Agenda item

Update on Contracts

Meeting of Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Monday, 26th June, 2023 3.00 pm (Item 39.)

Minutes:

The Committee:

· approved the public advertisement of tenders as per Standing Order 37a, as detailed in Table 1 below;

· approved the award of Single Tender Actions, in line with Standing Order 55 exceptions, as detailed in Table 2 below;

· approved the modification of the contract, as per Standing Order 37a, detailed in Table 3 below; and

· noted the award of retrospective Single Tender Actions, in line with Standing Order 55 exceptions, as detailed in Table 4 below.

Table 1: Competitive Tenders

Title of Tender	Proposed Contract Duration	Estimated Total Contract Value	SRO	Short description of goods / services
Provision of temporary agency workers	Up to 2 years	Up to £8m	C Sheridan	The provision of a wide range of temporary agency workers to support business operations across the Council.
Contract for Placement of Planning Notices in the local press *Previously approved Sept 2022 for £120,000 but has now been reviewed	Up to 5 years	Up to £125,000	K Bentley	Fulfilment of statutory obligation to advertise planning notices under Article 8 of the Planning (General Development Procedure) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015
Laptops, docking stations and other peripherals	Up to 1 year	Up to £500,000	P Gribben	New devices to facilitate hybrid working and replacement devices as per regular business as usual replacement cycle
T2345 Design Contest to support the delivery of Belfast Imagining 2024 *Previously approved Oct 2022 for £1.85m but revised total now £2.7m	Up to 22 months	Up to £2.7m	J Greer	A Design Contest process to seek out project proposals for the year of culture through a competitive and 3 staged process that will lead to a series of civic and culturally led programmes, events and projects for 2024 totalling £2.7million which has been allocated from the cultural reserve for 2024.
Provision of animal healthcare services	Up to 5 years	Up to £400,000	J Greer	Belfast Zoo requires a veterinary service to provide an essential service for the health and welfare of the zoo’s valuable collections of animals
Supply of trees	Up to 3 years	Up to £80,000	D Sales	Tender is required to ensure the Council has a sufficient supply of large ornamental trees for the next 3 years
AutoDesk software licenses and support, to include bi-annual technology updates	Up to 3 years	Up to £96,000	P Gribben	AutoDesk software is licensed on an annual subscription basis meaning the current AutoDesk software in use by BCC will no longer be available after 30.11.2023 without a new contract. The software is currently in use by Facilities Management, Building Control, Parks Landscape and the Project Management Unit
T2438NIESS Enquiry Call Handling Service *Previously approved £125,000 but have been reviewed	Up to 4 years	Up to £500,000	J Greer	Enquiry call handling service required to receive and process client enquires related to the NI Enterprise Support Service.
Provision of St Patrick’s Day Festival Events	Up to 3 years	Up to £900,000	J Greer	Creative sector to deliver St Patrick’s Day events on behalf of the Council, as part of wider programme of activity
Delivery of Belfast Stories up to end of RIBA Stage 2	Up to 16 months	Up to £200,00	W Langham	Belfast Stories is due to enter next phase of development up to the end of RIBA Stage 2. This will include the completion of public consultation, consumer market testing and commencement of story collection programme. Engagement and communications support is required across all of these strands
Drain clearance services	Up to 4 years	Up to £200,000	S Grimes	Drain clearance services including the provision of an emergency 24-hour call-out service, camera surveys, regular inspection and emptying of waste from septic tanks, grease traps and road gullies.
Reroof and replace 16 roof lights at 7th floor Cecil Ward Building	Up to 4 weeks	Up to £80,000	S Grimes	Urgent replacement and repair services required
Collection and treatment/recycling of paints and varnishes	Up to 4 years	Up to £865,000	C Matthews	To support waste management operations using a specialist and suitable licenced service provider.
Complete energy audits of four high use Council buildings – City Hall, Cecil Ward, Adelaide and Duncrue	6 months initially	Up to £50,000	J Tully	Energy audits of four high use Council buildings to inform next steps on energy reduction plan

Table 2: Single Tender Actions

Title

Duration

Total Value

SRO

Description

Supplier

Mercedes Benz Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) approved parts and components, warranty support and specialist repairs

Up to 4 years

Up to £60,000

C Matthews

To ensure that the OEM approved engineering parts and components are replaced and fitted to Mercedes Benz vehicles in keeping with the manufacturer warranty, operational safety terms and conditions.

