Minutes:
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.
Supporting documents: