 79.5% of spend and 59% of suppliers are located in Scotland. Drilling down further we can then see the spend within North Ayrshire.
During the last financial year £80.5m was spent with 793 local suppliers (27% of total spend). As part of Community Wealth Building there is an aspiration for local spend to increase, so a target of 27% has been set, to be achieved by 2025.
To help increase the spend with local companies’ procurement actions have been agreed as part of the Community Wealth Building strategy.
Work is underway with both the Corporate Procurement Unit and the Business Support and Development Team working with local suppliers to provide greater visibility of future procurement opportunities and offer support and training to help local suppliers, to be more competitive, and therefore win a greater number of North Ayrshire Council contracts.
To successfully deliver the procurement objectives it is key that there is commitment to this Procurement Strategy and any new ways of working from all Service teams across North Ayrshire Council.
4. Priorities for Procurement in North Ayrshire Council
The key objectives of the Corporate Procurement Unit have been created to support the delivery of the Council Plan’s strategic aims, aligned to the 11 National Outcomes, while ensuring compliance with legislation. Innovative procurement and a strategic approach to procuring goods, services and works is a fundamental component in the delivery of North Ayrshire Council’s vision and priority objectives.
To deliver the required outcomes of the Procurement Strategy there remains a need to implement changes and improvements to ways of working and this will require an open mind and commitment from all officers, across North Ayrshire Council, involved in the procurement process. The Corporate Procurement Unit will work closely with services teams to achieve the maximum economic and social value across all categories of spend.
The Corporate Procurement Unit will contribute to the priorities by providing strategic guidance and leadership on all procurement matters, focussing on and directing procurement activities over the longer term, providing a framework of policies, procedures and standards, embracing collaboration, and improvement planning.
The key procurement objectives are to:
- Develop our team to deliver a professional procurement service,
- Deliver financial sustainability and optimise commercial acumen,
- Tackle climate change and embrace a circular economy on our net-zero journey,
- Create an inclusive North Ayrshire with access to fair jobs,
- Support sustainable resilient supply chains and optimise opportunities for local suppliers.
To support the delivery of the Council Plan and the Sustainable North Ayrshire and Community Wealth Building strategy, the Procurement Strategy has 5 overarching key strategic objectives, 29 individual objectives and 55 actions which will improve, innovate, and transform how the Corporate Procurement Unit operates.
The overarching strategic, individual objectives and associated actions are detailed in Appendix 1.
5. Climate and Circular Economy
In 2019, North Ayrshire Council declared a climate emergency and are committed to act now to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, half biodiversity loss by 2030 and be nature positive by 2045. North Ayrshire Council implemented a Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy in 2024. The Corporate Procurement Unit will support the net zero carbon and biodiversity/nature positive ambition and any new requirements from the Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy.
There is a Climate Change Steering Group which is made up of Local leaders with a joined drive to reduce climate impact and achieve zero carbon by 2030.
The Sustainable Procurement Duty is outlined in the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and it requires public bodies to consider how they will improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of their areas in all procurement exercises.
Sustainable procurement is embedded into North Ayrshire Council’s procurement processes and the Corporate Procurement Unit utilise the Sustainable Procurement Tools provided by Scottish Government and work closely with key stakeholders to ensure that risks are identified, and all opportunities are explored. The Sustainable Procurement Tools are detailed below:
The prioritisation tool is designed to assist early-stage strategic planning, and brings a standard, structured approach to the assessment of spend categories. North Ayrshire Council utilise the tool annually and complete an assessment of all spend categories.
Life cycle impact mapping is used to identify and assess the social and environmental impacts of raw materials, manufacturing and logistics, use and disposal or end of life management.
A sustainability test is also completed for all relevant contracts, and this helps to identify social, economic, and environmental factors which must be considered throughout the entire procurement process. The test is completed by referencing results from the prioritisation assessment. Selection and award criteria relating to climate and circular economy is also included in procurement exercises where appropriate.
The flexible framework assessment tool is used to assess the current level of performance and the actions required to embed good procurement practice to realise intended sustainable outcomes.
eLearning is undertaken related to sustainable procurement developed for the public sector in Scotland.
The Corporate Procurement Unit continuously consider whether to buy, what to buy, how to buy and how much to buy as per SPPN 3/2022 Public procurement - taking account of climate and circular economy considerations
Whether to buy – demand management is considered – i.e., can an existing asset be repaired or reused or can we bring a service in-house.
What to buy – Can we specify innovative or substitute goods, services and works that reduce climate impact and buy standardised goods to reduce variability.
How to buy – Can we include climate selection and award criteria and specify what raw material must be used and how goods will be disposed of at end of life.
How much to buy – again demand management is considered – can we consider reducing quantities.
The Corporate Procurement Unit are creating Sustainability case studies in collaboration with internal service teams and Scottish Government to promote best practice. These case studies are published by Scottish Government. They are also monitoring FNT2030 templates in collaboration with internal services team to demonstrate and monitor and report how specific categories of spend will achieve net zero by 2030.
The Corporate Procurement Unit have also created a net-zero roadmap (see Appendix 2) in collaboration with the Sustainability Team, that is aligned with the Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy and demonstrates and reports how the Corporate Procurement Unit support North Ayrshire Council’s achievement of reduction of climate impact aims.
North Ayrshire Council also complies with the Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements) (Scotland) Order 2015 which requires Public Sector Bodies to publish annual climate change reports. The report for 2023/2024 was submitted in November 2024.
The Corporate Procurement Unit contribute to compliance with climate change duties by procuring and awarding contracts that reduce climate change impact, using sustainable procurement tools (detailed above) and including appropriate selection and award criteria in relevant procurements.
The Corporate Procurement Unit also participate in the activities noted below ongoing:
- Attend Adaptation Workshops with the Energy and Sustainability Team.
- Complete the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties report for the Energy and Sustainability Team.
