Agenda item

Salford City Council - Record of Decision

I Councillor Hinds, Lead Member for Finance and Support Services and chairman of the Procurement Board, in exercise of the powers contained within the Council Constitution do hereby approve the award of the following contract for a project approved under the corporate capital programme as detailed below:-

The Reasons are: To refurbish outdated accommodation and provide suitable workspaces that are in alignment with the Council’s corporate strategy.

Options considered and rejected were: None. All procedures are in accordance with normal Contractual Standing Orders

Assessment of Risk: High

The current office accommodation is no longer suitable for the councils needs in delivering its frontline and essential services.  Following the coronavirus pandemic it has been established that the workspaces require reconfiguration/refurbishment to meet the requirements of the service areas and the welfare areas improving to improve cleaning and sanitisation. This will provide safe flexible working areas to assist in the delivery of Council services to the residents of Salford.

The source of funding is:

Corporate capital programme 2021/22

Expenditure code: C00210

Legal Advice obtained. Supplied by: The Shared Legal Service - Contact officer and telephone number: Tony Hatton - Principal Solicitor tel. 0161 219 6323.

When commissioning contracts for the procurement of goods, services, or the execution of works, the Council must comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) and its own Contractual Standing Orders (CSO’s), failing which a contract may be subject to legal challenge from an aggrieved provider. The proposed award of the contract follows a tender exercise by mini competition in accordance with the Minor Building Works Framework Agreement Lot 2.

The purpose of a framework agreement is to select through a procurement/ evaluation process a number of providers who can meet the service requirements of the Council, as and when those services are required. If they are required then the Council will undertake an exercise to call off the services from one or more of the providers who have been selected to be on the framework and this may be through any number of ways e.g. mini-competition, direct allocation etc. depending on the circumstances. A contract will then be formed between the Council and the chosen provider/s.

The Council will need to have followed the procedure set out in the framework agreement for mini competition to ensure the procurement process is compliant. Three tenders were received from framework suppliers for this project, which have been evaluated on the most economically advantageous tender basis in line with procurement procedures resulting in the proposed award of the contract to Seddon Construction Limited. The procurement procedures therefore appear robust and compliant with the requirements of the Council’s CSO’s and PCR.

Legal Services will assist with preparing any contractual documentation upon receipt of instructions to ensure the Council’s position and interest are protected

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Submitted by:  Chris Hesketh, head of financial management, x2668.

The works will be funded by the MyWorks capital scheme, included in the 2021/22 capital programme in the sum of £900,000. Within the scheme, there is budget available of £252,000 to cover refurbishment costs. (Tender costs £201,650 plus surveys professional fees and associated additional area costs of £50,350).

Procurement Advice obtained: Supplied by:  The Corporate Procurement Team Contact officer and telephone number: Deborah Derbyshire (Category Manager – Corporate Procurement Team) tel 0161 686 6244

The project has been competitively tendered by means of a mini competition under the Council’s own Minor Building Works Framework Lot 2 which complies with the Councils Contractual Standing Orders and the Procurement Contract Regulations.

The winning tenderer has submitted the most economically advantageous offer in line with the rules of the framework and the award also supports the Council’s objectives of working towards delivering social value on this contract

HR Advice obtained; Sam Betts, Assistant Director HR & OD

Whilst there are no direct workforce implications arising from the award of this contract the works being undertaken will support and enable the safe and phased return to the workplace with staff working in a hybrid way in line with the Council’s MyWork programme.

Climate Change Implications:

No significant Climate Change implications in this project. All projects are developed to meet or exceed current legislation and requirements relating to energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets. Projects are required to support the Council’s objectives of becoming carbon neutral by 2028.

The works will be programmed to minimise the traffic impact in the area.  Any waste materials will be removed and taken to a transfer station for systematic sorting and recycling to ensure minimal landfill waste.

Sustainability plans would be targeted to also align with opportunities to continue to deliver social value outcomes

The following documents have been used to assist the decision process.

Report to Procurement Board dated 28^th July 2021.

Contact Officer: Les Woolhouse Head of Buildings and Facilities

Telephone Number: 07713 786 093

This matter is not subject to consideration by another Lead Member.

The appropriate Scrutiny Committee to call-in the decision is the Growth and Prosperity Scrutiny Panel and the Overview and Scrutiny Board

*         This decision was published on 28 July 2021

*         This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 4 August 2021 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.