Decision details

That an exemption from tendering be agreed to allow contracts for systems maintenance to be awarded to the following providers:

·  Home Connections for a two year period from 1^st April 2016 to 31^st March 2018 at a cost of £23,312; and,

·  Northgate Housing System for a two year period from 1^st April 2016 to 31^st March 2018 at a cost of £87,084.

That authority be delegated for the purchase of essential upgrades to the Northgate system to the Assistant Director: Housing Needs in consultation with the Head of IT and Portfolio Holder for Care Services.

Following consideration of a Gateway Review of Housing Information Systems in January 2015, Members agreed to fund the procurement of a new information system which would meet the current and future statutory requirements of the Housing Division.  An initial tendering exercise had been undertaken which was not successful in attracting bids, and a range of alternative procurement options were now being explored.

The Housing Division currently used two information systems to support its business which comprised Home Connections and the Northgate Housing System.  The existing maintenance contracts for these systems would end on 31^st March 2016.  In order to ensure that the business of the Housing Division continued to be supported during the procurement process for a new information system, there was a need to agree contracts with Home Connections and Northgate for the maintenance of the existing systems.  This would be for a maximum period of two years with the opportunity to terminate on three months’ notice if the new information system was implemented at an earlier date.