6. Continuous Improvement and Measuring Success
The strategic objectives and actions included in Appendix 1 will be included within future Annual Procurement Reports, providing an opportunity to report on the achievement of and compliance with our strategic objectives as well as noting actions which are yet to be completed.
To ensure continuous improvement in our procurement practices the Corporate Procurement Unit will be assessed through the Procurement and Commercial Improvement Programme. The next Procurement and Commercial Improvement Programme assessment is due to take place in November 2026/2027.
The measure of success of the Procurement Strategy will be:
- increased delivery of procurement related savings and efficiency targets
- increased compliance in the use of contracts
- positive climate impact reduction
- increased delivery of jobs (including green jobs) and other education and community benefits through community benefits
- increased payment of Real Living Wage and delivery of fair work practices
- increased contract opportunities and contract awards for Small and Medium Enterprises, Third Sector Organisations and Supported Businesses including local businesses
- positive Procurement and Commercial Improvement Programme assessment reflecting high levels of performance.
A procurement activity report will also be reported to Cabinet on an annual basis.
The Procurement Strategy will be reviewed and refreshed on an annual basis and performance against the strategic objectives will be reviewed every 6 months and reported to the procurement board.
7. Strategy Ownership and Contact Details
The owner of this Procurement Strategy on behalf of North Ayrshire Council is:
Suzanne Bignell Senior Manager (Corporate Procurement) 1st Floor West Cunninghame House Irvine KA12 8EE
Email: suzannebignell@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
Strategic Objective 1 - Develop our team to deliver a professional procurement service
Objectives
- To ensure all Corporate Procurement Unit staff are fully trained and developed to reach their maximum potential, to offer a more strategic and commercial approach to procurement activities.
- To ensure that all procurement activity is carried out in a transparent, proportionate, non-discriminative, and accountable manner, in accordance with procurement legislation and North Ayrshire Council’s internal governance.
- To provide visibility of future contracting opportunities by advertising opportunities, maintaining and publishing a Contract Register, tender waveplan, and procurement annual reports.
- Ensure all relevant contracts comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
- To procure food to improve health, wellbeing and education and promote high standards of animal welfare.
- Work with service teams to develop a robust contract strategy and specification for each procurement exercise.
- To ensure the Corporate Procurement Unit staff and service teams work collaboratively to ensure best economic and social value is obtained from all external expenditure.
- Continue to improve procurement performance across the council as measured by the Scottish Government’s Procurement & Commercial Improvement Programme.
How our objectives will be met
- Develop all new and existing Corporate Procurement Unit staff to be multi-skilled and able to carry out procurement exercises for any categories of spend, through appropriate professional qualifications, training, secondments, and mentoring.
- Identify training needs linked to our strategic objectives detailed in our strategic training plan.
- Deliver training through buddying, coaching, and mentoring and internal and external procurement training courses including climate literacy training.
- Utilise e-Tendering systems, and provide proportionate streamlined procurement processes, and plain English, user friendly, clear precise documentation for all North Ayrshire Council employees involved in the procurement process to use, that is easy for suppliers to interpret to ensure common understanding.
- Ensure all elements of the contract strategy and tender process are reviewed and appropriately authorised to ensure non-discrimination, legal compliance, and delivery of best value.
- Advertise all contracts electronically using Public Contracts Scotland in line with legislative requirements.
- Publish Annual Reports, Procurement Strategies and Contract Register in line with legislative requirements.
- Review spend data and identify off-contract spend and work with service teams to ensure contracts are in place,
- Ensure health and safety is addressed in all relevant contracts by insisting on adherence to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, requesting ISO450001 or equivalent policies and scoring risk and health and safety practices as part of the technical evaluation.
- Specify food procurements to ensure nutritional quality is addressed, seasonal products are purchased, and unnecessary use of natural resources is avoided and requesting certification relating to animal welfare standards.
- Work with services teams to develop a robust contract strategy and specification for each procurement exercise.
- Work with service teams to maintain an accurate tender waveplan to provide an overview of all contracts and supplier performance and enable efficient allocation of procurement resources.
- Work with service teams and suppliers to ensure continuous improvement, through regular meetings and using supplier and customer surveys.
- Obtain Procurement Board approval and buy-in for new policies, processes, strategies, and reports where appropriate.
- Preparing for Procurement Commercial Improvement Programme assessment utilising a Procurement Commercial Improvement Programme improvement plan.
- Respond to changes, new procurement legislation or Scottish Procurement Policy Notes as appropriate.
Strategic Objective 2 - Deliver financial sustainability and optimise commercial acumen
Objectives
- Work with service teams to develop contract strategies and specifications aligned to the Council Plan, other North Ayrshire Council strategies, the National Performance Framework and Scottish Model of Procurement for all procurements (above £50K for supplies and services and above £500K for works) to deliver maximum economic and social value.
- Generate value from utilising collaborative contracts with other Councils, Scotland Excel, Scottish Government and Crown Commercial Services.
- Work with the Procurement Board and internal service teams to maximise savings from national frameworks, through product rationalisation, taking advantage of rebates and utilising the best quality supplier(s) at the optimal price.
- Train all Corporate Procurement Unit staff in commercial acumen.
- Manage price increase requests and other negotiations.
- Monitor, report, and work with Service teams to rectify non-compliant spend.
- All North Ayrshire Council officers to adhere to a Contract and Supplier Management Policy to ensure the maximum economic and social value is continually driven from every contract.
How our objectives will be met
- Develop contract strategies and specifications to procure contracts to fully meet North Ayrshire Council’s needs, considering early supplier engagement, market research, demand management, innovation and substitutes, best route to market to maximise competition and value for money, best pricing options and mechanisms and inclusion of criteria to reduce climate impact and benefit the local economy.
- Seek opportunities to collaborate with neighbouring local authorities and other public sector bodies as well as continuing to engage with Scottish Government procurement and Scotland Excel.
