DECLARATIONS FOR THIS ITEM:
NONE
The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services RESOLVED:
Approved the implementation of CSO 18.02.1 (contract extensions permitted under the Regulations) in accordance with CSO 2.01 d) (Cabinet approved extensions of £500k and above), to enable the 12-month optional extension on the United Guarding Services Ltd to 30 April 2027 and an increase in value up to a further £3.5m, bringing the total contract value to a maximum of £14m.
Reasons for the decision
The Council has large number of buildings, both operational premises and domestic dwellings that comprise the council’s housing stock. These sites need to be protected in different ways, based on a security risk assessment, and in many instances some kind of manned guarding is required.
Although the Council’s policy is to run an in-house security service where practical and prudent, there are a range of circumstances where an external provider is necessary.
These circumstances include:
(a) Ad hoc provision for unforeseen or urgent circumstances
(b) Covering unexpected absences from the in-house team that cannot be covered internally.
(c) Out of hours provision, including night patrols (d) Short-term provision, for example where a site becomes vacant and needs to be secured.
it is not anticipated that the full contract value will be expended, the ceiling has been set to allow for flexibility over the contract term.
Extending the current Security contract will allow time for the Council to consider consolidating security and guarding services across the Council and explore collaborative opportunities with some neighbouring boroughs to identify further efficiencies, prior to tendering a new security services contract.
The proposed extension is consistent Regulations 72.1a) within the Public Contract Regulations 2015, as the extension was provided for in the original procurement documentation.
Alternative options considered
Do Nothing. This is not recommended, as this would lead to a lapse of security provision, which could not be covered by the in-house service. Without this provision, the council would be exposed to excessive security risks leading to an elevated level of break-ins, squatting, criminal damage and other threats.
A fully in-house service was considered during the process of forming the in house service in 2021. This was assessed as unaffordable, for a number of reasons that remain unchanged. These are principally the additional costs of providing a 24/7 service due to the cost of paying for out of hours cover, a security control service, and the additional flexibility needed where economies of scales that can be achieved by an external provider cannot be matched by the council.
Re-tender for a new Security contract. There is not sufficient time to be able to procure a new contract and by extending the current contract will allow time for the Council to consider consolidating security and guarding services across the Council and explore collaborative opportunities with some neighbouring boroughs to identify further efficiencies, prior to tendering a new security services contract.