Agenda item

The Head of Commercial Services attended the Panel to present a report outlining performance data, comparison data and survey results relating to procurement. The report covered (the full report will form part of the evidence pack for the inquiry):

·       Welsh Government Data reporting systems

·       Data derived from meet the buyer events

·       Contract management

·       Other relevant data and policy documents

The following issues/questions were raised by the Panel:

·      Is social value something that being protected and supported through our current processes? Should a local company with the high levels of social value for us after under Council objects have some advantage in the tender processes over and above just cost?  Reply: It is important that we keep looking at how we design and develop our contracts. If there is something we have not asked, something we haven't considered, we can certainly investigate that further.  We do use a clear process of putting out a specification (and that specification will include social value considerations, e.g., for solar panels or electric vehicles), and we expect suppliers to comply with that specification, responses received are considered and then tender is awarded accordingly in an open and transparent way.

·      If a contractor we are using, subcontracts some works are we told about it? Reply: Yes, they would need to tell us of subcontractors and assure us that the right standards are in place.

·      If we make variations to a contract, with the value of the contract or say the date needs extending, what do we do? What sort of involvement do you have? Reply.  There are strict processes in relation to contract variations.  Chris Williams noted that he signs off on contract variations. There are many legitimate reasons. There could be a delay for some emergency construction work for example.

·      Do we produce a register of companies we call on and how often do we update that register?  Reply: We do not have one single register of companies.  We may work for example with a group of companies on a framework contract.  For example, if we looked at the home to school transport then there are some 30 local companies registered who could provide such a service and new suppliers are invited to join on a regular basis. In general terms we refresh the supplier list every three to five years (as we retender our agreements).