MD3435 Extension of Greater London Authority (GLA) Call-Off Contract under TfL’s Collaborative Recruitment Services Framework from 1 October 2025

1.1.    The current TfL framework agreement for Collaboration Recruitment Services which commenced in September 2021 will expire on 30 September 2025. An agreement has been made by the TfL Finance Committee through a Chair’s Action (Appendix 1) to increase the overall financial/procurement value and extend the term of the current framework by one year plus a further year for contingency (1+1) to ensure continuity of service and enable completion of a full re-procurement. The proposed extension ensures continuity of service, avoids disruption to critical staffing needs across the GLA and partners, and provides time to conclude a robust re-procurement. 
1.2.    The proposed extension of the GLA’s call-off contract with Reed Specialist Recruitment Services is compliant with the terms of the TfL framework. The framework allows for call-offs to be issued up to its expiry (30 September 2025), and for those call-offs to remain valid and operational beyond that date, subject to the terms of the call-off agreement. The proposed 1+1-year extension is therefore permissible under the framework’s provisions.
1.3.    This agreement has been made for two reasons:
•    To conclude a full re-procurement of a new framework which (subject to collaboration members’ agreement and approval through TfL governance) will procure either a) a new award for agency management services via an existing Crown Commercial Services contract or b) a new award through a full open market procurement exercise.
•    To extend the current contract with Reed (on existing contractual terms) for a one-year period plus an additional one-year term to support with the implementation of a new provider and the transfer of agency workers. The second or plus one-year extension will only be required if option b) is agreed by group members.
1.4.    The GLA has on average 80-90 agency workers on assignment at any one time. Their services are used for several reasons including: additional programmes/increases of work, covering an extended absence of a GLA employee, specialist skill requirements including difficulties in recruiting substantively into a GLA position and temporary cover whilst a substantive recruitment exercise is undertaken.
 

2.1.    The objectives of this extension are to provide a continuation of services from Reed including:
•    procurement of new agency workers and associated compliance to support with workforce demands and strategic initiatives requiring short-term resourcing support
•    assignment management and payroll services to the agency workers currently on assignment at the GLA.
 

3.1.    The current framework agreement with Reed adheres to the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) 2010 which give agency workers the right to equal treatment with permanent staff after 12 weeks in the same role, entitling them to the same basic terms and conditions like pay and working time. From their first day, agency workers also have a right to equal access to shared facilities such as canteens and creches, and to information about job vacancies at the GLA's sites.
3.2.    The proposal has been reviewed, and no adverse equality impacts have been identified. Agency workers’ pay rates are aligned to those of employees of the GLA from day one of their assignment.
3.3.    The contract provision meets the obligations of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). See paragraph 6.2.
 

4.1.    Should the extension of the call-off contract be not approved or subject to delay, there are a number of associated risks including:
a)    Continuity and workforce resilience risk: due to the potential loss of agency workers who are critical to programme delivery and/or covering vacant positions, which may impact operational continuity and service delivery. 
b)    Financial risk: the need to source temporary staffing outside of the collaborative framework, which may result in increased costs due to less favourable commercial terms. 
c)    Reputational risk: disruption to service provision and programme delivery may adversely affect stakeholder confidence and public perception.
d)    Procurement risk: in the absence of a valid framework, the GLA may be required to procure a new supplier directly. This could result in non-compliance with applicable procurement legislation, including the Procurement Act 2023, unless a lawful exemption applies. 
4.2.    The recommended mitigation for the above risks is the timely extension of the current call-off agreement under the TfL Collaborative Recruitment Services Framework.
4.3.    General talent recruitment and the usage of agency workers supports the GLA in ensuring officers have the right skills to deliver on the Mayor’s priorities.
4.4.    There are no conflicts to note from any officer involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form.
 

5.1.    Approval is sought for the one-year extension (plus a further year for contingency) to the Reed call-off contract, for which costs are demand-led in the form of a percentage mark-up over and above the cost of agency workers. Due to the nature of these costs, expenditure fluctuates according to factors such as the number and length of assignments as well as grades of staff recruited. 
5.2.    The proposed fees will remain at the original 2021 contractual rates with no increases in cost.
5.3.    There is a programme of work underway with the GLA People function to review the usage of agency workers across the GLA and in particular the term (time) on assignment. 
5.4.    The expenditure on agency staff varies from year-to-year, and is contained within the relevant budget lines for the team they are working in. New assignments require approvals by the directorate executive director, finance business partner and head of resourcing.
 

6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the Authority’s general powers; falling within the Authority’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of social development in Greater London. In formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
•    consult with appropriate bodies.
6.2.    In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 of this report.
6.3.    Officers have indicated in paragraph 1.2 of this report that the framework under which it is proposed the services required are to be “called-off” was procured in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and can be used by the GLA by virtue of its procurement by Transport for London on behalf of the GLA and other collaborative members in accordance with relevant procurement law; and the services required have been procured fully in accordance with the requirements of that framework. Officers must ensure that appropriate “call-off” documentation be put in place and executed by the supplier and the GLA prior to the commencement of the extended term on 1 October 2025. 
 

7.1.    Subject to the approval of the MD, the extension will take immediate effect from 1 October 2025, with no changes to contractual terms or implementation requirements.
7.2.    Transition planning is underway with TfL and collaboration members to ensure that by 2027 a new provider is in place without reliance on further extensions beyond the framework’s 1+1 provision.
 

Appendix 1: TfL Finance Committee – Chair’s Action report