The organisation regularly reviews its arrangements for procuring responsive and cyclical maintenance works, including fire safety remediation, with a view to ensuring that these are appropriate to its size and geography, while maximising value for money and customer satisfaction.  Thorough engagement with residents takes place at an early stage to identify their priorities and opportunities to reduce waste, including feedback on the past performance of firms being considered.  The organisation has considered working more with SME contractors, for whom it would be a major customer.  Signed contracts are in place, let on the most appropriate basis, given the circumstances of the organisation.  The form of procurement:

• Makes use of partnering arrangements, where applicable
• Shares risk reasonably between the parties, using the principle that the impact of a risk should fall on the party most able to control it (for example a liquidated damages clause for late delivery by the contractor)
• Assists the organisation and its contractors to work together towards common goals, with value given greater priority over cost
• Makes effective use of economies of scale, including the use of procurement consortia, or the use of framework agreements (whereby the association can select a firm from a list of approved contractors to undertake a particular job), where applicable
• Is for an appropriate term, balancing the benefits of regular competition with the value generated by a long-term working relationship and the opportunity to improve value over the life of the contract.