Decision details
Extension of the Council’s contract with KC+A Architects for additional design work on the Ramsey Court housing delivery scheme
Decision Maker: Assistant Director for Housing
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Decision:
To extend Kiran Curtis Architects’
contract for the additional sum of £18,807 +VAT in order to
retrospectively cover additional work required by the Council
redesigning the Ramsey Court scheme, waiving Contract Standing
Order 8.03 as allowed by Contract Standing Order 10.01.2
Reasons for the decision:
It is in the Council’s overall interests
to extend Kiran Curtis Architects’ existing contract because
the redesign works required by the Council had to be carried out
within tight timescales and to a high standard. KC+A had been
working on the scheme designs since 2018 so were uniquely placed to
do this and were already working to a high standard.
Ramsey Court has been a complex scheme to design, with a high level
of public engagement in response to which the Council required a
continual process of redesign. This led to the Council requiring
additional work from KC+A not covered in the initial contract or
its extension in June 2020. It was crucial that this work was
carried out to a high standard and, in order not to risk
undermining grant conditions and other procurement timetables, at
pace. KC+A had existing knowledge of the site, and they were able
to effectively co-ordinate the consultants, with a quick turnaround
on results of the surveys to completed for the stage 4 detailed
design. KC+A co-ordinated consultants’ surveys, held
workshops, re-produced CGI drawings, to improve the quality of the
building design and landscape strategy. This approach saved the
Council time and money re-tendering this element of works.
The Council have valued the additional works carried out by Kiran
Curtis Architects (KC+A) at £18,807 +VAT.
Alternative options considered:
The Council could have competitively tendered
the additional design work, but this would be time consuming from a
procurement and project progress perspective. Tendering out a new
contract would cost the Council additional money and time; this
option was therefore rejected.
Publication date: 23/05/2022
Date of decision: 20/05/2022
Accompanying Documents:
- DD Ramsey Court KCA Architect Waiver - Extend contract