Content

This paper seeks approval from the Executive
Committee to enter in to the second stage of a Design and Build
(D&B) contract with Eric Wright Civil Engineering Ltd to
deliver the enhanced public realm on Devonshire Street in Carlisle.
The cost of the contract is £1,491,023.
 
It is recommended that the Portfolio Holder
approve permission to award the second stage of the Design and
Build contract to Eric Wright Civil Engineering Ltd for the
delivery of the enhanced public realm on Devonshire Street in
Carlisle.
 

Reasons for the decision

It is recommended that the Portfolio Holder
delegate the decision to the Director of Business Transformation
and Change to agree the final terms of the contract and
enter into a contract with Eric Wright
Civil Engineering Ltd for delivery of the enhanced public realm on
Devonshire Street in Carlisle.
 

Alternative options considered

Option 1 – Grant approval
(recommended).
To approve the award of the contract to Eric
Wright Civil Engineering Ltd to allow the project to progress to
completion within the funding deadline.
 
Option 2 – Re-procure the construction
contract to identify an alternative contractor. This option would
increase the length of the programme, The procurement process to
date has been transparent. An assessment of the current costs
(undertaken by a Quantity Surveyor) suggests good value for money.
Costs to date have been as anticipated at stage 1 contract award
and are within the budget available. The additional phase of
procurement is likely to extend past the funding deadline which
would increase the risk of clawback of the funding (as per section
4.11 of the funding agreement). There would be no guarantee that an
alternative contractor would provide a more competitive
cost. 
 
Option 3 – Do nothing.
This option would not allow the project to
progress beyond the current design phase, resulting in
£202,170 of abortive costs (Stage 1 design and fees to date)
and a failure to deliver part of the Carlisle Future High Street
programme. The success and spend against previously allocated
funding is monitored by the Department
of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, therefore failure to
deliver the scheme could negatively impact future funding
applications.