We are in a position where any purchases valued above a certain amount (£750, which goes nowhere when buying an online resource), including standing orders, are required to go out to competitive tender. This tends to be a lengthy process, and might be considered appropriate if one is procuring a consultant or a builder, but less so when looking at subscribing to an information resource.
The alternative course is to raise a single tender action (which usually takes longer and demands a stronger argument).
This tendering process can apply both at the initial purchase and at each subsequent renewal.
Is this the way that most public-sector information services work? I'd be grateful to hear of other organisations' experiences and particularly ways in which they have been able to streamline the process.
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