Purpose

Brief Description

The Leeds Community Equipment Service operates under a Better Care Fund Agreement between Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Integrated Commissioning Board. Leeds City Council is the lead commissioner for the arrangement and Adults and Health are the lead provider in the Partnership and delivering the Service in partnership with Leeds Community Healthcare.

In April 2022 approval was given via delegated decision by the Director of Adults and Health for permission to award a four-year closed framework arrangement for the supply of community equipment for Disabled People for Adults & Health and Children and Families.

This framework arrangement ends on 31st May 2026.

Approval is now sought to undertake a procurement exercise, in order to establish new eight – year open framework with effect from 1st April 2026, in order to maintain continuous provision of these services.

The anticipated value of the 8-year open framework contract will be £19,144,800.00 based on 2024/25 base budget for Leeds only.

Discussions have taken place with regional community equipment service managers and procurement leads with the following Local Authorities who also operate an in-house community equipment loan service:

Bradford, Wakefield and Calderdale.

It has been agreed that each authority will seek approval to operate a joint procurement.

The benefit of this approach will provide consistence across the region, align the catalogue and support cross boundary issues. This will offer greater buying power and best value. It will also support mutual aid across the region when faced with supply issues.

Impact On Wards

N/A

Financial and procurement implications

The anticipated value of the 8-year open Framework contract will be £19,144,800.00 based on 2024/25 base budget for Leeds only.

Leeds Procurement Category Management -Strategy & Resources will be leading on this framework.

Partnership working

This framework will be led by Leeds City Council and include Wakefield City Council, Bradford City Council and Calderdale City Council.

Lead clinician from each Council will be invited to be involved.

Decision

The Director of Adults and Health has –

1. Approved the request to undertake a procurement exercise for the purchase of assistive technology goods in line with CPR 11(Formal Tender Process), to establish an eight-year open framework in line with Section 49: (Open Framework) of the Procurement Act (PA) 2023 through a joint procurement exercise in line with CPR 8 (Joint Procurement). The following Local Authorities to be involved in this joint procurement exercise will include:-

  I.  Bradford

  II.  Wakefield

  III.  Calderdale

1. Established the open framework agreement through an open procedure in line with Section 20(1)(a) of the Procurement Act 2023. The framework will be structured using lots to enable suppliers to bid for specific categories or segments of goods.

1. Approved the anticipated total annual base budget of £2,393,100.00 (Leeds only) to a total contract value over 8 years of £19,144,800.00 (exclusive of VAT). This is based on 2024/2025 base budget for Leeds for the 5-year period with an option to extend for a maximum period of 36 months with a timescale for implementation from 1st April 2026.

1. Noted that the proposed framework will focus exclusively on the supply of goods, as it will not include any service components, such as installation, maintenance, or support services typically associated with these goods.

1. Noted that a Price-Quality Separated approach will be used in the evaluation of bidders.

1. Noted that the Service Delivery Manager for Assisted Living Leeds will be the officer responsible for the implementation of the new framework, along with the management of the service delivery.