Agenda item

With reference to article 4 of the minute of the meeting of the Urgent Business Committee of 5 August, 2009, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which sought approval to extend the housing element of the current time limited contract with Aberdeen Cyrenians Limited until 31 July, 2010 (or such earlier date as required); and also sought delegated powers to award contracts to the preferred bidder as a result of the current procurement process.

The report advised that the Urgent Business Committee of 5 August, 2009, in addition to issuing a temporary contract to Aberdeen Cyrenians to 31 March, 2010, had also agreed that the Council disengage from the Cyrenians on a phased basis ending on 31 March, 2010 with an open and competitive procurement process for new services to be taken forward.    The procurement service was now well underway, covering both the Social Care and Wellbeing and Housing and Environment requirements.   The closing date for submissions was 16 February, 2010.    As a result it would not be possible for tenders to be assessed, contracts entered into and services to be operational from 1 April, 2010.   It was, however, envisaged that the new contracts would be operational in June, 2010.   For this reason the Committee were asked that the contracts for the Community Supported Accommodation Service, Community Resettlement, Advice and Support Service and Margaret House could be extended beyond 31March, 2010.   It was proposed that 31 July, 2010 was the final date to ensure sufficient time to have the new contracts operational.   This should be done before 31 July but until such time as the tender submissions were received and scrutinised it was requested that some flexibility around the date was provided.  

With regards the tender submissions due to be received on 16February, 2010, it was advised that thereafter tender evaluation and interviews would then be undertaken with the outcomes to be reported to the Committee on 13 April, 2010.   It was anticipated that the time line to achieve this was in place, however in case this could not be achieved approval for delegated powers to the Director of Housing and Environment, in conjunction with the Director of Corporate Governance to award the contract to the preferred bidder was sought.   Such power would only be used after consultation with the Convener and Vice Convener of the Committee.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to agree to the extension to 31 July, 2010, or such earlier date as required, the housing element of the contract for housing support services with the Aberdeen Cyrenians Limited;  and

(ii)        to delegate to the Director of Housing and Environment, in conjunction with the Director of Corporate Governance, the powers to award a contract to the preferred bidder as a result of the current procurement process if it was not possible to report to the Committee at its meeting on 13 April, 2010, on the proviso that such delegated powers would only be used after consultation with the Convener and Vice Convener of the Committee.