Decision details

To seek approval to procure the provision of a School Nursing Service and a Sexual Health Service for Sefton.The contracts for the current School Nursing and Sexual Health services are due to expire on the 31 March 2014 and it is intended to procure re-specified services to run from that date.

Members will be asked to approve the procurement and the process for procurement, including delegation of the decision to award contracts, following the procurement process, to the Director of Public Health.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Public Health on the proposed procurement of the School Nursing Service and the Integrated Community Sexual Health Service during 2013/14 and seek relevant approvals for the EU-compliant tender exercise.

The Director of Public Health also referred to the need for the waiving of the Contracts Procedure Rules and the authorisation of a 3 month extension of the existing Sexual Health Contract and a six month extension to the School Health  Contract to enable the procurement processes to be completed.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       the Director of Public Health be authorised to conduct OJEU Open Procedure tender exercises for the 2 new contracts to run for a period of three years, with the option of 2 further one-year extensions for each service. These contracts are the School Nursing Service and the Integrated Community Sexual Health Service;

(2)       the basis of evaluation of tenders as set out in the

report be approved;

(3)       the Director of Public Health be authorised to accept the Highest Scoring Tender in accordance with the approved basis of evaluation and to report on the outcome to the Cabinet Member for Older People and Health;

(4)       the Director of Public Health be authorised to award the contracts on completion of the tender process;

(5)       approval be given to the waiving of the Contracts Procedure Rules and authorises a 6 month extension of the existing School Health Contract to enable the procurement process to be completed; and

(6)       approval be given to the waiving of the Contracts Procedure Rules and authorises a 3 month extension of the existing Sexual Health Contract to enable the procurement process to be completed

Reasons for Decision:

The Procurement requirements were in line with council policy and the current contracts were due to expire on 31March 2014.The sexual health contract had been extended for the previous 2 years without open procurement activity

and the recent request for Expressions of Interest identified a number of possible providers.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.