Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance submitted a report for Executive Consideration.

The report sought approval for Middlesbrough Council’s tender pipeline for 2024/25 and to agree delegation of award to the relevant Director in consultation with their Executive Member.

A tender pipeline for April 2024 to 31st March 2025 had been developed as part of the Council’s governance processes. The report sought Executive approval for that planned procurement activity and delegated authority for contract award to the relevant Director in consultation with their Executive Member.

The tender pipeline for 2023/24 had 50 procurements proposed and details of their progress were provided in the report. The tender pipeline would be a live record which would be maintained by the Commissioning and Procurement Team and would be available for the supplier market to view on the Council’s website.

If any new procurements with a full contract value of £250,000 or more were identified during the course of the year, an individual Executive report outlining the procurement request would be presented. This eventuality should be minimal, as all known procurements were captured within the pipeline work programme, however this may occur if new funding is made available, i.e through grant income.

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     Approves the tender pipeline for 2024/25.

2.     Approve delegation of award to the relevant Director in consultation with their Executive Member.

OPTIONS

Do Nothing – if this pipeline report was not progressed, each procurement activity in excess of the key decision threshold would need presentation to Executive for approval, in accordance with the Contract Procedure Rules. This was not a feasible option as this would increase the Executive agenda significantly and create potential delays within the procurement process. The tender pipeline report detailed all planned procurement activity for the year ahead.

REASONS

To continue to have strong governance arrangements in place for procurement activity carried out by the Council. The pipeline report identified the proposed procurements throughout 2024/2025, including those under threshold in order to provide full transparency with regard to proposed purchases. Approval was requested, in accordance with the Contract Procedure Rules for authorisation to progress with procurement activity which was above the key decision threshold. Delegated Authority was required to ensure due governance was completed and Directors were fully aware of new contractual obligations and their associated financial impact.