Decision details

Consideration was given to a report summarising the procurement process to appoint a Highways Services Contractor with effect from 6 October 2011. 

Since the last meeting of the Sub Committee the three final bidders had progressed through the final stages of the procurement process and their final tenders had now been evaluated by a number of officers of the Council and its advisors.  The tender evaluation process was detailed in the report and the final results would be considered later in the meeting in part 2 of the agenda.

The services to be included within the scope of the contract were set out in Appendix 1.  It was confirmed that verge maintenance and highway development management had been excluded from the scope and it was agreed that the appendix be updated to reflect this prior to its consideration by Cabinet.

In considering its decision the Sub Committee made a number of changes to that requested in order to better reflect the previous approval of the evaluation process (2.1), to clarify that it was making a recommendation to Cabinet on the preferred bidder (2.2), to reflect the fact that the Sub Committee would no longer exist as it has completed the task for which it had been established (2.3), and that Cabinet would be asked to accept as the  Preferred Bidder the recommendation of the Sub Committee (2.5).

In addition it was reported that a request to waive the call-in provisions in respect of the Cabinet decision had been approved by the Chairmen of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee, and the Chairman of the Environment and Prosperity Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED

To recommend to Cabinet

1.      That the previously approved evaluation process used to determine the Preferred Bidder for the Highways Services Contract be confirmed.

1.      That approval be given to the recommendation that the Preferred Bidder be the company which received the highest score, in accordance with the tender evaluation process, and that the Highways Services Contract be entered into.

2.      That final contract negotiations with the Preferred Bidder be delegated to the Borough Solicitor, the Borough Treasurer, and the Strategic Director Places, in consultation with relevant Portfolio Holders.

3.      That it be noted that the award of the Highways Services Contract will trigger the automatic application of the TUPE Regulations which will effect a transfer of a number of existing Council Highways Service staff and BAM Nuttall term maintenance operatives currently providing highway services to the Council, to the Preferred Bidder.

4.      That approval be given to the recommendation from the Transformation of Highways Services Sub Committee that (name to be circulated at meeting) be appointed as Preferred Bidder.