Agenda item

Salford City Council - Record of Decision

I Bill Hinds, Lead Member for Finance and Support Services and Chair of the Procurement Board, do hereby approve the award of the Commissioned Contract for the Statutory Homeless Supported Temporary Accommodation Projects for LOT 1 to The Riverside Group and LOT 2 to Salvation Army Housing Association as outlined in the tables below.

The Reasons are: Without establishing new contracts for these services there will a significant gap in the availability of statutory (Part VII, Housing Act) homeless temporary accommodation, impacting on the councils ability to fulfil its statutory duty and/or at a significantly increased cost

Options considered and rejected were

Option 1 – Do nothing

Option 2 – Extend the existing contracts with Abbott Lodge and SASH

Assessment of Risk - Medium

The source of funding is Revenue Funding

The current source of funding is legacy supporting people funding for Abbott Lodge and spend to save for SASH.

Legal Advice obtained – Tony Hatton, Principal Solicitor

When commissioning contracts for the procurement of goods, services or the execution of works, the Council must comply with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as well as its own Contractual Standing Orders (CSO’s), Financial Regulations and the duties of Best and Social Value. In addition, the PCR require that contracting authorities treat candidates equally and in a non-discriminatory way and act in a transparent manner, failing which the award of a contract may be subject to legal challenge.

The procurement procedure undertaken in this matter appears robust and compliant with the requirements of CSO’s and PCR, and in awarding the contracts for the different lots for delivery of the Supported Tenancy Services, expressions of interest were sought as part of an open tender process which has been advertised widely, thus ensuring that the process has been fair and transparent.

The process is outlined in the body of the report, with bidders being evaluated on the most economically advantageous tender, resulting in the proposed award of the contracts to the Riverside Group and the Salvation Army Housing Association for lots 1 and 2.

Having undertaken the open tender exercise process set out in the report, the Council may take comfort that value for money has been obtained and periodically tested, with open competition maintained.

Financial Advice obtained – Stephen Thynne, Strategic Finance Manager

This report requests approval to award contracts for LOT 1 and 2 of the Statutory Homeless Supported Temporary Accommodation service to The Riverside Group (LOT 1) and Salvation Army Housing Association (LOT 2). These contracts are on a 5 year + 2 basis from 1^st December 21.

Original budgets are from the People Adults revenue budget and include a budget provided for on an invest to save basis for SASH. Total budget prior to the re-procurement of contracts was £225K per annum. Average annual values of the contracts are £75K per annum (LOT 1) and £97K per annum (LOT 2). This represents a reduction in cost of just over £50K. As noted in the report it was the intention to procure further temporary accommodation within this City as part of LOT 3. As things stand this has not been delivered as part of this procurement exercise but it is the intention to set aside this budget to allow future delivery of suitable accommodation to meet the identified strategic need within the west of the City.

Procurement Advice obtained – Christopher Conway, Procurement Category Manager

A full compliant tender process has been followed in accordance with Council standing orders, Procurement are happy to approve a 5 year contract with an option to extend for up to an additional 2 years to The Riverside Group (Lot 1) and Salvation Army Housing Association (Lot 2).

HR Advice obtained – N/A

Climate Change Implications obtained – N/A

Contact Officer: Jane Barlow

Telephone number: 0161 793 2372

·       This matter is also subject to consider by the Statutory Deputy City Mayor and Lead Member for Housing, Property and Regeneration. The Statutory Deputy City Mayor / Lead Member has been consulted and is supportive of the proposed contract.

·       The appropriate Scrutiny Committee to call-in the decision is the Growth and Prosperity Scrutiny Panel.

*         This decision was published on 7^th July 2021

*         This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 14^th July 2021 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.