Agenda item

         The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report

 

1.1       The purpose of this report is to:

 

·        Seek approval from Members to the allow advancement and award of tenders as outlined in Appendix 1 (Tables 1-3) in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation.

·        Inform Members that procurement is undergoing a review of the current operating model with the potential of restructuring.

 

2.0       Recommendations  

 

2.1       It is recommended that Members:

 

·        Approve the public advertisement and acceptance of tenders as listed in Appendix 1 -Table 1 through the Council’s electronic procurement system and grant delegated authority to the appropriate Director using pre-agreed criteria to the most economically advantageous tender

 

·        Allow month by month extensions where contracts are under review as outlined in Appendix 1 - Table 2

 

·        Agree to accede to Standing Orders 55(a) exceptions in relation to contracts by direction of the council acting on recommendations of a Chief officer that the exception is justified in special circumstances for the contracts as laid out in 3.7 below and Appendix 1 – Table 3 (ICT projects)

 

·        Note the contracts which have been awarded in the last quarter as listed in Appendix 1 -Table 4

 

3.0       Main report

 

            Key Issues

 

3.1       Section 2.5 of the Council’s Scheme of Delegation outlines that under Standing Order 60(a) any contract that exceeds the statutory amount (currently £30,000) needs to be made under the Corporate Seal. Under Standing Order 51(b) the Corporate Seal can only be affixed when there is a resolution of the Council.

 

3.2       The tenders submitted for approval in Appendix 1 - Table 1, have been forwarded by Departments for approval. Departments have been required to provide assurance that provision for the expenditure has either been made within their departmental budgets or approval has been sought from the Director of Finance and Resources that this expenditure has been provided for within a corporate budget.

 

3.3       Members should note that they are being asked to approve tenders in principal, after which the internal governance process demonstrating strategic alignment with the Belfast Agenda, will be applied. As part of this process, Departments have also provided assurance that appropriate resources are available within their departments in order to effectively administer and management any contract(s).

 

3.4       In accordance with Standing Orders these tenders shall comply with the relevant requirements of national legislation and European directives and be overseen by Corporate Procurement Services.

 

3.5       This report relates to corporate as well as departmental supplies and services only. The procurement of services and works contracts relating to the capital procurement is dealt with under the Capital Programme reports in accordance with the approved stage approval process.

 

3.6       Direct Award Contracts 

 

            Members are asked to note that Corporate Procurement Services is currently under resourced and awaiting a report on the current procurement operating model.  This position has resulted in an increase in the number of single tender actions and the requirement to accede to Standing Order 55(a).  It should be understood this is a temporary situation which will be rectified once the Procurement Team is fully resourced.  

 

3.7       Members are asked to accede to Standing Order 55(a) exceptions in relation to contract by direction of the council acting on a recommendation of a Chief officer that the exception is justified in special circumstances for the following:

 

·        Appointment of ‘Ulster University Economic Policy Centre’ to develop a localised Skills Barometer & Labour Market Accounts for the Belfast and City Region Area on the basis that the Skills Barometer is the existing regional intelligence tool, developed to monitor skills demand and supply and time restraints.  This will be associated with the development of the City Growth Deal which requires access to intelligence to inform priorities and programmes of work as a matter of urgency.    The value of this contract is £52k.

 

·        A number of ICT contracts can only be provided by individual suppliers see Appendix 1, Table 3.  There are two main reasons for proprietary purchases of ICT contracts:

 

-       The ICT system or service is proprietary and cannot be provided by another supplier;

-       Legacy Technology Procurements involved the purchase of perpetual use rights alongside annual maintenance and support.  Subsequent on-going maintenance and support can only be provided directly by the supplier.

 

·        Appointment of ‘Reed Midem’ to provide stands for MIPIM.  ‘Reed Midem’ are the event organiser for MIPIM and as such are the sole provider of stands at this event.  The value of this contract is £50,290

 

·        Appointment of ‘Below the Radar’ to develop video and visuals to support the formal presentation for the Capital of Culture presentation.  The appointment is based on their ability to commit to delivery of video and visual content in a short timescale as well as the nature of their experience and quality of work which is in keeping with the emerging book content.  The value of this contract is £30k

 

·        Appointment of ‘Mattijs Maussen’ as adviser to support the delivery of the European Capital of Culture bid project.  Mattijs Maussen has worked on fourteen capital-of-culture bids around Europe and acts as adviser and organiser in the fields of culture, education, urban and regional development across Europe.  In addition, he has extensive experience with politicians, artists, researchers and the media, in the region, in Europe and internationally.  The value of this contract is £80k

 

3.8       Financial & Resource Implications

 

-       The financial resources for these contracts will be met within the current departmental budgets and the proposed departmental estimates process which are taken forward through the rate setting process with the exception of the contract as outlined in 3.7 in respect of the appointment of ‘Ulster University Economic Policy Centre’.  Members are asked to note that the financial resources for this contract will be met from income generated from Councils within the City Deal region and through Development Departments’ existing resources.  Each of the other five Councils forming the City Deal region have agreed to contribute £10k each to be held within a central funding pot, the work to be delivered by UUEPC will be one of the research pieces funded from this source.

