ESPO are dedicated to making your experience with us as easy and stress-free as possible. We have simplified the process as much as we can, but inevitably, there are questions which need answers! The most common questions and their answers are detailed below...
You can either click on any of the questions below to be taken straight to the answer, or you can scroll down at your leisure.
Q. Why do I have to sign up?
Q. I have not received a confirmation e-mail from ESPO from sign up?
Q. My personal details have changed since I first signed up. How do I update?
Q. How will ESPO use my details?
Q. How do I find detailed information about a specific contract?
Q. I cannot see any information on suppliers and/or pricing on the summary page?
Q. How do I know a framework/contract has been subject to an EU tender procedure and my organisation is eligible to use it?
Q. I am unable to download a contract schedule – why?
Q. Why are some ESPO contracts only available to certain Organisations/Areas?
Q. I would like a hard copy of the ESPO Dealing Direct catalogue. How do I get one?
Q. Why do I have to sign up?
A. ESPO contracts are available only to the Public Sector* and Registered Charities*. By signing up, the site will verify your status within those categories and confirm access by e mail. Once access is confirmed, subsequent login is by e mail address only, on any occasion.
*Under certain circumstances, we may require further information to make a more informed decision on eligibility
Q. I have not received a confirmation e-mail from ESPO from sign up?
A. We operate an automated system that sends out an e mail confirmation. Unless further information on eligibility is required, under normal circumstances you should receive your confirmation e mail within an hour. In some extreme cases, it may take up to 24 hours to reach your inbox.
Where we require further information, you will receive an e mail advising that we are dealing with the request and will be in touch shortly with regards granting access or otherwise. In the event that you have no e mail response whatsoever after 24 hours, contact our Marketing Services Team (see Contact Us).
Q. My personal details have changed since I first signed up. How do I update?
A. Sign up again using the new details. The system will treat this as a new sign up procedure as described above.
Q. How will ESPO use my details?
A. Primarily ESPO will use your details for verification purposes. However, where contract schedules are drawn down, we may pass that information to the relevant ESPO Field Sales Executive who may contact to ensure you have all the information you require or assist with any additional information.
Q. How do I find detailed information about a specific contract?
A. There are a number of options:-
Tab Browsing
On the Home Page, there are 10 multicoloured category tabs. Click on any one of these and you will see a list of all contracts we have posted under that category- we have limited navigation to eight contracts per page so click 'Next' at the bottom of the page to see the next page. Contracts are listed in alphabetical order.
Click a selected contract listing to be taken to the summary page. Click on the 'download' button to access a PDF of the Contract Schedule
Contents
Additionally, the 'Contents' page contains an index in alphabetical order of all contracts contained within the site. If you find a relevant contract title in this list, hover over the listing and it will underline. Clicking on that underlined item will take you straight to the contract summary page.
Search Bar
If you already know the contract number, title or scope description, entering the contract number or a matching key word followed by pressing the GO button will display one or more relevant results.
Q. I cannot see any information on suppliers and/or pricing on the summary page?
A. Supplier contact details and pricing details where provided, are on the Contract Schedule. To download this schedule, you require firstly to have been granted access through 'Sign up'. At the login screen, enter the same e mail address submitted at the sign up stage and once in the summary page click on 'Download' a schedule in PDF format.
Q. How do I know a framework/contract has been subject to an EU tender procedure and my organisation is eligible to use it?
A. The summary page indicates in the top section if an EU procedure has been used and the specific Ojeu contract notice reference is detailed. The scope of use as detailed within the actual notice may be checked by reference to the EU site http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/ . Additionally, ESPO has clarified the geographical scope on each summary page.
Q. I am unable to download a contract schedule – why?
A. Firstly check that you have logged in correctly – using the same e mail that you submitted to us at the sign up stage.
If you believe that you are correctly logged in but are still having problems, then you should ensure that your own browser security settings are not preventing the download (check with your own IT Dept). If you are using a web browser other than Internet Explorer (e.g. Firefox, Safari, Opera) then check that you have not missed a 'Download manager' pop-up box – it may have been minimised to your task bar.
If you still have problems contact ESPO Marketing Services Team (see Contact Us) and we will liaise with our own IT Team.
Q. Why are some ESPO contracts only available to certain Organisations/Areas?
A. ESPO establishes contracts principally on behalf of one or more of its Consortium Members or on behalf of or in conjunction with collaborative partner(s) within the Pro5 Group. Wherever possible, such contracts are opened to use by the broader Public Sector and defined as such within the Ojeu Notice.
Some contracts however, are only suitable to be awarded on a more localised basis – e.g. pricing and delivery supply of roadstone aggregates is directly linked to the nearest quarry; supply of fresh foods is based on a list of pre-specified establishments in a particular geographical area.
Q. I would like a hard copy of the ESPO Dealing Direct catalogue. How do I get one?
A. Go to the Dealing Direct homepage and click on the 'request a catalogue' box in the right-hand column. You will be asked to enter your details and submit to us. Provided you are eligible, you should receive a catalogue within 5 working days.