Agenda item

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environmental and Democratic Services

Trevor Bone, Property Maintenance Manager, introduced the report setting out Building Services and Facilities Management (FM) procurement requirements for planned, reactive maintenance and minor works for financial year 2021/22.

Resolved to

(1)  grant authority to procure contracts in line with the annual procurement plan as set out in appendix 1 up to the value of £14.150m;

(2)  delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Neighbourhood Services to award contracts procured under Recommendation 1 and to approve all call off arrangements under those contracts over a period of four years 2021/2025 to a maximum of £14.150m as set out in appendix 1 of the report;

(3)  grant a dispensation from contract procedure rule 4.1.1 in accordance with financial regulation 3.29 to make a direct award to Hanovia UV Systems for the sum of £0.048m for the period 2021 to 2025 due to the specialist nature of their asset maintenance and as detailed in appendix 1 of the report;

(4)  grant a dispensation from contract procedure rule 4.1.1 in accordance with financial regulation 3.29 to make a direct award to Aqua Cool Systems for the sum of £0.015m for the period 2021 to 2025 due to the specialist nature of their asset maintenance and as detailed in appendix 1 of the report;

(5)  grant a dispensation from contract procedure rule 4.1.1 in accordance with financial regulation 3.29 to make a direct award to Trend BMS Systems for the sum of £0.045m for the period 2021 to 2025 due to the specialist nature of their asset maintenance and as detailed in appendix 1 of the report;

(6)  approve the proposed expenditure of at least £1.6m of the £3.4m planned maintenance budget for 2021/22 to be spent on services delivered either through in-house provision or Nottingham City Homes.

Reasons for recommendations:

·  There are a number of contracts which the Building Services and Facilities Management department use that are coming to the end of their term in March 2021. The contracts set out in the appendix 1 and require re-procurement to enable Building Services to keep the Council’s asset portfolio compliant with regulatory, legislative and insurance obligations. Through the proposed procurement routes the Council can continue to improve efficiency and service of supplier delivery across multiple high risk work streams and improve value for money for Directorates across the Council. Our annual procurement programme has been proven to be the best approach to securing a competent supply chain with the lowest costs possible.

·  This report details how orders are placed with Contractors through the Council’s robust systems. To ensure a smooth and timely process for placing orders it is recommended that the Strategic Director for Neighbourhood Services has delegated authority to approve any contracts and call-offs made under frameworks for their duration. No award will be made without evidence that the budget has been approved for the ordered requirement.

·  Due to the specialist nature of the asset maintenance requirement provided by Hanovia UV Systems there is considered to be no benefit to the Council to undertake a quotation process as set out at 4.1.1 of the Contract Procedure Rules due to the specialist nature of UV Systems and the lack of alternative services providers within the UK market.

·  It has been identified that at least £1.6m of the 2021/22 planned maintenance budget can be delivered through a mixture of in-house services and the Council’s company, Nottingham City Homes, which is a company meeting the Teckal exemption requirements under procurement legislation. Contracts to such companies are not subject to the procurement requirements as set out in the Contract Procedure Rules but authority is still required to authorise entering into such contracts.

Other options considered:

·  Do nothing and allow contracts to end, which will remove statutory, regulatory and legislative compliancy across the Council’s portfolio of assets and increase the risk of prosecution and reputational damage to Nottingham City Council. This option was considered unacceptable and rejected.

·  Insource all of the activity covered by the contract areas under consideration for renewal. Due to the complexity and high risks involved with this task including a lack of competency based skills and training, equipment and specialised resource, it was considered unacceptable and rejected.

·  Allow Nottingham City Council’s directorates to purchase their own asset compliancy services. This is a very high-risk approach to asset safety and compliance across the portfolio and the Council would find it very hard to track actual compliance through our current systems. Such an approach would lead to additional expense and the general safety of the asset compromised. This option was considered unacceptable and rejected.