Issue - meetings

(Report of the Director of Adult and Housing Services. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing). The report seeks agreement to waive contract standing orders for contracts relating to the Housing Related Support Programme. 

Cabinet considered a report, presented by the Cabinet Member for Housing, which sought approval to waiver the tendering requirements of Contract Standing Orders and the award of contracts as detailed in the exempt part of the report.

Exempt information pertaining to the report was considered under Item 22 of the agenda.

RESOLVED:

1. That the waiver of tendering requirements under Contract Standing Order 10.01.2 (d) on the grounds of the Council’s overall interest be approved.

2. That the award of contracts as detailed in the exempt part of the report (Appendix 2) be approved.

Alternative Options Considered

The option of tendering all expiring contracts was considered but discounted on the grounds that in order to deliver the priorities within the Commissioning Plan, a procurement strategy is needed that is appropriate for each client sector, particularly where short term transitional arrangements are required, rather than a uniform approach for all contracts.

The tendering of these contacts is unlikely to provide better value for money that that which can be achieved via negotiation, taking all factors into account. Significant Housing Related Support (HRS) and Corporate Procurement staff resources would be required for tendering, an investment that would not necessarily provide value for money.

The option of tendering all expiring contracts was discussed with the Corporate Procurement Team and it was concluded that the proposed approach represented the best way forward for the Council.

Reasons for Decision

The proposed procurement approach helps to deliver the priorities within the HRS Commissioning Plan and makes a significant contribution to achieving the required savings. The tendering of the specified contracts would not provide better value for money than that which can be achieved with negotiation and effort and the timescales involved would not provide better value for money.