Purpose

A waiver of procurement rules is requested to enable the urgent purchase of evidence-based curriculum programme frameworks, required for delivering the Best Start in Life Strategy in Lancashire. Government guidance specifies a restricted list of approved programmes, and the associated grant must be spent exclusively on these products. The implementation timeframe is extremely limited (less than three months), and only a small number of providers are available who meet both Lancashire’s curriculum development needs and the constraints of the government’s approved list.
Given these factors, following standard procurement processes would be impractical and would significantly delay or jeopardise delivery of this essential programme, against which we will be measured on targets for improving the percentage of children reaching a good level of development by the end of their reception year at school. In such circumstances, a waiver is both necessary and justified. This report sets out the evidence and reasons supporting the request, and reflects advice sought from council procurement specialists, alongside consideration of all other procurement options, which have been assessed as either exhausted or unviable.

Decision

The Head of Service Early Help, on behalf of the Director of Education and Inclusion, Director of Finance and Commerce (s151 Officer), Director of Law and Governance, Director of Education and Inclusion, took a decision to waiver procurement rules in relation to securing the urgent purchase of certain evidence-based curriculum programme frameworks, required for delivering the Best Start in Life Strategy in Lancashire.