A recent tender (T2323) was issued to the market via open competition. The tender competition closed on 05 May 2023 with no bids received for this requirement. A direct award/ STA is a fully compliant procurement route in these circumstances as per Reg 32 (a) of the Public Contracts Regulations.

Mercedes Benz Tuck and Van Commercial dealership based in Mallusk is the only authorised OEM dealership in NI with exclusive rights.

Mercedes Benz Truck & Van

Visit Belfast out of state marketing for the Belfast Maritime Festival 2023

Up to 4 months

Up to £40,000

J Greer

There is currently a formalised agreement with Visit Belfast to act as our marketing partner. This is a short-term additional requirement specifically for out of state events marketing to attract visitors to stay and to spend during the festival time.

Visit Belfast

T1896 – Collection and treatment of paints and varnishes	Up to 6 months	Up to £108,000	C Matthews	This service was included as a Lot within the recent tender (T2310) for treatment of mixed waste from recycling centres. This lot was not awarded as no suitable tenders were received during the tender competition. Continuity of service required with the incumbent service provider whilst a review of the service is conducted and the re-tender process completed.	Irish Waste Services
MTC small engineering and metalwork cover	Up to 6 months	Up to £75,000	S Grimes	The extension to this contract to the end of December 2023 with the incumbent contractor WJM Building Services Ltd is required to allow the unit to update the tender documentation and complete a new procurement exercise.	WJM Building Services Ltd
MTC mechanical services cover	Up to 2 months	Up to £100,000	S Grimes	STA required to ensure continuity of service until re-tender process. This will ensure the incumbent contractor can continue to carry out essential services including callouts, repairs and planned maintenance until the new contract is in place.	WJM Building Services Ltd

Table 3: Modification to Contract

Title of Contract

Duration

Modification

SRO

Description

Supplier

T1980a Enterprise Pathway Programme

*Request is retrospective

Up to 18 months

Additional 7 months

J Greer

Contract had previously been extended to 28th February 2023, however requesting an additional extension to 30th September 2023.

Re-engage is required with all previous participants to gain an update on business support requirements for those who are trading as well as providing additional support for individuals who may have not been able to progress at that time.

North City Business Centre

T1914 - Supply and delivery of a range of fruit and vegetables to the Catering Unit

Up to 54 months

Up to additional 3 months and up to an additional £10,000

N Largey

An extension for 3 months to support a local supplier and recoup the loss of income due to the continued closure of catering services and the canteen.

A previous extension was approved in 2021 for an 18-month extension due to Covid the catering service and canteen continued to be suspended during that time.

North Down Group

Table 4: Retrospective Single Tender Actions

Title of Contract	Duration	Value	SRO	Description	Supplier
Consultant to undertake stakeholder engagement to develop overarching vision for Waterworks and Alexandra Park	Up to 3 months	Up to £43,200	S Grimes	Engagement to be undertaken to inform BCC’s Reconnected Belfast Bid to PeacePlus	Urban Scale Interventions
Supply of an advertising package in the NI4Kids magazine	Up to 3 years	Up to £32,000	J Greer	NI4Kids is the only monthly magazine in NI which targets parents of children under 12, allowing BCC to inform them each month about different products and tailored information about the zoo	NI4Kids
T1896 – Collection and treatment of paints and varnishes	Up to 4 months	Up to £72,000	C Matthews	This service was included as a Lot within the recent tender (T2310) for treatment of mixed waste from recycling centres. This lot was not awarded as no suitable tenders were received during the tender competition. Continuity of service required with the incumbent service provider whilst a review of the service is conducted and the re-tender process completed.	Irish Waste Services
MTC small engineering and metalwork cover*	Up to 3 months	Up to £37,500	S Grimes	Essential services required to be covered until the new tender is in place.	WJM Building Services Ltd
MTC Mechanical services cover*	Up to 10 months	Up to £500,000	S Grimes	Essential services required to be covered until the new tender is in place.	WJM Building Services Ltd

* Please note - These 2 x STAs are exceptions from Standing Orders relating to contracts as allowed under 56 exceptions, where

(a) by direction of the Council acting on a recommendation of a Chief Officer that the exception is justified in special circumstances

Supporting documents: