Purpose

The purpose of this report is to seek
permission, in accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 9.2.2 (e)
for an exemption from Contract Procedure Rule 7, award contracts
without competition to Stairlift Specialists Limited, Stannah Lifts
Limited and Pollock Limited for the continued provision of
maintenance, supply and installation of personal home stair lifts
and through ceiling lifts within the Borough of Knowsley.
 
This exemption is justified as the
requirements of Contract Procedure Rule 9.2.2 (e) are met as
follows:
 
e.       Any other
exceptional circumstances.
 
The following circumstances are considered
exceptional justifying the awarding of the contracts without
competition.  There is an opportunity
for a collaborative procurement exercise to be pursued with other
relevant Local Authorities (Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council
and Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council) which would take
advantage of pooled resource and knowledge.  In order for this opportunity to be explored
properly, ongoing service provision in Knowsley needs to be put in
place to provide the time and space for this to happen.  The award of short-term contracts (eight months)
to the proposed providers will give this time and
space.  It is recognised that a
collaborative procurement exercise may deliver greater value for
money/ efficiency in the provision of these services in the
future.
 

Decision

By Executive
Director (Resources):
 
(i)       That an exemption from Contract Procedure
Rule 7 be approved, in accordance with Contract Procedure Rule
9.2.2 (e), to permit the award of contracts without competition,
for the provision of maintenance, supply and installation of
personal home stair lifts and through ceiling lifts within the
Borough of Knowsley.
 
By Executive Director (Health and Social
Care):
 
(ii)           
That contracts be
awarded without competition to; Stairlift Specialists Limited,
Stannah Lifts Limited and Pollock Limited for the provision of
maintenance, supply and installation of personal home stair lifts
and through ceiling lifts within the borough of Knowsley from 1
July 2025 to 28 February 2026.
 
(iii)         
That the Procurement
Team be authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the issue
of the relevant contract documentation.
 

Alternative options considered

Do Nothing:
This option was considered and rejected
because the continuation of the services supplied complies with the
local authority’s mandatory duty under the Housing Grants,
Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. The continuation of works
through contracted suppliers will ensure residents’ assessed
needs are met and they are able to remain living independently in
their own homes.
 
Deliver in-house: 
This option was considered and rejected
because the requirement cannot be undertaken within Council
resources, due to the skills, expertise required to deliver these
services.   
 
Seek competition
(without collaboration):
This option to seek a competition for Knowsley
Local Authority alone was considered and rejected, following advice
from STAR Procurement that a collaboration would be the best option
to pool resources and knowledge from other Local Authorities
wishing to work together.  In addition
to potentially have more bargaining power in the market if a
supplier of lift maintenance and installation wishes to bid on
multiple Local Authority opportunities to deliver these
services.