Purpose

This report seeks approval to award a contract
on NEC4 Professional Services Contract terms to the successful
bidder.

Decision

For the reasons set out in this report, the
Corporate Director has decided to:
1)   
Award a contract on NEC4 Professional Services Contract terms to
the successful bidder specified in exempt Appendix 3 for Project
Management Support Services for a period of one year with an
estimated value of £353,280.00 excluding VAT.

Alternative options considered

Do Nothing: This option has been discounted on
that basis that if the Council does not obtain project management
services it would not have sufficient resource capacity or
expertise with respect to highways project and programme management
to manage and deliver the known and committed capital programme of
work over 2026-27.
 
Alternative option – The council could
advertise for permanent highways project managers to increase the
capability within the department. However, CP&D have previously
sought to recruit into the relevant roles through 2023, 2024 and
again recently 2025 – most recently interviews of shortlisted
candidates February 2025 - and have been unsuccessful to date in
placing suitable candidates or offers being accepted for the
positions advertised. Continuous recruitment efforts will continue
from the project management team; however, this will not provide
the immediate support and expertise, and the resource capacity
needed in the short to medium term to service the planned capital
programmes across 2026/27.