University Policy, Terms and Conditions
As of August 1, 2024, The University of Reading is not a Contracting Authority, for the purposes of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or the Public Procurement Directive 2014/24/EU, as less than 50% of our funding comes from public sources.
The Procurement Policy and the Procurement Strategy govern all staff and all spending of University-managed funds:
- Procurement Policy (valid from August 1, 2024)
- Procurement Strategy
- Standard University terms and conditions apply to supply of all goods and services.
- Supplier Code of Conduct
- Travel Policy (on Business Travel page)
eMarketplace Terms of Use
- eMarketplace Terms of Use
- eMarketplace Privacy Notice
- eMarketplace Supplier - Quick Guide for Existing Suppliers to Activate Your Account
- eMarketplace Supplier Portal Login
Purchase Orders - No PO No Pay Policy
Purchase Orders (PO) are an important part of the way in which the University gathers accurate accounting information for managing our resources. All suppliers must be in receipt of a valid PO from the University before supplying the requested goods or services. We operate a No PO, PO Pay policy - The valid PO number must be included on all invoices in order to ensure prompt payment.
Payments to Suppliers
The University of Reading can confirm the following payment statistics:
| Financial Year | Proportion of valid & undisputed invoices paid within 30 days in accordance with regulation 113 | The amount of interest paid to suppliers due to a breach of the requirement in regulation 113 |
|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 82% | £0 |
| 2016/17 | 77% | £0 |
| 2017/18 | 77% | £0 |
| 2018/19 | 81% | £0 |
| 2019/20 | 74% | £0 |
| 2020/21 | 78% | £0 |
| 2021/22 | 81% | £0 |
| 2022/23 | 67% | £0 |
Audit hotline
When doing business with the University of Reading if you suspect any type of collusion or fraud between members of University staff and staff in your company, please telephone the Internal Audit confidential hotline on 0118 378 6353 and one of our internal auditors will be able to discuss your concerns.
Complaints Procedure
Procurement endeavours to provide a satisfactory, prompt and courteous service at all times. We recognise however that there may be occasions when standards fall short or when the normal feedback routines may not fully address an issue. We therefore have a formal complaints procedure to ensure that your complaints are dealt with in a prompt, polite and professional manner, and further contribute towards improving our service.