Decision Maker: Procurement Board

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: April 28, 2025

Purpose:

Content: Salford City Council – Record of Decision   I Councillor Youd, Lead Member for Finance and Support Services and chairman of the Procurement Board, in exercise of the powers contained within the Council Constitution do hereby:   ·      approve the extension of the contract for the Integrated Information, Advice and Guidance for Adults and Employer Brokerage Support Service in order to deliver the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer, as detailed in the table below:   Detail required Answers Contract Reference Title/Description of Contracted Service/Supply/Project Integrated Information, Advice and Guidance for Adults and Employer Brokerage Support Service   Name of Contractor Economic Solutions Ltd t/a Manchester Growth Company Type of organisation (to be supplied by Corporate Procurement) Other Status of Organisation (to be supplied by Corporate Procurement) Non-SME Value of Contract Variation (£) £240,000 full project Existing Contract Term O1/01/2024 – 31/03/2026 Extension Period 01/04/2025 – 31/03/2026 Contact Officer (Name & number) Alison Burnett: 0161 793 2535 Lead Service Group Place Funding Source Grant Ethical Contractor (EC): Mayor’s Employment Charter EC: Committed to sign the Charter EC: Accredited Living Wage Employer   The reasons are: The Greater Manchester (GM) Economic Inactivity Trailblazer is one of eight national trailblazers, which has been announced by the Government to support residents who are not economically active (people of working age who are not in work or not seeking work, usually due to a health condition) to progress towards  or into employment. The trailblazer is also expected to embed the principles of Live Well in its approach and in Salford is part of our Community Solutions Innovate programme.   In February 2025, Salford submitted an Economic Inactivity proposal to GMCA. This proposed a delivery model  which sought to add value to pan GM activity, as well as specific interventions to maximise the funding available. A core element of the service model (£240,000) sought to buildon the Integrated Information, Advice and Guidance and Employment Brokerage service contract  (now branded as Salford Employment Hub) which the City Council commissioned in summer 2023 and went ‘live’ in January 2024 in order to provide a key worker service.   Given the alignment of the delivery principles of the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer  with the scope and ambition of the Salford Employment Hub, together with the short timescales available to mobilise the new service, it is in the best interests of the City Council (and will deliver best value) to vary the existing Salford Employment Hub contract to deliver the core elements of the service.   Options considered and rejected were: In-house delivery of the Economic Inactivity key worker service – this was not deemed possible because of the need for staff to have specialist Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) qualifications.   A competitive open tender exercise - this was not deemed possible because of the short lead times for mobilising the new service, the potential for increased costs through a stand-alone service and potential for confusion for residents and lack of connectivity with the core Salford Employment Hub service.   Assessment of risk: The extremely tight timescales for the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer present significant risks for the development, delivery and evaluation of these proposals.   Any delays in agreeing the proposed delivery model will impact on our ability to meet the targets and outcomes described for this service over the agreed one  year delivery period.   The source of funding is: Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) via GMCA (£240,000).   Legal advice obtained:Yes – supplied by The Shared Legal Service (Tony Hatton).   Financial advice obtained:Yes – supplied by Luba Velychko Accountant, Place Directorate.   Procurement advice obtained: Yes – supplied by Emma Heyes, Procurement Team.   HR advice obtained: N/A   Climate change implications obtained: Yes – supplied in consultation with Mike Hemingway, Environment Policy Team, for the original contract.   Documents used: ·      Approval to Award the Contract for an Integrated Information, Advice and Guidance for Adults and Employer Brokerage Support Service – Report to Procurement Board on 13 September 2023. ·      Economic Inactivity Trailblazer – Report to the Lead Member for Skills & Work and Business Support Services on 26 March 2025. ·      Economic Inactivity Trailblazer – Report to Corporate Management Team on 16 April 2025. ·      Economic Inactivity Trailblazer – Report to the Lead Member for Skills & Work and Business Support Services on 16 April 2025.   Contact details/ Officer:      ·      Mat Ainsworth, Director of Skills, Work and Inclusive Economy: 07855 972257. ·      Alison Burnett, Head of Skills and Work: 0161 793 2535.   Please delete from the bullets below any which are not relevant: ·      This matter is also subject to consideration by the Lead Member for Skills & Work, Business and Workforce. ·      The Lead Member has been consulted and is supportive of the proposed contract. ·      This matter is not subject to consideration by another Lead Member. ·      The appropriate Scrutiny Committee to call-in the decision is Community and Neighbourhoods.     Signed:    Cllr J Youd          Dated:   28 April 2025.                 Lead Member   FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE ONLY:   *           This decision was published on 28 April 2025 *           This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 6 May 2025 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.