- Continue to use and rationalise existing collaborative frameworks to obtain further savings through mini competitions, rationalising products, using alternative products and maximising rebates.
- Discuss saving opportunities at the Procurement Board.
- Carry out regular commercial acumen workshops so officers involved in procurement understand their responsibility to deliver best value and are open to carrying out thorough market research, benchmarking, utilising indexation tools negotiating, developing specifications, and robustly managing contracts and suppliers.
- Carry out benchmarking exercises and utilise indexation tools and reports to understand market prices and negotiate price increase requests and post tender negotiations accordingly.
- Provide Standing Orders Relating to Contracts training via e-Learning and recorded procurement and Single Tender Action Request training to all individuals involved in procurement activities across North Ayrshire Council.
- Identify non-compliant spend to target spend that may be influenced by a competitive procurement exercise.
- Report non-compliant spend to the Procurement Board.
- To manage all contracts in line with the Contract and Supplier Management policy and encourage all devolved contract and supplier managers to do the same.
Strategic Objective 3 - Tackle climate change and embrace a circular economy on our net-zero journey
Objectives
- Ensure that all external expenditure is procured sustainably, whilst encouraging and influencing our suppliers, contractors, and service providers to do the same.
- Support North Ayrshire Council’s drive to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 by ensuring that every contract strategy takes account of the potential impact on the environment and identifies ways in which the impact can be reduced utilising the sustainable procurement tools.
- Collaborate with service teams to implement, monitor, and report actions to reduce climate impact and maximise circular economy opportunities.
How our objectives will be met
- Ensure compliance with environmental law by issuing terms and conditions for all contracts.
- Request appropriate certification in relevant contracts to meet specific environmental standards.
- Ensure all contract strategies consider socio economic and environmental impact and how this can be reduced utilising the sustainable procurement tools.
- Apply relevant and proportionate selection and award criteria to ensure that environmental impacts are considered appropriately in procurement exercises.
- Consider climate and circular economy considerations at the early buyer engagement stage and include relevant requirements in the specification.
- Complete FNT2030 templates with service teams to monitor and report progress against actions to reduce climate impact for relevant categories of spend.
- Create climate and circular economy case studies in collaboration with service teams and share best practice.
- Manage and monitor the Corporate Procurement Unit’s net-zero roadmap, aligned with the Sustainable North Ayrshire roadmap to demonstrate how the Corporate Procurement Unit are supporting North Ayrshire Council’s net-zero journey.
- Report all actions to reduce the impact of climate within our annual procurement report.
Strategic Objective 4 - Create an inclusive North Ayrshire with access to fair jobs
Objectives
- To create employment in North Ayrshire through community benefit clauses
- Ensure all contracts promote the payment of the real living wage and fair working practices (including equality) for all employees engaged in the delivery of North Ayrshire Council contracts.
- Ensure prompt payment to suppliers and sub-contractors.
- To eliminate modern slavery from all North Ayrshire Council supply chains.
- Identify and mitigate the risks associated with serious and organised crime.
- Ensure that all external expenditure is procured, fairly, and ethically whilst encouraging and influencing our suppliers, contractors, and service providers to do the same.
- Ensure all staff are trained in supply chain ethics.
How our objectives will be met
- Monitor and report on delivery of employment through community benefit clauses included in procurement exercises.
- Encourage fair work practices and payment of real living wage in all relevant contracts and score as part of the quality evaluation where appropriate.
- As required by North Ayrshire Council’s living wage accreditation, we will carry out an annual review and prepare a report of living wage status of all applicable contracts and prepare an action plan, to encourage suppliers to work towards if required.
- Refer all suppliers who are not living wage accredited or do not pay living wage to all suitable staff to the Fair Work Ayrshire Team to enable them to encourage payment/accreditation status.
- Aim to pay all suppliers within 30 days of receipt of an accurate invoice and encourage prompt payment to sub-contractors (within 30 days), using the appropriate terms and conditions and addressing via the pre-qualification and Contract and supplier Management process.
- Include mandatory agreement to North Ayrshire Council’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking code of conduct in all procurement exercises.
- Ask all bidders to sign a declaration to say they have taken relevant measures to ensure the supply chains are slavery proof.
- Publish Modern Slavey and Human Trafficking whistle blowing process on the North Ayrshire Council external website.
- Adhere to the Police Scotland Protocol regarding serious organised crime, sharing prospective bidders and responding to concerns from Police Scotland.
- Request appropriate certification in relevant contracts to meet specific, social standards such as Fair Trade.
- Complete Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply ethical supply chain training.
Strategic Objective 5 - Support sustainable resilient supply chains and optimise opportunities for local suppliers
Objective
- Understand and promote community wealth building.
- Improve engagement with local suppliers, Third Sector Organisations, and supported businesses to promote opportunities.
- Optimise use of procurement processes to award more contracts to local suppliers.
- Collaborate with North Ayrshire Council’s Business Support and Development Team to grow local capability and capacity and to promote innovation.
How our objectives will be met
- Develop the corporate culture and status of procurement as a key feature of community wealth building.
- Senior Manager (Corporate Procurement) attends Community Wealth Building Working Group
- Carry out early supplier engagement to encourage local bidders to bid for future contract opportunities.
- Consider sub-dividing tenders into lots, giving cognisance to accessibility of contracts for local Small and medium enterprises, Third Sector Organisations and Supported Business's.
- Maintain a published contract register and report on future procurement projects over the next 2 years within the Annual Procurement report to enable local Small and medium enterprises, Third Sector Organisations and Supported Business’s to have future visibility and be able to prepare to bid for future contracts.
- Work with North Ayrshire Council’s internal service teams to maximise local supplier participation in the Quick Quote and other procurement processes.
- Consider involvement of local Small and medium enterprises, Third Sector Organisations and supported businesses at the early buyer engagement stage.
