Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director for Customers, Transformation and Resources.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Planning and Corporate Services]

Due to staff shortages due to the covid new variant, go live has been delayed on the implementation of the NPS Housing application which replaces OHMs. Lack of resource and staff training is the main issue. We are requesting an extension of up to 6 months although not all should be used.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Corporate Services introduced the report which sought approval of an extension for up to six months of the Council’s contract with Northgate Public Services (UK) Ltd (NPS) for the provision of the Opening Housing Management System (OHMS) Managed Service, which was due to expire on 31 March 2021.  The Cabinet Member explained that the extension to the contract was necessary to ensure continuity of service while a replacement housing management system was implemented and ready to use.  The new system was due to be in place by March 2021 but had been delayed to due Covid and it was now expected to be in place by April/May 2021.

RESOLVED to

1.         Approve, in accordance with Contract Standing Order (CSO) 10.02.1(b), an extension of the contract with Northgate Public Services (UK) Ltd for the provision of the legacy OHMS Managed Service for a period of up to a further 6 months until 30/9/21, at an additional cost £130,426.20 for the maximum 6 month period and an overall cost for the full life of the contract of £629,864.28.

Reasons for decision

A decision is required to agree the extension of this service as the Council requires a functioning Housing Management IT solution until the new NPS Housing Management solution goes live, after the implementation and migration phases, sometime between April and June 2021.  The final go live date depends  on having a fully tested system and staff trained to use it.  The extension is being sought for an additional 3 months to September as a contingency in case the project is affected by the emergence of any further Covid-19 variants or increased infection rates within staff either in the Council or supplier.

Alternative options considered

No other option was considered as the OHMS system is proprietary to NPS and no other provider can offer a managed service or provide maintenance of the software solution.

A new solution has already been procured via an open tender and a contract was awarded by Cabinet in June 2019.

The proposed contract extension is to support the current service until the new solution goes live.