School Asbestos Services Procurement Procedure

This procedure applies where a maintained school or academy school or trust in England is procuring asbestos services. The selected route must reflect the procurement need and the purchasing arrangements of the school or trust.

1. Confirm the procurement need

The [procurement lead role] should define the asbestos services required, the intended outcomes, the scope of work, and any relevant constraints before selecting a route to market.

The procurement record should identify the school or trust, the service requirement, the proposed timetable, and the person responsible for the procurement.

2. Consider the route to market

Consider using a DfE-approved framework when procuring asbestos services.

To search for relevant asbestos services on Find a Framework, search for “Services”, then “Facilities Management and Estates”, and then either “Estate Management Professional Services” or “Total Facilities Management”.

Where procurement support is useful, consider using the Get Help Buying for Schools service. The service provides advice, guidance, and signposting to DfE-approved frameworks.

Record the route-to-market decision, including whether a DfE-approved framework or procurement support service was considered and the reason for the selected route.

3. Specify and source the service

Prepare the service specification and use the selected route to source suitable asbestos services in accordance with the school’s or trust’s purchasing arrangements.

Where advice or support is obtained from Get Help Buying for Schools, retain the relevant details with the procurement record.

4. Record the supplier decision

Record the supplier decision and the reasons for it, together with the relevant procurement documents and the selected route-to-market information.

The procurement record should be retained in [procurement record location] and linked to the asbestos services requirement for [school or trust name].

5. Review the procurement record

The [procurement lead role] should review the procurement record before the procurement is closed to confirm that the service specification, route-to-market decision, supplier decision, and any procurement support obtained are recorded.