Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of the proposed procurement process for tendering for a number of school transport contracts, including services to students with Special Educational Needs, for the 2012/2013 academic year.

The Strategic Procurement Board considered this report on 15 February 2012 and supported the recommendations set out in the report.

An exempt appendix provided key information in respect of finance and whole-life costing, as well as the cost of the contracted routes with end dates of July 2012.

Reasons:

This approach will ensure that services can be in place by end of July which will minimise the disruption to students with special educational needs and therefore reduce the number of actual complaints from parents in respect of the retendering process as well as mitigating the severity of any complaints.

In expediting the process of procuring these substantive SEN contracts, the Council will also secure a lower spend in providing these transport services by negating the need for more costly temporary arrangement should this process not be complete by the start of the new academic year.

The tendering process for SEN transport contracts this year, like last, will provide for an efficient and pro-active contract management. The comprehensive terms and conditions together with the improved evaluation method will demand the highest level of quality in the service.