Agenda item

To seek approval for the Authority’s Procurement Plan 2021/2022 to proceed with the relevant procurement exercises throughout the financial year and award contracts in accordance with UK public procurement legislation to the most advantageous tenders.

Cabinet received a report seeking approval for the Authority’s Procurement Plan 2021-2022, and to proceed with the relevant procurement exercises throughout the financial year and award contracts in accordance with UK public procurement legislation to the most advantageous tenders.

Following the return of the Procurement Service to the management of the Authority the opportunity had been taken to review and improve reporting practices. To date individual reports had previously been presented for Cabinet approval; once the budget was approved by Council the third-party requirements were known. The procurement exercises which would commence in the financial year 2021/2022 had been identified and were set out at appendix 1, the contract start date may be in the subsequent year due to the procurement lead in time. This approach would ensure timely procurements whilst continuing to maintain value for money.

The Authority had adopted its Procurement Strategy in 2017. Utilising the social value principles within the Procurement Strategy, the Authority would gain commitments of local employment and apprenticeships whenever applicable. This would contribute to the economic recovery of North Tyneside in the wake of the Covid crisis. The Authority’s tendering process would be streamlined, and better information would be provided to the market. Where appropriate, lower value tenders would be issued.  This would give SME’s the chance to work with the Authority, again enabling and encouraging smaller businesses. Working with the Business Forum and North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO), bespoke workshops would be developed to support SME’s. The principles set out in the Authority’s Responsible Procurement Charter would be embedded in the tender requirements.

The relevant service area would develop tender packages and robust specifications to ensure that the Authority was protected in terms of financial and commercial risk. The duration of the contract would be considered to help shape new and emerging markets; lessons learned from any previous contracts would be considered when developing the tender package. Relevant existing frameworks would be explored if appropriate to the contract. Collaborative regional working would be explored if appropriate to the contract. The contract award criteria would be developed considering social value as appropriate. Packages would be developed to support the economy in the recovery of Covid-19.

Consultation prior to commencing a procurement with the relevant Cabinet Member(s) was key, this would ensure that the Council’s priorities were achieved through its contracting arrangements. The Authority’s finance team would be engaged to identify any budgetary risks associated with the delivery of the service and any potential mitigations. The legal team would review the terms and conditions for each procurement to ensure the Authority mitigated any commercial risk. Consultation and engagement with the market and any relevant associations would take place to ensure that the offer to the market was attractive and that a market existed to deliver the goods and services.

An evaluation team consisting of subject matter experts and the procurement team would evaluate each bid received against the published award criteria and in accordance with UK public procurement legislation. Prior to award of any contract the evaluation result would be provided to the Head of Service to approve the award together with financial assurance that the contract value would remain within existing budgets.

The procurement exercises that had been identified for 2021/2022 were set out in Appendix 1 to the report.  The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources referred at the meeting to a further procurement that needed to be added to the list (in relation to the refurbishment of the Wallsend CFC).

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report to carry out the necessary procurement exercises during the 2021/22 financial year; or alternatively, to not accept the recommendations and continue to consider individual reports for each package of works and/or services.

Resolved that (1) the procurement of the goods and services as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and the additional procurement referred to above by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, be approved; and

(2 the relevant Head of Service, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, Head of Resources and Head of Law and Governance, be authorised to commence the procurements identified and award contracts to those bidders who submit the most advantageous tenders in accordance with UK public procurement legislation.

(Reason for decision: The Authority has a duty to obtain value for money. Tendering the opportunities identified in the report will meet the priorities contained within the Procurement Strategy and Our North Tyneside Plan.)