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Officer Decisions

Chief Officer for Adult Care and Health - Jennie Stephens

Summary of Matter or Issue Requiring Decision:

Decision to award the contract for CP1033-14 – Provision of Children Centre Service in North Devon and Torridge (Contract A and B), following an OJEU EU tender part B process.

Decision Taken:

To award a contract (subject to due diligence) to the below organisation for the provision of the above contract. The contract will commence on 1st May 2015, for the period of 35 Months, with an option to extend for a further 24 months.

Action for Children,
St David’s Court,
68A Cowbridge Road,
Cardiff,
CF11 9DN

Summary of Reason(s) for Decision Taken:

The decision has been taken on the basis of supplier achieving the highest overall score in line with the European Procurement Directives award procedure of Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT).

Summary of Alternatives or Options considered and rejected:

Children’s centre Boundaries/Areas
In light of the consultation responses a number of alternatives were considered when looking at how Devon County Council will contract with providers to deliver children’s centre services in future;
Maintain the status quo and maintain 41 individual contracts
Currently, this option would mean;
• Budget reductions would make some centres unviable
• Lack of potential opportunities for the Responsible Bodies to achieve efficiency savings in administrative / managerial costs
• Lack of consistency for service delivery
• Requirement of 41 individual Ofsted inspections and time/money resource for both the Responsible Body and Local Authority to support this
• Lack of budget flexibility – unable to use resources effectively to meet identified need, changing need and local priorities
• Lack of opportunities to reduce costs associated with data collection, legal support of the procurement process and lease agreements

Contract on AXS Cluster basis and reduce to 19 contracts based on groups of Learning Communities.
Currently, this option would mean;
• Lack of further opportunities for the Responsible Bodies to achieve efficiency savings in administrative / managerial costs
• Requirement of 19 individual Ofsted inspections and time/money resource for both the Responsible Body and Local Authority to support it
• Lack of budget flexibility – unable to use resources effectively to meet identified need and local priorities
• Lack of opportunities to reduce costs associated with data collection, legal support of the procurement process and lease agreements
• Lack of opportunities to rationalise the Children’s Centre estate

Contract on a Devon wide basis and reduce to 1 contract across Devon
Currently, this option would mean;
• Concern around current market capacity to deliver
• Challenging for providers to know the local community and meet Ofsted requirements
• Loss of local identity
• Decrease in market option / competition
• De-stabilise current and future service delivery (early termination of contracts, TUPE)
• At this stage, moving from 41 contracts to 1 would be too radical and a significant change in the delivery model

Details of any conflict of interest and dispensation granted to the Officer taking the decision or by any Member of the Council in delegating responsibility for any specific express delegation:

There are no conflicts of interests applicable to this contract award.

Contact for enquiries/further information:
James Szlanski-Coles, Senior Procurement and Contracts Officer, email: James.coles@devon.gov.uk , Tel: 01392 383000
Decision Date:
16 January 2015

A copy of this decision and any supporting documentation considered by the Officer taking this decision may also be made available or inspection by the public at the Council’s Offices or posted upon payment of any copying and postage charges. Any member of the public wishing to take up either of these options is asked to please ring 01392 382888 or email: members.services@devon.gov.uk


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