Agenda and minutes

The Cabinet Member will advise of any items of urgent business. 

There were no items of urgent business.

(Report of the Director of Adult and Housing Services). The report requests agreement to waiver tendering requirements and to retrospectively approve an award of contract for Housing Related Support to Dimensions.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration considered a report, previously circulated, which sought retrospective approval of the wavering of tendering requirements under Contract Standing Order (CSO) 10.01.2 (d) and approval to an award of contract to Dimensions at the annual contract value of £96,250.44.

It was noted that the request to waiver Contract Standing Order (CSO) 10.01.2 (d) and to award the contract should have been included in a report that was submitted to Cabinet on 13 November 2012; however, this was omitted in error and therefore retrospective approval was being sought.

RESOLVED:

1. That retrospective approval be given to a waiver of tendering requirements under Contract Standing Order 10.01.2 (d) on the grounds that it was in the Council’s overall interest.

2. That retrospective approval be given to the award of a contract to Dimensions, at the annual contract value of £96,250.44, starting on 1 April 2013, for one year plus an option to extend for a further year in line with the Cabinet’s decision on 13 November 2012 for Learning Disabilities providers within the Housing Related Support programme.

Alternative options considered

The option of tendering this contract was considered as part of the agreed strategy for Housing Related Support (HRS) procurement but discounted on the grounds that:

a. In order to deliver the priorities within the Commissioning Plan, a procurement strategy is needed that is appropriate for the client sector.

b. The tendering of this contract is unlikely to provide better value for money than that which can be achieved via negotiation, taking all factors into account.

c.  Significant 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 HRS expiring contracts was discussed with the Corporate Procurement Team, and it was concluded that the proposed approach represents the best way forward for the Council.  No other options were considered.

Reasons for decision

To ensure continuity of service to people with learning disabilities in need of HRS and also to ensure contract compliance with CSOs.