Agenda item

Housing and Communities - (C-074-2020-21) - In order to undertake the repair, planned maintenance and installation of audio-controlled door entry systems to Council-owned properties.

The Cabinet agreed:

(1)        That, Openview Security Systems Ltd be awarded a 1-year contract renewable annually for up to a maximum of 4-further years, for the repair, planned maintenance and installation of audio-controlled door entry systems to Council-owned properties in the sum of £1,022,194.64 with an overall weighted price and quality score of 90% being the most economically advantageous tender received;

(2)        That, should it not be possible to enter into contract with Openview Security Systems Ltd, that SCCI Alphatrack Ltd be awarded the contract as the reserve contractor, being the second most economically advantageous tender received, with a Tender Sum of £1,410,280.01;

(3)        That the overall value of the works be limited to the sum included in Housing Revenue Account for maintenance works and the sum within the Capital Programme for the installation and upgrades of audio-controlled door entry systems on an annual basis; and

(4)        That, this contract be designated as a serial contract to facilitate the annual adjustment to the tendered rates in accordance with the BCIS ALLCOS Resource Cost Index of All Construction: Repair and Maintenance Work #7419.  

In the absence of the Housing and Community Services Portfolio Holder the Leader of the Council introduced the report on the acceptance of tender for controlled entry systems.

In order to undertake the repair, planned maintenance and installation of audio-controlled door entry systems to Council-owned properties during the financial year 2021-22 and over the following 4-year period, it was necessary to undertake a procurement exercise based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) taking cost and quality into account to satisfy the requirements of the Council’s Procurement Rules. 

The tender sum includes the planned Capital Programme of installing new audio-controlled door entry installations to 26 blocks of flats and upgrading the existing audio-controlled door entry installations to 42 blocks of flats over the next 5-year period.

Decision:

The Cabinet agreed:

(1)        That, Openview Security Systems Ltd be awarded a 1-year contract renewable annually for up to a maximum of 4-further years, for the repair, planned maintenance and installation of audio-controlled door entry systems to Council-owned properties in the sum of £1,022,194.64 with an overall weighted price and quality score of 90% being the most economically advantageous tender received;

(2)        That, should it not be possible to enter into contract with Openview Security Systems Ltd, that SCCI Alphatrack Ltd be awarded the contract as the reserve contractor, being the second most economically advantageous tender received, with a Tender Sum of £1,410,280.01;

(3)        That the overall value of the works be limited to the sum included in Housing Revenue Account for maintenance works and the sum within the Capital Programme for the installation and upgrades of audio-controlled door entry systems on an annual basis; and

(4)        That, this contract be designated as a serial contract to facilitate the annual adjustment to the tendered rates in accordance with the BCIS ALLCOS Resource Cost Index of All Construction: Repair and Maintenance Work #7419.  

Reasons for Proposed Decision:

The existing framework agreement for the repair, planned maintenance and installation of audio-controlled door entry systems to Council-owned properties with the current contractor was nearing the end of its term. Therefore, this was a new contract and the results of the tender exercise needs to be approved in accordance with Councils Procurement Rules. Undertaking a competitive tender exercise was not only a requirement of the Councils Procurement Rules, but there was also a requirement under Section 20 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 where works were undertaken on communal areas of Council owned and managed blocks of flats.  

To ensure the existing audio-controlled door entry systems installed at around 400-blocks are maintained and remain in full operation to ensure the safety and the security of the communal areas of the Councils sheltered housing schemes and general needs blocks of flats.    

To ensure suitably accredited specialist contractors are available to provide an emergency response in the event of a failure of the audio-controlled door entry systems installed in the Councils sheltered housing and general needs blocks of flats. 

To upgrade existing audio-controlled door entry systems that are installed with old technology such as key based access, obsolete control systems and with access doors that are beyond economic repair. Futureproofing the design and specification for upgrades and new audio-controlled door entry systems include a video ready design which allows the upgrade from audio-control to video with minimal costs, assisted door opening for physically challenged occupiers and a mobile Cloud based system for the management of access key tokens.

The new framework agreement will be let with a high degree of flexibility incorporated in the contract conditions, this will enable Housing and Property Services and Qualis Management to issue Works Orders based on operational requirements to a specialist contractor as and when required. 

Other Options for Action:

The main alternative options considered were:

(1)        To re-tender the contract on an annual basis. However, this would be time consuming and inefficient. Re-tendering would not guarantee more competitive tenders.

(2)        To re-tender the works based on price alone. However, this would not necessarily return a more competitive tender and would not identify or quantify a quality commitment from the lowest tenderer. 

(3)        To seek quotations for the repair, planned maintenance and installations of audio-controlled door entry systems on an ad-hoc basis by raising individual Works Orders for the work.  However, this is very time consuming and is not cost effective as it would not generate the cost savings associated with economies of scale. Also, the volume of the repair and maintenance of existing audio-controlled door entry systems per annum would breach the Council’s Procurement Rules C2 (9b) with the works exceeding £25,000 in value during one financial year.