Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1. This report details proposals for a number of new procurement initiatives relating to the delivery of building construction work and the maintenance of the Corporate Estate on behalf of the County Council. The report also details in Appendix B various additions/amendments to the Capital Repairs programme and other miscellaneous approvals.

2) Issues Covered in Report:

2.1. Procurement of a framework for the provision of electrical testing and inspection services.

2.2. Selection and appointment of contractors through the Improvement and Efficiency South East (IESE) Tier 2 frameworks to provide pre-construction services for the proposed amalgamation of Meadowlands Infant and Junior schools and the proposed refurbishment and improvement works at Cherry Orchard and Copper Beeches older persons homes.

2.3. Various additions/amendments to the Capital Repairs programme and other miscellaneous approvals.

3) Recommendations:

That the Panel advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that:

3.1. The proposal to procure a framework for provision of electrical testing and inspection services at an estimated cost of £400,000 per annum be approved.

3.2. The selection and appointment of a contractor under the IESE Tier 2 framework to provide pre-construction services up to a maximum value of £35,000 in connection with the proposed amalgamation of Meadowlands Infant and Junior schools be approved.

3.3. The selection and appointment of a contractor under the IESE Tier 2 framework to provide pre-construction services up to a maximum value of £35,000 in connection with the proposed refurbishment and improvement works at Cherry Orchard and Copper Beeches older persons homes be approved.

3.4. The additions and amendments to the Capital Repairs programme and other miscellaneous approvals as set out in Appendix B be approved.

MAIN REPORT

1) Purpose of the Report:

1.1. The purpose of this report is to seek approval to a number of procurement initiatives and additions/amendments to the Capital Repairs programme and other miscellaneous approvals relating to the County Council's building construction work.

2) Contextual Information:

2.1. The Executive Member for Policy and Resources approved on 9 April 2008 the annual review of construction related procurement for 2007/8 and a series of new initiatives to be implemented during 2008/9 and beyond. A number of further proposals were approved at the meetings on 23 July 2008 and 16 October 2008.

2.2. The completion of projects and programmes of work through framework and term contract arrangements ensures that schemes and programmes of work are delivered in a cost-effective way, involving closer working and collaboration with the construction industry which ensures continuous improvement in the County Council's services and enhances the quality of place in Hampshire.

3) Electrical Testing and Inspection Framework

3.1. To comply with the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, electrical testing and inspection of the County Council's buildings is carried out on a 10 year rolling programme.

3.2. Currently this service is procured annually through a traditional competitive tendering process. To support improved forward planning, together with consistency of approach to the testing, inspection and subsequent reporting of findings, it is now proposed to establish a four year framework to deliver this service from 2010. The estimated cost of electrical testing and inspection is £400,000 per annum.

4) Contractor Pre-construction Appointments

4.1. The County Council's procurement strategy for building construction projects includes the procurement of projects through the IESE Tier 2 framework. The framework arrangement is based on the selection and appointment of the main contractor early in the design phase of the project to work as part of the project team. The contractor provides a range of pre-construction services including buildability advice, cost planning, subcontractor procurement and construction planning and programming for which the contractor is paid a pre-construction fee.

4.2. To ensure that the contractor's input can be used to advantage on the project, the appointment is normally made prior to approval of the project appraisal. Award of the construction contract is not completed until after project appraisal, once the procurement process has been completed.

4.3. The following projects have been identified for development and procurement through the IESE Tier 2 framework and approval is therefore sought for selection and appointment of contractors to provide pre-construction services prior to approval of the project appraisal:

Project	Pre-construction Fee
Amalgamation of Meadowlands Infant and Junior schools (Children's Services capital programme)	Up to £35,000
Cherry Orchard and Copper Beeches elderly persons homes - refurbishment and improvement works (Adult Services capital programme)	Up to £35,000

5) Outline of Options:

5.1. The County Council's procurement actions are governed by the Public Procurement Regulations 2006 and the Council's Contract Standing Orders. In addition, the Council's procurement model and strategy for building construction work, approved by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources at his meeting of 9 April 2008, provides the framework within which procurement decisions relating to building construction work are made.

5.2. Where this framework clearly determines the appropriate procurement strategy no further options have been identified. Where options are available, these have been outlined under the relevant heading in the previous sections of this report.

