PCD 1381 Award Equine Vet Service

PCD  1381 Award Equine Vet Service

This paper seeks approval for the award of a contract for the supply of equine veterinary services for an initial term of three years with two optional 12-month extensions, at an estimated 5 year value of £997,504. The cost will be met from within the MPS existing budget.  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Award Shotter & Byers Equine Veterinary Services with a contract to the value of £997,504 for the supply of Equine Veterinary Services to the MPS. This is for an initial period of 36 months with 2 optional extension periods of 12 months commencing from 20th March 2023. 

1. Introduction and background  

1. MOPAC approved the initiation of procurement for this service in July 2021, together with a 12 month extension of the then existing contract from July 2021 to July 2022. Between July 2022 and March 2023 the MPS maintained contract arrangements through a contract extension and a single tender action within their delegation. The existing contract for the supply of equine veterinary services expires on 19 March 2023.   

2. Issues for consideration 

1. The provision of mounted branch capability assists operational policing. The care of the horses is necessary to ensure their physical and mental well-being in order to maintain this service. 

2. An open procurement process was carried out with 5 compliant bids received. The proposed award is to the highest scoring bidder.  

3. Financial Comments  

1. The estimated five year contract value is £997,504.  The MPS assure that this cost can be met from within existing budgets. 

4. Legal Comments 

1. The Mayor's Office for Policing Crime is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations").  All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £213,477 or above will be procured in accordance with the Regulations.  

2. DLS assure that the MOPAC’s route to market is compliant with the Regulations. 

3. Paragraph 7.23 of the Scheme provides that the Director of Commercial Services has consent for the approval of the award of all contracts, with the exception of those called in through the agreed call in procedure.  Paragraph 4.14 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) reserves the right to call in any MPS proposal to award a contract for £500,000 or above. 

5. Commercial Issues  

1. The procurement sought the provision of a 24/7, 365 days a year service of routine and emergency care for horses. The service includes visits, examinations, treatments and medication. The term of the contract is for a initial three year award, with two 12-month optional extensions.  

2. Shotter and Byers were evaluated as the highest scoring bidder against the pre-agreed most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) criteria.  

3. Shotter & Byers currently provide equine services to City of London Police (COLP).  COLP have provided positive feedback on the supplier around technical ability, communication, location and engagement when treatment is required. COLP have recently gone through the tender and Shotter & Byers were successful in retaining the contract. 

4. Shotter & Byers have a proven track record of supplying high quality services at a competitive rate.  In addition they have experience working with large equine facilities such as international polo stables.  They have previously attended to police horses based at a variety of locations spread throughout London and Surrey.  They have adequate veterinary surgeons to take on additional work. 

5. The London Anchor Institution Charter was considered in the tender process. The context of an Equine Veterinary Services is very different to other types of services because Equine Veterinary Services tend to be located in rural areas, not in Central London locations.  Although the successful supplier Shotter & Byers Equine Veterinary Services is not based in Central London, they are a Small Medium Enterprise (SME) based just outside the M25. They will contribute to a greener London as with their model, horses are unlikely to need to be conveyed by horsebox to the veterinary clinic rather the treating vet will attend the central location thereby saving numerous road movements between stables. The expectation being that an attending Vet will be able to treat several horses on one visit rather than the MPS sending individual animals to the surgery. This will be an improvement because MPS will be contributing to the Anchor Institution Charter commitment spending more resource with this SME supplier. The incumbent supplier is a limited Company and is part of a much larger group. 

6. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

2. The MPS assure that this project does not use personally identifiable data of members of the public, so there are no GDPR issues to be considered. 

7. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. There are considered to be no negative equality or diversity implications arising from this process negating the requirement to present any mitigation. The approved supplier has been evaluated for acceptable equality and diversity statements, and they are able to meet the MPS requirements under the Equality Act 2010 as suppliers to MOPAC. The evaluation exercise considered their ability to act as a responsible employer and meet employment obligations deemed commensurate with wider GLA objectives. 

3. In addition, it should be noted that the MPS support the Mayor’s Responsible Procurement Policy including: Enhancing Social Value, Encouraging Equality and diversity, Embedding fair employment practices, Enabling skills, training and employment opportunities, promoting ethical sourcing practices and improving environmental sustainability. 

8. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 MPS Report - Award of Equine Veterinary Services Contract