Helping Schools through the Recession

With widespread news of a national recession and fears of budget cuts in education, school leaders are more concerned than ever about making the most of the funding available to them.

Price is a Key Concern

Since the Credit Crunch first hit the headlines, price has become a key concern for individuals and businesses everywhere and as a result more and more people are turning to price comparison websites to ensure that they are getting the best possible deal.

E-Quote is a price comparison website that has been specifically formulated for school buyers to help them source Best Value products and services for their school.

It is a secure online service that allows school buyers to request a range of price quotes for the products and services that they need, without disclosing their details or committing themselves to place an order.

Quick and Easy to Use

E-Quote is available on SCEMES’ website www.scemes.com and is extremely easy to use – buyers simply type a request for the product or service that they desire, and then wait to receive quotes from a range of companies willing to supply them!

The site will return a list of quotes along with relevant information about the companies providing them and allow purchasers to make quick and informed decisions about the suppliers they use, based on the information they receive.

Best Value

To abide by the government’s procurement guidelines, school buyers have to undergo a quote process before entering into low value contracts, to ensure that they are sourcing Best Value products and services.

The number of quotes schools need is set by their Local Authority via Contract Regulations, but it is standard practice for purchases valued between £2,000 and £10,000 to seek out three formal quotes, and those below £2,000 to secure two quotes in writing.

Very low value purchases (typically under £500-£1,000) may only need verbal quotes, but for peace of mind it is often advisable to gather a range of written quotations for these smaller transactions too.

E-Quote makes the procurement process as straightforward as it can be, by allowing purchasers to approach a range of suppliers in one easy step and enabling them to demonstrate that they have followed Best Value principles in their expenditure.

Whatever you want

In a sector where budgets are constantly being squeezed whilst Headteachers strive to raise standards, it is understandable that school buyers want to get the best deal for their money, and it is for this reason that more and more are turning to E-Quote.

Headteachers know that a wide variety of companies bid for work using E-Quote and are turning to the site for all their purchasing needs, whether they simply want to get the best deal on everyday school supplies, or they are looking for an unusual item and don’t know where to source it from.
Re-Launched!

To celebrate its tenth anniversary, SCEMES has recently re-launched all its online services and the E-Quote service is now quicker and easier to use than ever before.

For more information about the number one price comparison site for schools, or to request quotes for your school, simply visit www.scemes.com and click on E-Quote.

ENDS

For more information contact Helen Gordon, Marketing and Projects Manager on 01691 680945 / helen@scemes.net