Decision details

Waive Contract Standing Order (CSO) 8.03 (requirement to obtain at least three competitive quotations) as allowed under CSO 10.01.2 D and in accordance with CSO 9.06.1 C award the contract for the replacement of the current outdated CRM Meganexus to a new Hanlon CRM system. The system will be primarily used
by HW Staff.

HW currently use a client management system which is out of date and no longer meets the requirements of the service. A software upgrade was postponed with no clear date for migration, posing a risk to the efficient running of the service in line with the recommendations from a recent review. As a result of technical issues with the system and a lack of ongoing technical support, HW took this opportunity to review the current market of CRM systems, benchmark with other boroughs and view alternative products. As a result, HW identified Hanlon as the best match to requirements.

Hanlon has a good track record of delivering software solutions to local authorities and specialises in employment and skills. Hanlon is used by Lambeth, Greenwich, Islington and Southwark. As part of Central London Forward, there are potential benefits of other boroughs using Hanlon with similar reporting, developing joint benchmarking protocols, and sharing local labour market gaps, trends etc.

Hanlon provides, hosts, supports and maintains the best systems for economic development, welfare to work and social inclusion programmes, they are well equipped and understand the nature of welfare to work having
met the monitoring requirements of many funded programmes including Department for Work & Pensions, European Social Fund, Education and Skills Funding Agency, SDS and the Big Lottery Fund.

Option 1— Initiate full tender exercise — this would
cause an unacceptable delay to implement a new CRM system.

Option 2 — Retain the existing system — this is unacceptable as the current system is not fit for purpose and required updates would be subject to significant delay. The upgraded system does not have features to record general employability interventions. No other local authority employment support team in the country uses it or its predecessor.

Option 3 — Proceed to appoint Hanlon to provide a new CRM system. This is the recommended option due to their specialist skills and knowledge. Although this is requested via a waiver, soft market testing was undertaken with
2 other suppliers, indicating that the Hanlon system was preferable. The Hanlon system is also used by at least five other London local authorities and Hanlon have demonstrated their
experience of working with employment support teams in local authorities.