- Work with the internal service teams to fully understand our local businesses and their capability and capacity to supply and innovative products and services available.
- Participate in the Community Wealth Building Procurement Lead Officers group to optimise community wealth building as appropriate.
- Create a local supplier database identifying levels on turnover and insurance and memberships, accreditations and qualification to identify suitable suppliers for procurements.
9. Appendix 1 - Procurement Strategy Action Plan
Develop our team to deliver a professional procurement service
To ensure all Corporate Procurement Unit staff are fully trained and developed to reach their maximum potential, to offer a more strategic and commercial approach to procurement activities.
How our objectives will be met
Develop all new and existing Corporate Procurement Unit staff to be multi-skilled and able to carry out procurement exercises for any categories of spend, through appropriate professional qualifications, training, secondments, and mentoring.
Current status: Business as usual
Identify training needs linked to our strategic objectives detailed in our strategic training plan.
Current status: Business as usual
Deliver training through buddying, coaching, and mentoring and internal and external procurement training courses including climate literacy training.
Current status: Business as usual
To ensure that all procurement activity is carried out in a transparent, proportionate, non-discriminative, and accountable manner, in accordance with procurement legislation and North Ayrshire Council’s internal governance.
How our objectives will be met
Utilise e-Tendering systems, and provide proportionate streamlined procurement processes, and plain English, user friendly, clear precise documentation for all North Ayrshire Council employees involved in the procurement process to use, that is easy for suppliers to interpret to ensure common understanding.
Current status: Business as usual
Ensure all elements of the contract strategy and tender process are reviewed and appropriately authorised to ensure non-discrimination, legal compliance, and delivery of best value.
Current status: Business as usual
Review spend data and identify off-contract spend and work with service teams to ensure contracts are in place.
Current status: Business as usual
To provide visibility of future contracting opportunities by advertising opportunities, maintaining, and publishing a Contract Register, tender waveplan, and procurement annual reports.
How our objectives will be met
Advertise all contracts electronically using Public Contracts Scotland in line with legislative requirements.
Current status: Business as usual
Publish Annual Reports, Procurement Strategies and Contract Register in line with legislative requirements.
Current status: Business as usual
Ensure all relevant contracts comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
How our objectives will be met
Ensure health and safety is addressed in all relevant contracts by insisting on adherence to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, requesting ISO450001 or equivalent policies and scoring risk and health and safety practices as part of the technical evaluation.
Current status: Business as usual
To procure food to improve health, wellbeing and education and promote high standards of animal welfare.
How our objectives will be met
Specify food procurements to ensure nutritional quality is addressed, seasonal products are purchased, and unnecessary use of natural resources is avoided and requesting certification relating to animal welfare standards.
Current status: Business as usual
Work with service teams to develop a robust specification and contract strategy for each procurement exercise.
How our objectives will be met
Work with services teams to develop a robust contract strategy and specification for each appropriate procurement exercise.
Current status: Business as usual
To ensure Corporate Procurement Unit staff and service teams work collaboratively to ensure best economic and social value is obtained from all external expenditure.
How our objectives will be met
Obtain Procurement Board approval and buy-in for new policies, processes, strategies, and reports where appropriate.
Work with service teams to maintain an accurate tender waveplan to provide an overview of all contracts and supplier performance and enable efficient allocation of procurement resources.
Current status: Meet with teams quarterly
Work with service teams and suppliers to ensure continuous improvement, through regular meetings and using supplier and customer surveys.
Current status: Issue customer surveys annually, feedback facility on Connects and issue supplier surveys for all high value procurements.
Continue to improve procurement performance across the council as measured by the Scottish Government’s Procurement & Commercial Improvement Programme.
How our objectives will be met
Prepare for Procurement and Commercial Improvement Programme assessment ongoing utilising a Procurement and Commercial Improvement Programme improvement plan.
Current status: Last assessment date 28 November 2023. Next Assessment November 2026.
Respond to changes, new procurement legislation or Scottish Procurement Policy Notes as appropriate.
Deliver financial sustainability and optimise commercial acumen
Work with service teams to develop contract strategies and specifications aligned to the Council Plan, other North Ayrshire Council strategies, the National Performance Framework and Scottish Model of Procurement for all procurements (above £50K for supplies and services and above £500K for works) to deliver maximum economic and social value.
How our objectives will be met
Develop contract strategies and specifications to procure contracts to fully meet North Ayrshire Council’s needs, considering early supplier engagement, market research, demand management, innovation and substitutes, best route to market to maximise competition and value for money, best pricing options and mechanisms and inclusion of criteria to reduce climate impact and benefit the local economy.
Current status: Business as usual
Generate value from utilising collaborative contracts with other Councils, Scotland Excel, Scottish Government and Crown Commercial Services.
How our objectives will be met
Seek opportunities to collaborate with neighbouring local authorities and other public sector bodies as well as continuing to engage with Scottish Government procurement and Scotland Excel.
Current status: Business as usual
Continue to use and rationalise existing collaborative frameworks to obtain further savings through mini competitions, rationalising products, using alternative products and maximising rebates.
Current status: Business as usual
Work with the Procurement Board and internal service teams to maximise savings from national frameworks, through product rationalisation, taking advantage of rebates and utilising the best quality supplier(s) at the optimal price.
How our objectives will be met
Discuss saving opportunities at the Procurement Board.
Current status: Procurement Board meet quarterly
Train all Corporate Procurement Unit staff in commercial acumen.
How our objectives will be met
Carry out regular commercial acumen workshops so officers involved in procurement understand their responsibility to deliver best value and are open to carrying out thorough market research, benchmarking, utilising indexation tools negotiating, developing specifications, and robustly managing contracts and suppliers.
Current status: Carried out annually
Manage price increase requests and other negotiations.
How our objectives will be met
Carry out benchmarking exercises and utilise indexation tools and reports to understand market prices and negotiate price increase requests and post tender negotiations accordingly.
