Issue - meetings

ORDERED that Executive approves

1. The Middlesbrough Council tender pipeline for 2025/26.
2. Delegation of the contract award to the relevant Director who will update their Executive Member.

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report for Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the report sought Executive approval of the Council’s tender pipeline for 2025/26 and to agree delegation of the contract award to the relevant Director who would update their Executive Member.

It was clarified the report was not the Corporate Procurement Strategy and that issues such as social value was included in that Strategy.

A tender pipeline was used to provide the market with an understanding of the potential future procurement activity the Council may undertake 12-18 months hence.

The new Procurement Act 2023 went live on 24th February 2025 required the Council to formally publish a tender pipeline notice.

The Council’s Corporate Procurement Strategy 2024 - 2026 set out the strategic direction for the implementation of the Contract Procedure Rules, which are the regulatory framework for all staff to follow in respect of purchasing goods, services and works regardless of value. The Strategy supported the aims and priorities of the Council.

It set out how the Council would:

·         Strive to make procurement easier for suppliers and the Council alike.

·         Challenge and drive value for money from all procurement activity.

·         Maximise innovation, sustainability, and collaboration in our procurement activities to support the Council’s strategic objectives.

·         Ensure social value and local return was at the heart of the Council’s procurement opportunities.

·         Continue to increase the visibility of the Council’s tender opportunities to local and SME suppliers.

·         Make the best use of local, sub-regional, regional and national collaborative arrangements where significant benefits for Middlesbrough can be evidenced.

Within the Corporate Procurement Strategy, a tender pipeline was used to provide the market with an understanding of the potential future procurement activity the Council may undertake in the proceeding 12-18 months and so increased the visibility of our tender opportunities.

OPTIONS

Do nothing. This was not preferred as it would not support strong governance or allow us to be compliant with the upcoming new Procurement Act requirements to publish a tender pipeline.

ORDERED that the Executive approves

1.    The Middlesbrough Council tender pipeline for 2025/26.

2.    Delegation of the contract award to the relevant Director who will update their Executive Member.

REASONS

To continue to have strong governance arrangements in place for procurement activity carried out by the Council and to be compliant with the new Procurement Act 2023 which was enacted on 24 February 2025 and required the Council to formally publish a tender pipeline notice.