Purpose

To make a contract award to the
preferred identified through a collaborative Further Competition
under the CCS Postal Services and Solutions Commercial Agreement
(RM6280), Lot 2 in relation to 2nd class mail collection and
delivery of letters, large letters and
parcels. 

Decision

 

ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

RECORD OF OFFICER EXECUTIVE DECISION

 

Date of Decision:

28th March, 2025

 

Title:

Procurement of Postal Service provider
(Whistl UK Limited) – Purchased from Framework (Collection
and Delivery of Letters, Large Letters and Parcels)

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Luke
Sayers
Assistant Director, Customer Information & Digital
services
Finance
& Customer Services 

 

Details
of Specific Delegation
 
or
 
Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of
Delegation.

 

The
Sub-Scheme of Delegation - Strategic Director of
Finance and Customer Services, authorises Assistant Directors to act in relation
to matters within their remit, specifically and in relation to this
decision:
 

1.    
In respect of all financial
matters:

·       
Authorisation to spend within approved
budgets subject to the policies, Financial and Procurement
Procedure Rules of the Council.

·       
Authorisation for the virement of revenue
budgets in according with the Financial and Procurement Procedure
Rules of the Council.

 

3.    
In respect of procurement, contract
administration and best value:

·       
In accordance with Financial and
Procurement Procedure Rules, matters

relating to the specification for works,
goods and services, the seeking of estimates, quotations and
tenders, the evaluation of the same and acceptance of tenders
relating to contracts for works, goods and services in accordance
with approved budgets or supplementary estimates.

•       
Where a contract for support and
maintenance is renewed within five years of the original contract, authority to award such a
contract.

Decision:

To make a contract award to the
preferred identified through a collaborative Further Competition
under the CCS Postal Services and Solutions Commercial Agreement
(RM6280), Lot 2 in relation to 2nd class mail collection and
delivery of letters, large letters and parcels. 

Reasons for the Decision:

The
Council requires a mail collection and delivery service.
 

A contractor has been identified to provide the
Council with an efficient and reliable delivery/collection service
for business mail.  This is a key
decision given the expenditure over the contract term will exceed
£400k.

Details of alternative options considered and
rejected:

The following alternative options were
considered:

 
1.    
Above Threshold – Open Tender
Process:

This was discounted as there was a need
to act quickly to enable delivery as soon as possible.  The potential value of the contract was expected
to be above the threshold set out in the Procurement Contract
Regulations (£177,898 (net of VAT), and the timescales
associated with undertaking this type of procedure would have
significantly extended timelines.
2.    
Individual Further competition –
CCS Postal Services and Solutions Commercial Agreement (RM6280),
Lot 2

This was discounted as it was considered
that using the same framework (RM6280, lot 2) as a
Collaborative Further Competition
would achieve increased
savings.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member
consulted by the decision maker which relates to the
decision:

There are no conflicts of interest.

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

n/a

Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision Maker if they sit
as a Cabinet appointed representative to an outside body which
relates to the decision:

n/a

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

n/a

Reports or parts of reports considered

The report of the ‘24-094 Second
Class Mail’ Procurement business case’ (approved by
Luke Sayers, Assistant Director CIDS) sets out the decision to make
an award following a collaborative further competition procedure
under the CCS Postal Services and Solutions Commercial Agreement
(RM6280), Lot 2 in relation to 2nd class mail collection and
delivery of letters, large letters and parcels.

 

A procurement options appraisal was
conducted to determine the most appropriate route to market. In
determining the decision to award this contract, spend data was
analysed over the past 4 financial years and tendered bids assessed
in terms of quality (60%) and price (40%).

 

 
I certify that this
is a true record of the executive decision to:
 
To make a contract
award to the preferred identified through a collaborative Further
Competition under the CCS Postal Services and Solutions Commercial
Agreement (RM6280), Lot 2 in relation to 2nd class mail collection
and delivery of letters, large letters and parcels. 
 
 
I confirm that in
making this decision, due regard was given to the seven principles
of public life.
 
Signed by the
Decision Maker:
 

 
Dated:         
28/03/25
 

Name: Luke Sayers                              

Job Title: Assistant Director of Customer, Information &
Digital Services