Current status: Business as usual
Monitor, report, and work with Service teams to rectify non-compliant spend.
How our objectives will be met
Provide Standing Orders Relating to Contracts training via e-Learning and recorded procurement and Single Tender Action Request training to all individuals involved in procurement activities across North Ayrshire Council.
Current status: Business as usual
Identify non-compliant spend to target spend that may be influenced by a competitive procurement exercise.
Current status: Reviewed quarterly. New Team Manager (Sustainability) role created to address non-compliant spend
Report non-compliant spend to the Procurement Board.
Current status: Reported quarterly
All North Ayrshire Council officers to adhere to a Contract and Supplier Management Policy to ensure the maximum economic and social value is continually driven from every contract.
How our objectives will be met
To manage all contracts in line with the Contract and Supplier Management policy and encourage all devolved contract and supplier mangers to do the same.
Current status: New Team Manager (Sustainability) role created to address compliance with the Contract and Supplier Management Policy
Tackle climate change and embrace a circular economy on our net-zero journey
Ensure that all external expenditure is procured sustainably, whilst encouraging and influencing our suppliers, contractors, and service providers to do the same.
How our objectives will be met
Ensure compliance with environmental law by issuing terms and conditions for all contracts.
Current status: Business as usual
Request appropriate certification in relevant contracts to meet specific environmental standards.
Current status: Business as usual
Support North Ayrshire Council’s drive to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 by ensuring that every contract strategy takes account of the potential impact on the environment and identifies ways in which the impact can be reduced utilising the sustainable procurement tools.
How our objectives will be met
Ensure all contract strategies consider socio economic and environmental impact and how this can be reduced utilising the sustainable procurement tools.
Current status: Business as usual
Apply relevant and proportionate selection and award criteria to ensure that environmental impacts are considered appropriately in procurement exercises.
Current status: Business as usual
Consider climate and circular economy considerations at the early buyer engagement stage and include relevant requirements in the specification.
Current status: Business as usual
Collaborate with service teams to implement, monitor, and report actions to reduce climate impact and maximise circular economy opportunities.
How our objectives will be met
Complete FNT2030 templates with service teams to monitor and report progress against actions to reduce climate impact for relevant categories of spend.
Current status: Completed for Fleet, ICT, Waste and Building Services - October 2023
Create climate and circular economy case studies in collaboration with service teams and share best practice.
Current status: two published 2023/2024
Manage and monitor the Corporate Procurement Unit’s net-zero roadmap, aligned with the Sustainable North Ayrshire roadmap to demonstrate how the Corporate Procurement Unit are supporting North Ayrshire Council’s net-zero journey.
Current status: Reviewed annually
Report all actions to reduce the impact of climate within our annual procurement report.
Current status: Reported annually. New Team Manager (Sustainability) role created to address net-zero ambitions.
Create an inclusive North Ayrshire with access to fair jobs
To create employment in North Ayrshire through community benefit clauses.
How our objectives will be met
Monitor and report on delivery of employment through community benefit clauses included in procurement exercises.
Current status: Monitored every 6 months or more frequent by the Community Benefits Officer and reported annually.
Ensure all contracts promote the payment of the real living wage and fair working practices (including equality) for all employees engaged in the delivery of North Ayrshire Council contracts.
How our objectives will be met
Encourage fair work practices and payment of real living wage in all relevant contracts and score as part of the quality evaluation where appropriate.
Current status: Business as usual
As required by North Ayrshire Council’s living wage accreditation, we will carry out an annual review and prepare a report of living wage status of all applicable contracts and prepare an action plan, to encourage suppliers to work towards if required.
Refer all suppliers who are not living wage accredited or do not pay living wage to all suitable staff to the Fair Work Ayrshire Team to enable them to encourage payment/accreditation status.
Current status: Business as usual
Ensure prompt payment to suppliers and sub-contractors.
How our objectives will be met
Aim to pay all suppliers within 30 days of receipt of an accurate invoice and encourage prompt payment to sub-contractors (within 30 days), using the appropriate terms and conditions and addressing via the pre-qualification and Contract and supplier Management process.
Current status: Business as usual
To eliminate modern slavery from all North Ayrshire Council supply chains.
How our objectives will be met
Include mandatory agreement to North Ayrshire Council’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking code of conduct in all procurement exercises.
Current status: Business as usual
Publish Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking whistle blowing process on the North Ayrshire Council external website.
Current status: Business as usual
Ask all bidders to sign a declaration to say they have taken relevant measures to ensure the supply chains are slavery proof.
Current status: Business as usual
Identify and mitigate the risks associated with serious and organised crime.
How our objectives will be met
Adhere to the Police Scotland Protocol regarding serious organised crime, sharing prospective bidders and responding to concerns from Police Scotland.
Current status: Business as usual
Ensure that all external expenditure is procured, fairly, and ethically whilst encouraging and influencing our suppliers, contractors, and service providers to do the same.
How our objectives will be met
Request appropriate certification in relevant contracts to meet specific, social standards such as Fair Trade.
Current status: Business as usual
Ensure all staff are trained in supply chain ethics.
How our objectives will be met
Complete Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply ethical supply chain training annually.
Current status: Completed annually
Support sustainable resilient supply chains and optimise opportunities for local suppliers
Understand and promote community wealth building.
How our objectives will be met
Develop the corporate culture and status of procurement as a key feature of community wealth building.
Current status: Business as usual
Senior Manager (Corporate Procurement) attends Community Wealth Building Working Group.
Current status: Attend quarterly meetings, and report local contract awards
Improve engagement with local suppliers, Third Sector Organisations, and supported businesses to promote opportunities.
How our objectives will be met
Carry out early supplier engagement to encourage local bidders to bid for future contract opportunities.
