Decision details

That an exemption to tender the contract due to the specialist nature of the service and current value for money arrangements be agreed to put a contract in place with Deaf Access from 1^st April 2017 to 31^st March 2018 for a period of one year.

That market testing using a light-touch procurement regime be carried out during the contract period to establish the best value option for the future delivery of this service.

Deaf Access has been identified as being the only organisation with the level of specialist skills and experience, infrastructure and local knowledge required to provide the wide range of support services to people with hearing impairments in Bromley.  Reductions of 10% and 16.5% have been negotiated, respectively for the 2012/13 and 2013/14 contract periods and no increases have been awarded for 2014/15, 2015/16 or 2016/17 with no reduction in service quality.  Deaf Access also provides a significant subsidy on top of the contract value which, together with the use of volunteers to deliver some services, makes it unlikely that another provider could match the value for money currently provided.