Provost Norman Macdonald (Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar); Councillor John Shaw (Renfrewshire Council); and Councillor Colette Stevenson (South Lanarkshire Council).

Provost William Howatson (Aberdeenshire Council).

Councillor Shaw, Convener, presided.

J Welsh, Director, L Campbell, W Murray, K Carlin and K Copland (both Procurement Co-ordinators) and B Murray, Procurement Development Officer (all Scotland Excel); M Conaghan, Legal & Democratic Services Manager, C McCourt, Finance Business Partner, A McNaughton, Senior Committee Services Officer (all Renfrewshire Council); and S Afzal and K Graham (both Audit Scotland).

The Convener intimated that there was an additional item of business in relation to the legal challenge in relation to the contract for garden maintenance equipment    which had not been included in the notice calling the meeting. The Convener, being of the opinion that the item which is dealt with at item 8 below, was urgent in view of the need to advise members of the position, authorised its consideration.

Under reference to item 3(a) of the Minute of the meeting of this Sub-committee held on 25 January 2019, the Director of Scotland Excel advised that the award of this contract was now subject to legal challenge. As such the contract could not begin until the legal challenge had been dealt with.

DECIDED: That it be noted that this contract was the subject of a legal challenge.

Councillor Angus Macmillan Douglas (Angus Council); Councillor Graham Hutchison (City of Edinburgh Council); Councillor Stephen Thompson (Dumfries and Galloway Council); Councillor Altany Craik (Fife Council); Bailie Norman MacLeod (Glasgow City Council); Councillor Paul Di Mascio (North Lanarkshire Council); and Councillor Amanda Hawick (Shetland Islands Council).

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to commencement of the meeting.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Executive Sub-committee held on 25 January 2019.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a joint revenue budget monitoring report by the Treasurer and the Director of Scotland Excel for the period 1 April 2018 to 6 February 2019.  

The report intimated that gross expenditure was £2,000 under budget and income was currently £6,000 under recovered which resulted in a net year-to-date overspend of £4,000.  

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Treasurer relative to Audit Scotland’s annual audit plan 2018/19 for the Joint Committee which outlined Audit Scotland’s planned activities in their audit for the 2018/19 financial year. 

DECIDED: That Audit Scotland’s annual audit plan 2018/19 be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Scotland Excel relative to a new framework arrangement for the supply, delivery, installation and maintenance of vending machines which would operate from 1 May 2019 until 30 April 2023.

The report summarised the outcome of the procurement process for this national framework agreement and intimated that the framework enabled Scotland Excel to provide a national collaborative solution which would drive value through the consolidation of spend whilst alleviating the resource challenge associated with this type of procurement exercise for local authorities.   

The framework had been divided into 5 lots as detailed in figure 1 of the report and had been advertised at a value of £5 million over the four-year period.  The new framework had an annual value of approximately £1.25 million across 32 councils and Tayside Contracts. 

A summary of the offers received together with their SME status was detailed in Appendix 1 to the report; Appendix 2 to the report detailed the scoring achieved by each bidder and recommendations; and Appendix 3 to the report detailed suppliers with Scottish Living Wage status. 

DECIDED: That places on this framework be awarded to the suppliers, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Scotland Excel relative to a new framework arrangement for the supply, delivery, maintenance and repair of cleaning equipment which would operate from 1 May 2019 until 30 April 2023, with an option to extend for up to an additional one-year period until 30 April 2023. 

The report summarised the outcome of the procurement process for this national framework agreement and intimated that the framework enabled Scotland Excel to provide a national collaborative solution which would drive value through the consolidation of spend whilst alleviating the resource challenge associated with this type of procurement exercise for local authorities.

The framework had been divided into 2 lots as detailed in figure 1 of the report and had been advertised at a value of £9 million over the four-year period.  The new framework had an annual value of approximately £2.25 million across 32 councils and Tayside Contracts. 

A summary of the offers received together with their SME status was detailed in Appendix 1 to the report; Appendix 2 to the report detailed the scoring achieved by each bidder and recommendations; and Appendix 3 to the report detailed suppliers with Scottish Living Wage status. 

Based on the evaluation undertaken, and in line with the criteria and weightings set out in the report, it was recommended that a multi-supplier framework agreement be awarded to 10 suppliers as outlined in Appendix 2 to the report. 

DECIDED: That places on this framework be awarded to the suppliers, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Scotland Excel advising that Cycling Scotland, the nation’s cycling organisation, had submitted an application to become an associate member of Scotland Excel.

The report provided details of the organisation and the legislative position in relation to the application.

DECIDED: That the application by Cycling Scotland to become an associate member of Scotland Excel, at an annual membership fee of £500, be approved subject to completion and signing of the agreement documentation.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Scotland Excel relative to the progress made against operating plan activities and commitments during quarter 3 2018/19.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Executive Sub-committee would be held at 10.45 am on 26 April 2019 in Scotland Excel Meeting Room 1, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley.