Star signing fuels Council’s drive for effective purchasing

A Pontardawe company has recently been awarded a £4.8M contract to supply fuels to Neath Port Talbot Council, as part of a framework to ensure value for money in the public sector.

The four year contract will see Rhydyfro-based Star Multifuels Ltd supply the council with liquid fuels, which include products such as diesel & gas oil. Formed in 2013, the company is a small family business that includes former Neath, Ospreys, Wales and British Lions rugby star Shane Williams.

The contract has been awarded as part of a framework agreement procured by the National Procurement Service (NPS), a Welsh Government hosted organisation that has been established to ensure public sector organisations in Wales operate contracts that are fully compliant with the EU procurement directives and help deliver value for money and benefits to the Welsh economy.

Its remit is to secure in the region of £1bn worth of goods and services in common and repetitive spend. This represents 20% – 30% of the Welsh public sector spend.

40% of suppliers awarded a place on the NPS Liquid Fuels framework are Welsh based SME’s.

The supply of fuel to Neath Port Talbot Council under the framework began on 1^st May 2015, with the authority spending approximately £1.2M annually fuelling its vehicle fleet and providing heating oil for a number of schools.

Council Leader Cllr Ali Thomas OBE said: “Neath Port Talbot Council is committed to championing local businesses and provides a variety of support and guidance for SMEs within the county borough”.

“It is fantastic to see small locally-based companies winning significant contracts such as these and we are looking forward to a strong working relationship with Star Multifuels”.

Star Multifuels Director Shane Williams MBE said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract with Neath Port Talbot Council which presents a massive opportunity for a growing company such as ours. Star Multifuels has been delivering domestic and commercial fuels for the past two years and we are very excited to be taking these next steps in the growth of the business over the next four years”.

Finance and Government Business Minister Jane Hutt said: “At a time of increasing budget pressures, the National Procurement Service plays a vital role in generating annual savings on common and repetitive spend across the public sector in Wales. Community Benefits are embedded in all its procurement and I am pleased that this framework is boosting small businesses such as Star Multifuels Ltd and the local economy”.

For more information on corporate procurement in Neath Port Talbot Council visit: www.npt.gov.uk/procurement. For more information on the National Procurement Service visit: www.nps.gov.wales.