Page 66 - Procurement guidelines for smart sustainable cities - A U4SSC deliverable

• start planning competitive tendering for medium and long-term needs resulting from the crisis;
and
• work in partnership with suppliers to develop transition plans to exit from any relief as soon as
reasonably possible.

To help enable a sustainable recovery public officials and stakeholders should:

• continue to pay suppliers as quickly as possible, on receipt of invoices or in accordance with
pre-agreed milestone dates;

• ensure that they are able to carry out contract management tasks digitally, for example issuing
receipts and approving invoices; and

• avoid terminating contracts without first discussing alternative options with suppliers; for
example, applying a contract variation with clear justifications, actions and timescales.

Whether any particular contract can return to “pre-emergency” terms will depend on a number
of factors such as the scale of the crisis and how long it takes suppliers and the wider economy to
recover.

Public officials and stakeholders should issue clear guidance on how and when any further
adjustments will be made to the standard buying process, and aim to return to it as soon as is
reasonable to do so.

Dos and don’ts

Table 8: Dos and don’ts-Return to sustainable buying
Table 8: Dos and don’ts-Return to sustainable buying

Do Don’t

develop transition plans to end do not end emergency buying
emergency relief in partnership with suppliers procedures abruptly without consultation with
suppliers
agree with suppliers if and when
any outstanding goods or services are to be
delivered

return to “normal” or sustainable buying
as soon as it is reasonable to do so

Table 9: Dos and don’ts-Work as a team

Do Don’t

include colleagues with a diverse mix of do not allow one individual to be
skills, experience and backgrounds responsible for commissioning a high-value
product or service
ask about past procurements and any
lessons learned
52 Procurement guidelines for smart sustainable cities | May 2023
consult stakeholders and decision-
makers as early as possible

Table 10: Dos and don’ts-Understand user needs (Digital Buying Guide)

Do Don’t

test any assumptions you have about do not collect data about users without
your users before you write your requirements their consent
work with Disabled People Organizations

research with a diverse range of users,
ideally where they use a product or service

ensure that user needs are worked into
your plan

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