Pursuant to Minute the Cabinet C121/Apr/21, the Cabinet Member with the Resources Portfolio introduced the report of the Chief Executive (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the updated Annual Procurement Plan (also previously circulated); the additional contracting intentions that have been developed; the assessment of contracts that are considered to be strategic; and the decisions taken by the Procurement Board to waive the Contract Procedure Rules.
The submitted report stated that procurers must consider the social, economic and environmental aspects of a contract, if it had a value of over £100,000; the procurement board request form had been amended to ensure that this was evidenced; the National TOMS (Themes, Outcomes and Measures) Framework was used to assess the information; and that Procurement Officers had met with other Anchor Institutions within the town with a view to co-ordinating the approach taken to social value.
RESOLVED – (a) That the assessment of strategic and non-strategic contracts as presented in Appendix 1, be approved, and it be agreed that:
(i) further reports / updates on the procurement process for those contracts designated as strategic (including decisions made by the Procurement Board) be brought to Cabinet;
(ii) the contract award decisions for the contracts designated as non-strategic be delegated to the appropriate Director as listed in the plan at Appendix 1 of the submitted report; and
(iii) the contract award decisions for the contracts designated as strategic, as listed in the plan at Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be delegated to the Procurement Board to approve and be reported back to Cabinet.
(b) That the update of strategic procurements, Procurement Board waiver decisions and Social Value, as detailed in the submitted report, be noted.
Reasons – (a) In respect of strategic/non-strategic contracts, the recommendations are supported by the following reasons:
(i) the Contract Procedure Rules require Cabinet to approve the designation of contracts as strategic and non- strategic;
(ii) contracts designated strategic are of high value and high significance in respect of the impact on residents, Health and Safety and public safety; and
(iii) the contracts designated non-strategic are of a lower value and lower significance in respect of the impact on residents and public safety.
(b) In respect of Procurement Board waiver decisions, the recommendations are supported by the following reasons: -
(i) in order to comply with the Contract Procedure Rules;
(ii) to provide Cabinet with information about the decisions made by the Procurement Board; and
(iii) to supplement the reports that are taken to Cabinet about proposed spend over £100,000, that are set out in the Annual Procurement Plan and the in-year update to that report.