Content

Declarations of
interest for this item:
 
None
 
RESOLVED:
 
That Cabinet:
 

1.   
Approved the commencement of procurement exercises for the
following contract and Framework in accordance with CSO 2.01(b) and
CSO 7.01 (commencement of procurement of contracts valued at
£500k or above and the setting up of a Framework):
a.   
Contract for the acquisition of Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment
(FF&E) for the Civic Centre at a value not exceeding the amount
stated in the exempt portion of the report.
b.   
Framework to procure Catering Operators from which the Council can
select a café operator concession for the Civic Centre and
other council owned assets when opportunities arise for a period of
4 years.
 

2.   
Noted that several other FF&E items will fall below the
statutory procurement thresholds and will be procured ensuring best
value.

3.   
Note the overall cost for all client fit out items will be within
the agreed budget as contained in the 12 November 2024 Cabinet
Report titled: Civic Centre Development Project, Construction Main
Contract Award.
 
Reasons for
decision
 
To achieve the completion of client fit out of
the Civic Centre and enable effective occupation of the building in
2027. The Council would need to procure the following:
 
a)       Acquiring Fixtures,
Fittings and Equipment (FF&E)
b) Additional FF&E items below procurement
threshold
c) A catering concession for the cafe in the
Welcome space
 
Following Practical Completion of the
building, the Council will be responsible for installing the
necessary FF&E within a 12-week period to ensure the Civic
Centre is ready for occupation.
 
 The
scope of FF&E is extensive and will include, but is not limited
to:
 
·      
Workstations
·      
Chairs
·      
Desks
·      
Furniture for meeting rooms
·      
Committee rooms
·      
Council Chamber
·      
Storage
·      
Lockers
·      
Specialist areas such as the reception, nursing room
·      
IT containment, for example, non-electrical
‘peripheral’ items like cable tidies, trays, and
monitor arms.
 
Mindful of the Council's financial challenges
and the need to secure best value for the taxpayer, the Civic
Centre project has sought to re-use furniture and other items
wherever possible and suitable, rather than seeking to purchase all
new items. This approach aligns with the Cabinet Member Signing
decision dated 3 August 2022, titled ‘Award of Contract for
Alexandra House and 48 Station Road Furniture
Purchasing’.
 
The programme is also seeking to accommodate
several key items from design developed during RIBA stage 3+ as
these are considered desirable but have no budget allocation, as
detailed in section 4.1b. Despite these constraints, the objective
remains to deliver a fully functional fit out within the available
budget and supporting the Council’s ambition to provide
flexible working and meeting spaces for all staff. This will help
foster cross-service collaboration and maximise the utility of the
Civic Centre as a shared workspace.
 
While officers have worked diligently to
maximise re-use opportunities, it is recognised that the Civic
Centre is a flagship Grade II Listed building and a source of civic
pride. As such, certain areas will require new furniture to reflect
the building’s significance and support its continued civic
and public use for generations to come. These areas include the
Council Chamber, Committee Rooms, Welcome space, Reception and
spaces where existing furniture is unavailable or unsuitable. These
and other areas are identified for hiring for events to generate
income, and the choice and quality of furniture will be an
important consideration in this respect.
 
An additional consideration is the nature of
the listed building, which has a smaller floorplate than the
purpose-built Annexe. This physical constraint means that
someexisting desks and other furniture cannot be accommodated
within the Civic Centre, making reuse of desks impractical.
 
The Grade II Listed Council Chamber will
require a combination of standard and bespoke furniture, which may
necessitate engagement with a specialist manufacturer. As a result,
the procurement of FF&E may be split into three separate Lots
to accommodate the special requirements. Should the budget
assessment for the Council Chamber fall within procurement
thresholds, officers may proceed via a Delegated Authority Approval
(DAA).
 
To ensure value for money and operational
efficiency, a single set of high-specification chairs will be
procured to serve both the Council Chamber and Committee Rooms.
These chairs will be relocated between spaces as required,
supporting better furniture utilisation, streamlined storage, and
simplified maintenance.
 
In addition, officers will explore
opportunities to acquire surplus furniture from other organisations
at minimal cost. This would enable further budget flexibility and
allow resources to be redirected to unfunded areas of the client
fit out.

