Issue - meetings

(1)               That Standing Orders Relating to Contracts be waived on grounds 2b(vi) – “where for any other reason there would be no genuine competition”; and

(2)               That British Telecom (BT) be awarded a consolidated contract for a period of five years.

The Leader introduced a report seeking the Cabinet’s approval of the entry into a consolidated contract for the supply of telephony and wide area network (telecoms) provision for a period of five years.

It was reported that options considered had included taking no action at present; awaiting contract end dates or working with current providers to extend certain contracts to allow for them to expire at the same time; early termination of contracts and re-procurement; and consolidating existing telecoms contracts and upgrading the current telecoms technology.  The reasons for the preferred solution of consolidation were set out in the report and included savings over the life of the contract of £55,000 over current contract costs.

Resolved:

(1)               That Standing Orders Relating to Contracts be waived on grounds 2b(vi) – “where for any other reason there would be no genuine competition”; and

(2)               That British Telecom (BT) be awarded a consolidated contract for a period of five years.