Current status: Business as usual
Maintain a published contract register and report on future procurement projects over the next 2 years within the Annual Procurement report to enable local Small and Medium Enterprises, Third Sector Organisations and Supported Business’s to have future visibility and be able to prepare to bid for future contracts.
Current status: Business as usual
Consider sub-dividing tenders into lots, giving cognisance to accessibility of contracts for local Small and Medium Enterprises, Third Sector Organisations and Supported Business’s.
Optimise use of procurement processes to award more contracts to local suppliers.
How our objectives will be met
Consider involvement of local Small and Medium Enterprises, Third Sector Organisations and supported businesses at the early buyer engagement stage.
Work with North Ayrshire Council’s internal service teams to maximise local supplier participation in the Quick Quote and other procurement processes.
Collaborate to grow local capability and capacity and to promote innovation.
How our objectives will be met
Work with the internal service teams to fully understand our local businesses and their capability and capacity to supply and innovative products and services available
Participate in the Community Wealth Building Procurement Lead Officers group to optimise community wealth building as appropriate.
Create a local supplier database identifying levels on turnover and insurance and memberships, accreditations and qualification to identify suitable suppliers for procurements.
10. Appendix 2 - Corporate Procurement Unit Net-Zero Roadmap
Workstream one - Energy
Workstream one covers Energy with the following actions:
Commissioning of two new solar farms at Shewalton, Irvine, and Nethermains, Kilwinning.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
May 2025
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- NAC/5094 Design and Build of Solar PV Farms at Nethermains, Kilwinning and Shewalton, Irvine Lot 3 - Nethermains, Kilwinning & Shewalton, Irvine (awarded March 2023).
- NAC/STA/5166 Grid Connection Costs for Nethermains Solar PV Farm (awarded January 2023).
- NAC/STA/5168 Grid Connection Costs for Shewalton Solar PV Farm (awarded January 2023).
- NAC/STA/5215 Energy Consultancy Support, Nethermains & Shewalton Solar PV Farms (awarded December 2023).
Development of other municipal renewable energy projects, including at i3, Irvine
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Strategy due October 2025. Procurement support may be required to appoint a consultant for feasibility studies as a result of the renewal energy strategy (may involve use of existing frameworks).
Publish and implement the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- NAC/MC/5091 LHEES Consultancy Services (awarded April 2022).
- NAC/STA/5191 Delivery of North Ayrshire’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan (awarded April 2023).
- Procurement supported may be required for a direct award against the Scotland Excel Framework Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies 0323 for a feasibility study for a heat network in Irvine.
Completion of the Energy Masterplan for Ayrshire, in partnership with East Ayrshire Council, South Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
East Ayrshire Council have procured the development of an Ayrshire Energy Master Plan (awarded December 2022).
Procurement support may be required depending on the recommendations, which are still considered.
Administration of the Community Net Zero Fund to support community energy regeneration.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Administration and further development of the Energy Smart programme to provide low carbon advice and physical measures to reduce emissions and improve affordable warmth.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
May 2026
What Procurement support is required?
NAC/DA/5071 Energy Smart Programme Works (awarded May 2024).
Develop Community Climate Actions Plans for each locality, building on the Climate Action Town Stevenston project.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None.
Support the delivery of the Carbon Neutral Islands project, and wider Arran Local Island Plan and Cumbrae Local Island Plan.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- Area Based Scheme Energy Efficiency Works - Lot 1 – Area Based Scheme (ABS) Works (awarded March 2024).
- Carbon Neutral Island - RPA submitted for 25/26 funding award, allocation to be spent by 31st March 2026.
Develop a programme of Carbon Literacy Training for communities.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None.
Completion of programme of energy lessons within schools.
What Procurement support is required?
None.
Implementation of decarbonisation measures within our building estate as identified through the Green Growth Accelerator Report.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing.
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- Initial consultant report created which is high level and gives an overview of what the council would require to spend in terms of decarbonising the building estate (service procured as low value direct award).
- Additional consultancy report being created to delve further at specific buildings and energy improvement projects - looking at Trindle Moss, Cunninghame House, Irvine Royal Academy and Garnock Community Campus (service procured as low value direct award).
Recent awards to support include:
- NAC/QQ/5312 Replacement of Building Management System, Dalry Primary School/Early Years and Beith Primary School (awarded May 2024)
- NAC/QQ/5334 Proposed Internal Lighting Refurbishment, West Byrehill Transport Garage, Kilwinning (awarded Dec 2024)
- NAC/QQ/5359 Replacement of Existing Building Management System, Cumbrae Primary School (awarded May 2025)
- NAC/QQ/5366 Upgrade of Lighting at The Arran Outdoor Centre and Lawthorn Primary School, Irvine (awarded July 2025) Projects will continue to be procured, as and when required.
Implement a range of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures across Council housing stock to meet EESSH2 requirements.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
PMI manage all EESSH requirements. However, Sustainability support PMI through:
- NAC/MC/5137 Area Based Scheme Energy Efficiency Works - Lot 1 – Area Based Scheme (ABS) Works (awarded February 2024).
Prepare proposals for external funding, e.g. Scottish Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Support in terms of how funding projects can be delivered, which could lead to tenders or contract modifications.
Support to date includes:
- NAC/MC/5124 Area Based Scheme (ABS) Energy Efficiency Managing Agent (awarded September 2023).
- NAC/MC/5137 Area Based Scheme Energy Efficiency Works - Lot 1 – Area Based Scheme (ABS) Works (awarded February 2024).
- Carbon Neutral Island - £30,000. Modification to Area Based Scheme contract completed Dec 2024 to cover additional work required.
- Carbon Neutral Island - RPA submitted for 25/26 funding award, allocation to be spent by 31st March 2026.
- ECO4 Flex - ongoing procurement support with non-procured partnerships, including market research and supplier due diligence. Completed 2024 and 2025. Support likely required 2026.