 

3.9       Equality or Good Relations Implications

 

            No specific equality or good relations implications.”

 

 

 

 

Appendix 1 - Schedule of tenders for consideration

 

 

Table 1 – New tenders

 

Title of tender	Senior Responsible Officer	Proposed contract duration
European Capital of Culture Strategic European Adviser	Donal Durkan	One year

 

 

 

Table 2 – Contracts for extension of contract period

 

Title of tender	Senior Responsible Officer	Proposed contract duration
Supply and erection of street nameplates	Phil Williams	Month by month

 

Table 3 – ICT Single Tender Action

 

System/Product	Supplier	Reason	Annual estimate
Housing Benefits Software and support	Northgate	Maintenance & Support renewal	£230,000
Mapping Agreement LPS	LPS - Ordnance Survey	Proprietary	£75,000
Premier Support (Gold)	Microsoft	Proprietary	£52,000
Oracle Site Licence	Oracle	Proprietary	£38,000
COBOL Server Support	Micro Focus	Proprietary	£4,000
Oracle Database Processor Licenses	Oracle	Proprietary	£11,500
modern.gov	Modern Mindset Ltd	Maintenance & Support renewal	£7,500
Dimension S/W - Zoo, Cregagh, outdoor pitches	XN Leisure	Maintenance & Support renewal	£14,000
City Stats	Fluent Technology	Maintenance & Support renewal	£5,000
Heimdal Security Agent	Managed Security Solutions	Maintenance & Support renewal	£10,000
Media Core	Aetopia Limited	Maintenance & Support renewal	£3,000
Cascade 3d Reporting Tool	Cascade	Maintenance & Support renewal	£3,500
Kinetics	Kinetics Solutions	Maintenance & Support renewal	£4,000
Oracle Processor Perpetual (for DMZ)	ORACLE CORPORATION (U K)	Proprietary	£5,000
Chip & Pin - Daisy Chain Rental	XN Leisure	Maintenance & Support renewal	£5,000
UPS	Continu	Maintenance & Support renewal	£3,000
SPSS	IBM	Maintenance & Support renewal	£3,000
ODEX Enterprise AS2 Component	Data Interchange PLC	Maintenance & Support renewal	£3,000
Jigsaw Fuel Management	Blenheim System Ltd (Jigsaw)	Maintenance & Support renewal	£3,500
Visual COBOL for Visual Studio Support	Micro Focus	Proprietary	£4,000
Adobe VIP Agreement (Value Incentive Plan)	Specialist Computer Centre	Proprietary	£7,000
Browsealoud	Texthelp Business Systems	Maintenance & Support renewal	£3,000
ECDL licence - Annual Subscription	British Computer Society	Proprietary	£3,000
Hevacomp	Bentley Hevacomp	Proprietary	£3,000
Joint Venture - Apple Business support	Apple	Proprietary	£3,000

 

Table 4 – Contracts awarded August

 

Title	Director	Duration	Successful Contractor
Framework for Supply and Delivery of Fruit and Vegetables for Belfast Zoological Gardens	R Crozier	1 year with option to renew annually for further 2 years	2 companies awarded: Arnotts Fruit Ltd, 16/20 Dunbar Street, Belfast First4fruit, Unit 3 Loguestown Industrial Estate, Coleraine
Supply and Delivery of Various Panel Vans	G Millar	N/A	Charles Hurst Peugeot, 62 Boucher Road, Belfast
Supply and Delivery of Precinct Sweepers	G Millar	N/A	Aebi Schmidt UK Ltd, Southgate Way, Orton Peterborough Cambridgeshire, England
Cleaning Services at St George’s Market	D Durkin	1 year with option to renew annually for further 2 years	GON Cleaning Services, 10 Cairnmore Drive Lisburn   Antrim

 

 

 

Table 4 - Contracts awarded September

 

Title	Director	Duration	Successful Contractor
Provision of Mobile Video Screens and associated services	D Durkin	1 year with option to renew annually for further 2 years	ADI TV Unit 10, Pittman Court Preston, Lancashire
Supply of General Uniforms	G Millar	1 year with option to renew annually for further 3 years	3 companies awarded; Antrim Supplies (Workwear)  Ltd, 24 Mallusk Rd, Newtownabbey   Prosafe Products Ltd, 53 The Longshot, Ballyclare   Tailored Image Ltd, 8A The Linen Green, Dungannon BT71 7HB
Delivery of Export Development Support for High Growth Sectors	D Durkin	2 years with option to renew annually for further 1 year	Core Consulting, 39A Main Street, Bangor, Co Down BT20 5AF

 

 

Table 4 – Contracts awarded October

 

Title	Director	Duration	Successful Contractor
Provision of Goods for Resale in Belfast Zoo Souvenir Shop	N Grimshaw	1 year with option to renew annually for further 2 years	Keel Toys Barrey Road, Ashford KENT   TN24 OSG   Ravensden Plc Bedford Road Rushden  Northamptonshire   NN10 0SQ   Kilbarrack Industrial Estate DUBLIN 5
Delivery of City Start-up Programme	D Durkin	1 year with option to renew for further 6 months	Enterprise NI Ltd Aghanloo Road Limavady BT49 0HE

 

 

         The Committee adopted the recommendations.