Procurement is the full range of activities related to purchasing goods, services and works. All Council services involve procurement, and this can range from buying in an entire service, say through the private finance initiative; to purchasing key components, such as large capital assets; or buying smaller inputs like office equipment. Any decision to provide a service internally rather than outsource it should also be regarded as a procurement decision.
Lewisham Council spends millions of pounds on the procurement of work, supplies and services each year, providing companies of all sizes with a wide range of commercial opportunities.