Agenda item - Procurement of the Council's Commercial Portfolio's Estate Management Consultancy Contract

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

That Policy, Resources & Growth Committee:

1)        Authorises the procurement of the new Estate Management service contracts for:

(i)             the council’s urban property portfolio; and

(ii)            the council’s agricultural property portfolio

each with an initial term of 5 years and an option to extend the initial term by up to a further 2 years. 

2)        Delegates authority to the Executive Director, Economy Environment and Culture following consultation with the Assistant Director, Property & Design to:

(i)             Award the contracts referred to in 2.1 above following the recommendations of the working group evaluation panel and the results of the tendering  process; and

(ii)            Approve any extension(s) to the initial term of the contracts of up to 2 years, dependent upon performance.

3)        Note that the tender specifications for the new contracts will be reviewed and updated to take into account relevant recommendations from the recent Policy Review Panel as well as any additional relevant recommendations from the proposed Asset Management Board.

25.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that sought authority to competitively tender the council’s commercial portfolio Estate Management service for the urban and agricultural property portfolios in accordance with The Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

25.2      Councillor Sykes asked why the report detailed TUPE implications when those concerned were not council employees.

25.3      The Assistant Director, Property & Design clarified that TUPE implications would apply if an alternative contractor won the tender and staff would most likely transfer.

25.4      Councillor Sykes stated that he believed a number of factors should be taken into account when undertaking such a tendering process specifically, the way consultants dealt with disposals and the opportunity in contracts to go beyond financial considerations and take account, and promote, environmental and social factors.

25.5      The Assistant Director, Property & Design replied that she had attended a meeting of the Procurement Advisory Board and the latter issue would be a point reviewed for inclusion in tendering specification.

25.6      RESOLVED- That Policy, Resources & Growth Committee:

1)        Authorises the procurement of the new Estate Management service contracts for:

(i)             the council’s urban property portfolio; and

(ii)           the council’s agricultural property portfolio

each with an initial term of 5 years and an option to extend the initial term by up to a further 2 years. 

2)        Delegates authority to the Executive Director, Economy Environment and Culture following consultation with the Assistant Director, Property & Design to:

(i)             Award the contracts referred to in 2.1 above following the recommendations of the working group evaluation panel and the results of the tendering  process; and

(ii)           Approve any extension(s) to the initial term of the contracts of up to 2 years, dependent upon performance.

3)        Note that the tender specifications for the new contracts will be reviewed and updated to take into account relevant recommendations from the recent Policy Review Panel as well as any additional relevant recommendations from the proposed Asset Management Board.