Support local businesses on their journey to net zero and continue the implementation of the Net Zero Accelerator.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Prepare a new Carbon Footprint and Project Register to manage carbon emission reduction and sequestration projects, embedding a data driven approach to the journey to our net-zero 2030 target.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Free tool form Scottish Government. May require procurement support and input to help review the tool and consider its use and implementation. Transformation has undertaken some initial testing of using the CFPR tool with simulated data, which is currently ongoing.
Explore the use of Sustainable Scotland Networks’ Climate Change Impact Assessment Tool.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
30 March 2025
What Procurement support is required?
None. However, Procurement Team Manager (Sustainability) attended Scottish Climate Intelligence Service (SCIS) Launch.
Workstream two - Nature
Workstream two covers Nature with the following actions:
Complete the Local Biodiversity Action Plan review to align with forthcoming Scottish Biodiversity Strategy targets.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
March 2026
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house
Identify and complete Nature Restoration Fund projects to support the Nature Network strategy.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing (annually in line with NRF funding release)
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support required for delivery of NRF project spending. The procurement support provided to date includes:
- Purchase of 9 apple trees with accompanying tree stakes, tree ties and tree shelters (2025).
- NAC/QQ/5365 Supply and Storage of Pollinator Packs (awarded June 2025). - Purchase of cardboard trays for the pollinator packs (2025).
Complete a biodiversity audit for North Ayrshire.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
March 2025
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support required:
- to procure the services of an ecological consultant by April 2025 against NAC's Professional Services Framework (NAC/2158 Lot 17) to analyse all existing biological records held both locally and nationally relating to the North Ayrshire Local Authority Area (awarded Nov 2024).
- to purchase a Land Cover Map Licence so that the supplier could access map data (24/25).
Undertake a Local Nature Conservation Sites review for Arran.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
March 2026
What Procurement support is required?
Help to procure the services of an ecological consultant by May 2026.
Implement Nature Networks throughout North Ayrshire as far as possible.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
2045
What Procurement support is required?
The delivery of a nature network will be a complex and long-term project. Support will be required in the possible procurement of materials, equipment/machinery, contractors and consultants. This would take place as the need is identified and funding allowed.
Implement the 2030 Woodlands: A tree planting strategy and engage with Scottish Forestry as part of our climate change work.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
31 March 2030
What Procurement support is required?
The following support is required:
- NAC/5134 Supply, Delivery, Planting & Maintenance of New Woodland at Lochshore Park (awarded Mar 2023).
- Procurement support was required to assist with quotes for Milgarholm and Annick Valley (planting anticipated Autumn/Winter 2025/26) for between 20-23k trees in total for these sites.
- The target is to reach at least 60,000 trees planted by 31st March 2026. The areas of planting that are being developed to meet the 2025/26 target are Kilwinning, and Nethermains where procurement support will be required.
- Procurement support will continue until 2030 to procure ground preparation works, trees, stakes and guards on a project specific basis during the term of the strategy. The web portal for North Ayrshire’s 2030 Woodland Strategy shows that 50,255 trees have been planted to date across North Ayrshire through various projects and by community partners which is above the 2024/25 target of 47,000 trees.
Complete a comprehensive study to understand the carbon sequestration capacity and future potential of our natural assets.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Yet to be assigned
What Procurement support is required?
How this action will be delivered has yet to be explored. The initial thought would be that the Council lacks the in-house skills to undertake this action. There is the possibility that an appropriate consultant may need to be procured.
Support the Local Development Plan to align with the positive biodiversity ambition of the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Continue to support the increase in local food production.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Continue to support food provenance and maximise the use of locally grown food through the actions within the North Ayrshire Food Growing Strategy.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Support the repurposing of vacant and derelict sites through the Repurposing Property Grant Fund and Communities and Place Fund.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Not applicable.
Maximise the potential for sustainable regenerative and nature based tourism opportunities as part of the Ayrshire Regional & Visitor Economy Strategy and the Council’s annual Visitor Management Plans.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Yet to be assigned.
What Procurement support is required?
May involve a combination of in-house work and input from an appropriate consultant. There is no current timeframe on this action.
Workstream three - Transport
Workstream three covers Transport with the following actions:
Progress the Council’s fleet decarbonisation route map.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
31 March 2030
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- NAC/QQ/5167 Provision of a Fleet Decarbonisation Consultant (awarded May 2022).
- Help to procure electric vehicles, as and when required, subject to available budgets.
Install additional workplace chargers to further electrify the Council’s fleet.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
31 March 2026
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- NAC/MC/2093 Electric Vehicle Charge Points (awarded Feb 2019).
- NAC/STA/1065 Electric Vehicle ChargePoint Maintenance (awarded Sept 2019).
- NAC/MC/5014 Electric Vehicle Charge Points (awarded Mar 2020).
- NAC/DA/5089 Replacement Rapid and Relocation of EV Chargers in Arran (awarded Oct 2024).
- NAC/STA/5240 Maintenance, Warranty and Data Sim Contract for EV Charge Points (awarded Oct 2024).
- NAC/DA/5100 Supply, Installation and Maintenance of Electric Charging Equipment and Associated Products (awarded March 2025)
- NAC/DA/5104 Electric Vehicle Workplace Charging Equipment and Associated Products (award due Oct 2025).
- T2 will come to an end when the EVIF Concession Contract is awarded in February/March 2026. ITT documents were published on PCS-T on the 3rd October 2025. The deadline date for submissions is 12th December 2025 with the target date of February/March 2026 for contract award.
Consider use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in heavy fleet to reduce emissions.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
31 March 2025
What Procurement support is required?
NAC/MC/5155 Supply and Delivery of HVO Fuel, North Ayrshire (awarded December 2024)
Progress Ayrshire EVCI Pathfinder project to support a just transition to EVs.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
31 March 2026
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support not required. Collaboration between 3-Ayrshires and is being led by East Ayrshire Council.
