Decision details

The Cabinet Member approved the extension of the framework agreement for the supply of social care temporary agency workers between 1 February 2016 and 30 June 2016, up to a value of £866,094,40.

Temporary agency workers will be provided by the following suppliers in respect of the categories listed under the framework agreement:

The existing framework agreement is due to end on 31 January 2016.  The Council has considered various options, however the procurement for the future provision of social care temporary agency workers is in progress and due to conclude in order for the new contract to commence on 1 July 2016. Therefore the provision of these services to continue until 30 June 2016, by way of contract extension, which will coincide with the conclusion of the social care temporary agency worker retender and commencement of the newly tendered contract on 1 July 2016.

The framework agreement delivers a range of essential services for the Council in line with the details provided within section 4 of this report.  Benefits to the Council for extending the framework agreement for the supply of temporary agency workers include:

i.      Pay rates will remain the same in relation to the specialist categories and the skill requirements.

ii.    Reduced cost having each category provider contracted to the framework.

iii.   Better control of spend and clearer management information from each supplier.

iv.   Supply of temporary resources that meets the council’s requirements and expectations first time every time, reducing the level of poor performance.

v.    Improved management information supplied by the framework suppliers on a monthly basis enabling better contract management and identification of savings and service improvement.

vi.   A more efficient and responsive ordering and hiring process for recruitment and retention.

Call off from the framework will be subject to approval for each call-off contract. The process will comply with the current contract regulations, to the extent that the hiring managers must justify the use of temporary supply workers before any purchase orders can be raised. Any contract is subject to 3 month review and re-approval.

vii.  The supplier bears the risk, insofar that the Council is not liable for a minimum order, in support of the Council’s outsourced services.

To do nothing, however this was rejected on the basis that the Council is required to maintain the continuity of the service, for reasons outlined within this report.  Approval will enable the recruitment and retention function to continue to be delivered, supporting the council in delivering key services.

In light of the fact that the social care temporary agency worker retender is currently underway, to change the suppliers at this stage or to utilise an alternative pre-tendered framework such as ESPO would cause significant disruption to the delivery of services and create potential additional expense for the Council.

None

·         Cabinet Member Decision Notice APR11/CMDN/045;

·         Cabinet Member Decision Notice JUN12/CMDN/053; and

·         Cabinet Member Decision Notice MAY15/CMDN/51.