National Framework Agreement for Emergency Boarding Up and Locksmith

This Business Justification concerns the replacement of the current National Framework for the Provision of Emergency Boarding Up and Locksmith Services which is due to expire on 31 December 2018. The proposal requests approval for the initiation of the re-tender exercise with an agreement value of between £5.5m to £7m over a potential full 4-year period. This includes the anticipated MPS spend of £1.5m over the potential full 4-year period.

The DMPC is asked to approve:

1. Approval is sought to initiate procurement action for the National Framework for the Provision of Emergency Boarding Up and Locksmith Services to commence from January 2019, with an agreement value of between £5.5m to £7m over the potential four year period, of which £1.5m relates to anticipated MPS revenue spend.

2. The MPS revenue spend of 1.5m over the potential 4 year period is to be funded from within existing DLS revenue budgets.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. All Police Forces including the MPS have a legal obligation under PACE code of Practice B paragraph 6.13 to secure property where forced entry has been made and where the home owner or occupier is not on scene.

1.2. This service is available to support operational policing with all boroughs/command units having access to the service via Command Control Centres.

1.3. The public are liable to pay for emergency boarding up where the call out relates to a burglary, criminal damage or insecure premises. In these cases, the supplier invoices the owner/occupier of the premises directly. This aspect of the service is managed by the supplier with the owner/occupier of the premises. The MPS is not liable to pay for emergency boarding up in these circumstances.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The future Framework Agreement value is estimated to be between £5.5m and £7 million over a 4-year period allowing for increased usage on the framework through additional forces utilizing the framework.

2.2. The MPS are currently exploring opportunities with other emergency services such as London Fire Brigade (LFB) and London Ambulance Services (LAS) in order to reduce callouts attended by the MPS resulting in Boarding Up services, this may result in an opportunity to reduce spend for this service. Once feasibility is clear DLS and Commercial Services will formalise the agreed arrangements with LFB and LAS.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The contract spend will be funded from within existing revenue budgets within the Directorate of Legal Services.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). Awards of public contracts for good/services by public authorities valued at £164,176 or above must be procured in accordance with the Regulations. This report confirms the value of the proposed procurement exceeds this threshold. This report confirms the proposed contract will be procured in compliance with the Regulations.

4.2. Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime has delegated authority to approve all requests to go out to tender for contracts valued at £500,000 or above.

5. Equality Comments

5.1. Equality and Diversity Impact has been considered with no issues identified or foreseen. All bidders will be evaluated for acceptable equality and diversity statements, as well as their ability to meet the MPS requirements under the Equality Act 2010 as a supplier to MOPAC. The evaluation exercise will consider their ability to act as a responsible employer and meet employment obligations deemed commensurate with wider GLA objectives.

6. Background/supporting papers

6.1. Report