Procurement and supplier information

We work with a wide range of suppliers, managing all of Bournemouth University’s (BU) procurement needs.  This includes assisting and advising the University’s faculties and professional services departments in relation to their purchasing requirements and all projects that are over the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) threshold; BU’s internal procedures require a tender process to be conducted for any project over £25,000 unless it is judged to be inappropriate to do so.

As a publicly funded body we fully comply with the Public Procurement Regulations (PCR 2015).

BU is a member of the Southern University Purchasing Consortium (SUPC).  We use framework agreements formally tendered by the SUPC and other Consortia, such as Crown Commercial Services.  We operate a strict procurement policy, which all faculties and departments follow.

Procurement principles

The University is committed to a rigorous procurement process which emphasises the principles of:

• Value for money (VfM)
• Competitive tendering
• Sustainability
• Transparency
• Fairness & equality
• Best practice
• Legality (e.g. in accordance with EU Procurement Regulations such as the Public Contracts Regulations 2015)
• Confidentiality, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

These principles should underpin all University procurements.

Becoming a BU supplier

If you would like to become a supplier to BU please register your interest on our electronic tendering website In-tend.

Registration is free of charge and once it is complete you will be able to view and express an interest in any of our current and future projects where they are open to you.  Once you express an interest in a particular project you will be able to review updates and correspondence relevant to the project.

Parabilis e-marketplace

Parabilis is a purchase to pay (P2P) system operated by BU; BU trades electronically with its suppliers via this system.  Suppliers will need to provide BU with an email address in order for an account to be generated and BU purchase orders will be sent to this account on the Parabilis e-marketplace.   

BU’s Accounts Payable team maintain the contact details of all our supplier accounts and are responsible for the payment of invoices.  If suppliers have any questions about this element of the purchasing process please contact the Payables section of BU’s Finance Department.

Warning:  BU would like to advise any potential supplier of a scam involving BU purchase orders being sent to suppliers that have not had any previous engagement with the University; if you receive such a purchase order please contact a member of the Procurement team without delay.