Officers will adopt a range of procurement approaches for the
remaining items, broadly categorised as follows:
·      
Utilisation of existing contracts and frameworks where
appropriate
·      
Procurement via Delegated Authority Approval (DAA)
·      
Engagement of community and staff groups to support delivery and
ownership.
 
Utilisation of
existing contracts and frameworks where appropriate
Where an existing contract or framework is
available and appropriate, we will seek to utilise it. If this is
not feasible or successful, procurement will proceed under a
Delegated Authority Approval process.
 
DAA –
*Internal plants*
The office areas in the Civic Centre are
intended to have significant amount of internal planting to promote
biophilia that seeks to connect people with nature within the
building enhancing staff wellbeing and support
neurodiversity.  Procurement of the
internal planting as a feature will be managed through Delegated
Authority. Consideration will be given to engaging staff volunteer
groups to take ownership of its maintenance, promoting a sense of
stewardship and encouraging participation in the building’s
upkeep. This approach supports health and wellbeing and contributes
to managing ongoing revenue implications/costs associated with the
provision of planting.
 
Engagement of
community and staff groups
The Council is committed to involving the
community in bringing the Civic Centre to life, (through the
ENLIVEN project). Haringey benefits from a vibrant and diverse
creative community, and we aim to harness and exploit this local
talent by offering opportunities to showcase skills and promote
artistic work.
 
There is potential within the building to
curate art installations, and we propose to encourage participation
from local artists. For the initial installations at the time of
opening, a brief will be issued inviting proposals through a
community competition for designated areas of the building. This
initiative is proposed to continue on a rolling basis, perhaps
every two years, potentially evolving into a regular programme.
 
Longer-term curations will be explored, with
consideration given to aligning with wider cultural initiatives
such as the London Borough of Culture, to ensure sustainability and
continued community engagement.
 
As part of the Civic Centre initiative, the
Council is taking opportunities to implement changes to a range of
provisions, where feasible opportunities arise. One such
opportunity is catering operators.
 
The Civic Centre includes a small Café
concession within the Welcome space on the Ground Floor which will
be accessible to staff and the public. Procuring this concession
provides the opportunity to set up a new framework from which the
Civic Centre and other facilities can procure catering
operators.
 
From initial research, there are circa 16
concessions/caterers currently in operation in council owned assets
across the borough, with the potential to expand this to around 35.
The feasibility for each potential opportunity will be dealt with
case by case.  The benefit of
establishing the framework will allow a more streamlined and faster
procurement when opportunities are identified and underpinned by a
robust business case and proposal from a framework approved
operator.
 
An early procurement process is recommended to
appoint an operator for the Civic Centre, allowing them to actively
contribute to the selection of appropriate kitchen equipment to
suit their operations for the Welcome Café. The procurement
strategy for the Civic Centre will prioritise opportunities for
local suppliers, supporting the local economy and fostering
community engagement and the potential for social value.
 
 
Alternative options
considered
 
To support the delivery of the Civic Centre
client fit out, three options have been considered. They are
presented below. Option 3 is the preferred option.
 
Option 1: Do
Nothing
         
This option is not viable. Without procurement
and installation of the client fit-out items the Council will be
unable to occupy the building. The Council has a statutory
responsibility to undertake all procurement within legal
requirements and council’s standing orders.
 
Option 2: Full
Tender Process for All Items
 
While compliant, this approach
presents significant risks:
 
·      
Time and cost intensive, potentially delaying project delivery.
·      
Excludes smaller or local suppliers, undermining
social value objectives and local economic benefits.
·      
Market disinterest in smaller or specialist
items.
·      
Resource intensive, requiring multiple tender
processes.
·      
High risk of not meeting the occupation
timeline.
 
Option 3: Mixed
Tendering Approach (Tenders and Request for Quotation RFQs)
(Preferred Option)
 
This approach is proportionate
and flexible, offering the following benefits:
 
·      
Enables participation from smaller, suitable suppliers, including
local businesses.
·      
Encourages staff and community involvement, enhancing ownership and
engagement.
·      
Makes best use of Council resources, reducing unnecessary
expenditure.
·      
Allows for phased procurement and adaptability to changes in
programme or priorities.
·      
Maximises social value and supports fairer competition.
·      
Potential to waive internal restrictions (e.g. two-year balance
sheet requirement) where appropriate.
·      
Supports legacy initiatives such as planting and community
arts.
·      
Allows for iterative procurement beyond occupation, prioritised to
suit operational needs.