Decision details

The Council’s provision of Home to School Transport (HTST), has to contend with rising costs and volatility, particularly as the result of rising numbers of pupils with SEND. Pupil’s with SEND account for around 70% of the HTST spend. The Council is working to reduce the annual costs of CSD and ASC transport (from a total 2018/19 spend of £14.570m) to make best use of Council resources, while still keeping children and vulnerable adults safe, and fulfilling our statutory obligations. The award of this contract will support the Council’s project to deliver savings for HTST.

It was decided that this contract should be awarded to Adam HTT via the YPO Dynamic Category Solutions Framework Direct Award (Option 1) as they could meet our needs and provided best value.

Option 2 – CCS G-Cloud framework: Use of the G-cloud framework: Although carrying out a search on the framework using the terms “transport DPS market engagement” resulted in for the identification of adam HTT Limited only. This allows for a direct award, but the maximum length of contract is too short, so this option was rejected.

Option 3- CCS Framework RM6008: Mini-Competition using CCS framework 6008: management consultancy framework two. This option would not allow adam HTT to take part in the procurement and alternative providers in this area were limited. For this reason, this option was rejected.

Option 4 – In House delivery: Deliver all service in-house using current resources or additional temporary resource and continue to use the current e-tendering portal. The benefits identified by the project team of using a new system to increase engagement of suppliers is the reason this option has been rejected.

Option 5 – Do nothing: Continue using the current DPS as is, without the addition of market engagement services.