Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment.

Decision

That the procurement and award of a Dorset Highways Contractor Resource (Labour Top-Up) Framework (re-procurement exercise) be approved.

Reason for the Decision

Cabinet is required to approve all key decisions with a financial consequence of £500k or more, and procurements over £5m are subject to individual reports (Cabinet 04-06-19 refers).

The technical summary for reasons for the recommendation is as follows:

·      The pre-agreed rates and contract conditions allows Dorset Highways to respond to changing demands / circumstances quickly and efficiently.

·      The quick procured method - call off, is far quicker than the traditional quote, tender and mini-competition methods of procurement. This reduces administration and back office costs

·      The multi supplier lots provide resilience if the preferred supplier cannot fulfil the call-off

·      The multi supplier lots provide technical expertise in a variety of specialist areas

·      The multi-supplier framework has worked for the last eight years.

·      The organisation risk is LOW

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Assets and the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Environment reported that Dorset Highways Construction Delivery Team had and continued to have, a requirement to procure additional labour resources to operate as part of its mixed economy delivery model.

This model provided suitable resilience and business continuity to ensure that Dorset Council could continue to meet it statutory highway duties ensuring that works were completed within the required timeframe. Failure to re-procure the Dorset Highways Contractor Resource Framework would put the service under extreme pressures to deliver the vital and critical highways functions of maintenance and improvements.

In response to questions and concerns raised by non-executive members, the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment confirmed that wherever possible in-house and local resources would be utilised, but where appropriate there were a variety of technical experts and specialists that could be called upon. The Top-Up Labour Framework would ensure flexibility, capacity and efficiency of service.

In respect of an individual matter raised by a local member, the Portfolio Holder agreed to discuss the details we the member concerned outside of the meeting.

Decision

That the procurement and award of a Dorset Highways Contractor Resource (Labour Top-Up) Framework (re-procurement exercise) be approved.

Reason for the Decision

Cabinet is required to approve all key decisions with a financial consequence of £500k or more, and procurements over £5m are subject to individual reports (Cabinet 04-06-19 refers).

The technical summary for reasons for the recommendation is as follows:

·      The pre-agreed rates and contract conditions allows Dorset Highways to respond to changing demands / circumstances quickly and efficiently.

·      The quick procured method - call off, is far quicker than the traditional quote, tender and mini-competition methods of procurement. This reduces administration and back office costs

·      The multi supplier lots provide resilience if the preferred supplier cannot fulfil the call-off

·      The multi supplier lots provide technical expertise in a variety of specialist areas

·      The multi-supplier framework has worked for the last eight years.

·      The organisation risk is LOW