6) Option Analysis / Comparison:

6.1. Please refer to section 5 above.

7) Conclusions:

7.1. The procurement decisions set out in this report comply with the Public Procurement Regulations 2006 and the Council's Contract Standing Orders. The proposals are also in line with the procurement model and strategy for building construction work approved by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources at his meeting of 9 April 2008 and the business plan for the Construction and Asset Management workstream of IESE.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

APPENDIX A

COMPREHENSIVE RISK & IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Race and Equality Impact assessment

Race and equality impact assessment has been considered in the development of this report and no adverse impact has been identified.

Crime prevention issues

The County Council has a legal obligation under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to consider the impact of all the decisions it makes on the prevention of crime. The proposals in this report have no impact on the prevention of crime.

Climate Change:

How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy

consumption?

No impact identified.

How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate

change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

No impact identified.

APPENDIX B

Additions/amendments to the Capital Repairs programme

Following a review of priorities for projects within the capital repairs programme it is proposed to allocate funding in 2008/09 to those projects highlighted. Members will note that it has been possible to allocate some funding to the non-education estate.

Schemes below £50,000

Liphook Junior School - windows

Baycroft Special school - drainage works

Calshot Outdoor Centre - re-roof instructors cottage (Note: joint funded with Recreation and Heritage)

Schemes £50,000 - £100,000

Locks Heath Infant - windows

Orchard Lea Junior - windows

Nightingale Primary School - re-roofing

Heatherside Junior - roofing (Note: contract documentation to be formed in January 2009)

Schemes £100,000 - £250,000

Crofton Anne Dale Infant - roofing (Note: the spend for this will come from 2009/10)

Bishops Waltham Depot - ground remediation works

Various secondary schools - paving works

Various schools - window restraints to scola 2 buildings

Green Meadows Elderly Persons Home - windows

Various Non Education buildings - redecorations and flooring renewals

Various Non Education Buildings - windows roofing and drainage works

Various schools - windows roofing and drainage works

Schemes £250,000 - £500,000

Various schools - minor capital engineering works

Schemes over £500,000

Various schools - structural repairs to SCOLA wall panels

External Decorations

The tender returns on the external decorations programme have come back below estimate, with the result that there is approximately £400,000 to reallocate to new projects. The following have been identified as suitable schemes:

Swimming Pool Refurbishments

The following schemes are part of the swimming pools strategy that has previously been reported to the Panel. The finance for these schemes was approved as block allocations for the strategy. The works are to be jointly funded between the Children's Services capital programme and the NDS condition programme. These schemes will be undertaken in spring and summer 2009.

Schemes - £100-£250K

Fordingbridge Junior School

Overton primary School

Four Marks primary schools

Royal Victoria Country Park - Netley Chapel

Within the capital repairs programme for 2008/09 and 2009/10 it is proposed to undertake a major repairs contract to the observation tower of Netley Chapel. The tower has been suffering from advanced erosion of brickwork, pointing and stonework. This has manifested itself with areas of brickwork and stonework becoming insecure and cracks appearing in the facades of the building.

A management strategy has been in place for sometime which restricts access around the building and ensures regular structural safety inspections are undertaken of the facades. This deterioration has now advanced to a point where urgent structural repairs are required.

In order to undertake these urgent repairs significant investment is required in access scaffolding. In order to obtain best value from this scaffold additional repairs are proposed which will secure the longer term condition of the tower.

The works will involve the following:

· Re-pointing

· Replacement of areas of brickwork

· Structural strengthening of brickwork

· Replacement and repairs to stonework

· Fire precautions works

The works in total are estimated at a cost £460,000 excluding fees which is proposed to be funded as follows.

· Recreation & Heritage capital programme - £164,000

· Policy and Resources Capital repairs 2008/09 and 2009/10 - £296,000

The building is a listed building. Listed building consent is unlikely to be required as this is considered urgent repair works.

The works will be undertaken from spring until autumn 2009. Consideration is currently being made as to whether to undertake the fire precaution works in advance of the main repairs contract.

Swanwick Lodge - Retrospective approval

On 4 December 2008, the Executive Member for Policy and Resources gave urgent approval for the award of a contract valued at £280,864 (plus £32,000 for fees) for various works at Swanwick Lodge. The works included refurbishment of the Operations Room, resolution of a vehicle/pedestrian conflict, installation of traffic control barriers and refurbishment of three staff sleeping rooms and en-suite shower rooms.

The funding for the works was awarded by the Department For Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on 26 November 2008, on the basis that the work would be completed and invoiced before the end of the financial year. Therefore, urgent approval was sought to enable the works to progress as quickly as possible and form contracts.

The contract was awarded under the Tier 3 Framework with West End Roofing and Construction Ltd following a mini-competition and approval of the selection process by the Improvement and Efficiency South East (IESE) team.