Councillor J Shaw, Convener, presided.

S Quinn, Acting Director of Children’s Services; L McIntyre, Head of Policy & Commissioning and B Lambert, Strategic Procurement Manager (both Chief Executive’s); and K Graham, Head of Corporate Governance and C MacDonald, Senior Committee Services Officer (both Finance & Resources).

Councillor Begg, Provost Cameron, Councillors Kenny MacLaren, Sheridan and Strang.

Councillor Paterson declared a non-financial interest in Item 1 of the agenda, Contract Authorisation Report: Framework Agreement for Renfrewshire Council Early Learning and Childcare Places, as his son had a childcare place in one of the nurseries.  Councillor Paterson intimated his intention to remain in the meeting and take part in the discussion and voting thereon.

There was submitted a joint report by the Chief Executive and the Director of Children’s Services relative to the award of places on the framework agreement for the provision of early learning and childcare places in Renfrewshire (RC-CPU-18-387).

This framework agreement included childminders and phased provisions to cover the expansion and increase of early learning and childcare from 600 to 1140 hours per eligible child in compliance with the Scottish Government Blueprint for 2020:  The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland.

A procurement exercise was carried out in accordance with the Council’s procedures and 56 tenders were received, as listed within Appendix 1 to the report.  Tenders were subject to quality assessment and those able to satisfy either a grade 3 or above in terms of the Care Inspectorate or Education Scotland/HMIe (where appropriate), or in terms of the Council Tender Assessment Visit were detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.  Appendix 3 to the report detailed the community benefits to be delivered by each tenderer.

The report advised that all tenders were required meet minimum insurance and health and safety provisions and, having given a commitment to do so, all 54 tenderers listed in Appendix 2 were eligible for award of a place on the framework agreement, subject to meeting those requirements.

DECIDED:  

(a)  That the Head of Corporate Governance award a place on the framework contract to those tenderers listed in Appendix 2 to the report, subject to the tenderer meeting the Council’s tendered requirements for insurance, health and safety, and provision of an Information Sharing Protocol; and

(b)  That the framework agreement be awarded for an initial period of 16 months with the option to extend at the discretion of the Council for a further period of up to 12 months.  The start date anticipated was 14 May 2019 with funding available for placements made under this framework agreement commencing 15 August 2019 at the start of the Autumn school term 2019.