Undertake a review of EV Strategy with reference to the Ayrshire EVCI pathfinder.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Progress Community Transport pathfinder proposals.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Yet to be assigned.
What Procurement support is required?
To be confirmed.
Achieve 2km (2,000 metres) of active travel infrastructure per year in North Ayrshire.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- Support to procure Construction Contract for Strategic Investment Route (River Irvine Paths), Irvine
- Support to procure Tree Felling Contract for Strategic Investment Route (River Irvine Paths), Irvine
- NAC/QQ/5346 Ground Investigation Works - Heatherhouse Road and Strategic Investment Route (River Irvine Paths), Irvine (awarded April 25).
- NAC/DA/5080 CDM, Technical Surveys and Principal Design Duties for LUF River Irvine (awarded Sept 24).
- NAC/DA/5081 CDM, Technical Surveys and Principal Design Duties for LUF Heatherhouse Road, Irvine (awarded Oct 2024).
- NAC/QQ/5260 Fairlie Coastal Path Construction – Phase 3 (awarded December 2023).
- NAC/QQ/5034 Fairlie Coastal Path Construction (awarded October 2020).
Consider the ongoing role of digital technology in contributing to the avoidance of travel journeys.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
To be confirmed.
Project is still in its early stages but ongoing discussions are taken place with NAC's Digital Renewal Manager.
Workstream four - Waste
Workstream four covers Waste with the following actions:
Develop the new Zero Waste Strategy in line with Scottish Government route map.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
31 March 2027
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support not required at the development stage but may be required at the implementation stage of the new strategy.
Building on the new Zero Waste strategy, support businesses to enhance innovation and reduce waste through working with partners to develop a circular economy approach.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Implement actions within new Waste Strategy.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
To be confirmed
What Procurement support is required?
To be confirmed.
Officers are working closely with COSLA, SOLACE and Scottish Government through a co-design process, to develop the key policy and actions, including a revised statutory Code of Practice for Household Waste Recycling, which are being taken forward as part of a new Circular Economy and Waste Route Map for Scotland. The Route Map and the revised Code of Practice (expected by the end of 2026) will be key in informing the development of the Council's Zero Waste Strategy to explore further opportunities for improving reuse and recycling performance. NAC's updated Zero Waste Strategy is therefore unlikely to be drafted and approved until early 2027.
Continue to implement the Single Use Plastic Strategy.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Investigate the feasibility of a green hydrogen generation project using landfill gas, through the Energy Technology Partnership.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
31 March 2025
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- NAC/STA/5215 Energy Consultancy Support, Nethermains & Shewalton Solar PV Farms (incorporating green hydrogen generation) (awarded December 2023).
- NAC/STA/5043 University of Strathclyde Partnership (awarded December 2020).
Workstream five - Adaptation
Workstream five covers Adaptation with the following actions:
Implement Adaptation Scotland’s Framework for a Climate Ready Public Sector.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
Framework is not mandatory however the plan is to complete annually. Procurement will be required to feed into its completion annually.
Procurement contributed to the 23/24 assessment and the 24/25 assessment.
Undertake actions identified through annual assessments.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
Ongoing
What Procurement support is required?
None - will be completed in-house.
Develop and deliver the Flood Protection Scheme for Great Cumbrae.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
July 2024
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
- NAC/STA/5042 Millport Coastal Flood Protection Scheme (Detailed Design including Preparation of Main Contract Documentation) (awarded 2020).
- NAC/QQ/5063 Millport Coastal Flood Protection Scheme - Landscape Architect Services (awarded 2021).
- NAC/DA/5023 Additional Consultancy for Millport Coastal Flood Protection Scheme (awarded 2022).
- NAC/DA/5036 Design Consultancy for Millport Flood Prevention Scheme - Phase 3 (awarded 2021).
- NAC/MC/5101 NEC4 ECC Project Management for Millport Coastal Flood Protection Scheme (awarded 2022).
- NAC/STA/5165 Purchase of CEMAR Software, Millport Coastal Flood Protection Scheme (awarded 2022).
- NAC/DA/5049 Millport Coastal Flood Protection Scheme - Construction Phase Design Support (awarded 2022).
- NAC/5075 Millport Flood Protection Scheme Construction (awarded January 2023).
- NAC/DA/5072 Millport Flood Prevention Scheme (FPS) Associate Support – Secondment (awarded January 2024).
Develop and deliver the Mill Burn Flood Alleviation Scheme in Millport.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
May 2026
What Procurement support is required?
Procurement support the following:
NAC/5204 Mill Burn FPS out to tender. Plus NAC/MC/5182 NEC4 Project Manager and Site Supervisor for Mill Burn FPS in development.
Undertake coastal studies for Stevenston and Irvine beaches, to identify soft engineering methods to manage coastal erosion as promoted by the Shoreline Management Plan.
Timescale when the action should be completed by?
August 2024
What Procurement support is required?
NAC/MC/5139 Provision of Erosion Management and Improved Accessibility Study at Stevenston and Irvine Coast (awarded December 2023).
11. Appendix 3 - Version Control
Date
December 2023
Date
December 2023
Page, paragraph or section updated
Page 31
Revision type
Addition of Appendix 2 - CPU Net-Zero Roadmap
Revision details
Strategy updated to include CPU Net-Zero Roadmap.
Date
November 2024
Page, paragraph or section updated
Various
Revision type
- Removing acronyms
- Updating statistics
- Adjusting strategic actions/current status
Revision details
- Removing acronyms to make the document accessible
- Updating statistics for spend
- Adjusting strategic actions/current status to address new Sustainability Team Manager role and local database creation
Date
November 2025
Page, paragraph or section updated
Various
Revision type
- Added reference to Fair Work First Statement and biodiversity goals
- Added graphics throughout
- Updated statistics for year 24 to 25 throughout
Revision details
- Added link to NAC FWF statement
- Added biodiversity goals
- Added graphics
- Updated annual statistics