KRCS awarded CPC supplier status

KRCS Group are proud to announce that we have officially been awarded supplier status with Crescent Purchasing Consortium - CPC. This is for the Desktop Hardware & Peripherals Framework - Lot 4: IT Hardware Compatible with Apple Operating Systems. This framework offers best value purchasing arrangements for Further Education, Academies, Free Schools and Schools sectors.

CPC was created in 2000 as part of the purchasing team at The University of Salford. The consortium was developed to fill a gap in the provision of reliable and best-value frameworks for the FE sector. The service proved to be so useful that the FE sector bought the company in 2009.

As a not-for-profit organisation, any surpluses generated are invested back into member support and wider services. All income generated from CPC's activities stays within the FE and Academy sectors, and is used to sustain and expand the range of contracts for goods and services that is provided and to support training initiatives.

Schools and FE colleges who are part of the Framework are able to submit the required specifications of products for their Member Institution and KRCS can then submit a proposed quote. It is completely free to join CPC and the process is quick and simple. More information on how join CPC can be found here and how to purchase through CPC can be found here. Alternatively, please contact edsales@krcs.co.uk.

The CPC Quote Tool allows you to request a quote for a product or service from all CPC registered suppliers on the majority of the frameworks in one simple form. Institutions can select the relevant framework from the dropdown menu, complete the criteria and the request will automatically be sent to all of the providers on the framework.

Should the framework required not be listed, the request can be sent via email to all of the providers on the relevant framework.

The main function of CPC is to produce EU tendered framework agreements covering a large range of goods and services. The aim is to provide EU cover for the majority of goods and services that fall within the member’s non-pay spend. CPC commit to helping their members to achieve value for money and providing assistance in matters relating to good procurement practice.

The CPC harnesses the spending power of its members to encourage suppliers to offer the very best value for money to institutions utilising the frameworks. The greater the commitment by members to a framework, the more power the CPC has to influence suppliers offerings. In addition, all institutions are required to ensure they have EU cover on their high spend areas. Utilising CPC frameworks grants a member automatic cover because the CPC has already tendered these through the EU.

The CPC also provides full contract management on the frameworks it lets. This ensures that if a member finds itself in difficulties with any supplier under a CPC framework, there will always be a CPC contract manager available to assist.