Decision details

To award a new landscape management contract

The Assistant Director: Environmental Services submitted an exempt report to inform the Executive of the outcome of a procurement process and tender evaluation for a new landscape maintenance / arboricultural services contract and to seek approval to award that contract to the successful bidder.

Resolved

(1)          That the outcome of the tender evaluation process be noted.

(2)          That the continuation of a single contract for landscape maintenance and arboricultural services in support of the landscape responsibilities of Cherwell District Council, South Northamptonshire Council and those parish councils who request such a service through the Councils be supported.

(3)          That the award of a contract for Lot 1 (landscape maintenance services) and Lot 2 (arboricultural services) to tenderer 3 be approved.

(4)          That the expenditure implications for the Councils arising from the contract to carry out landscape maintenance and arboricultural services be noted.

Reasons

Tenderer 3 has scored the highest in the evaluation of the tenders received for LOT 1 and represents the most economically advantageous solution to the provision of landscape maintenance services for the Councils and their partners.

Tenderer 3 has also scored the highest in the evaluation of the tenders received for LOT 2 and represents the most economically advantageous solution to the provision of arboricultural services for the Councils and their partners.

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to award the contract for Lot 1 (landscape maintenance) to the winning tenderer which means that the Council will be without a landscape maintenance contractor from 1 April 2018 and hence this is rejected.

Option 2: Not to award the contract for Lot 2 (arboricultural services) to the winning tenderer which means that the Council will be without an arboricultural services contractor from 1 April 2018 and hence this is also rejected.

Option 3: To award contracts for Lot 1 and/or Lot 2 to others bidders, but this is rejected as the other tenders do not comprise the bids most economically advantageous to the Councils and should be rejected under the terms of the procurement process.

Option 4: To award the contract to the winning tenderer but to reduce the scope and standard of the landscape maintenance works. This is not an option, as that would be a challengeable procurement decision on the grounds it is a substantive variation of the basis on which tenders were invited, and also because of the high profile of and public interest in good landscape management standards.