Notice of Intention to Extend/Reappoint Education & Training Sub-Contractors

In 2020, NESCOT undertook an Open procurement process to help it identify a number of partners to help it deliver eight (8) education and training opportunities, all attracting ESFA funding. The value of these LOTs varied but were all below the Light Touch Regime thresholds and this exercise attracted last year over 80 Bids, with Contracts eventually being awarded to 11 Suppliers and for 1 year. In order to be transparent and provide an opportunity for feedback, notice is hereby given that due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, a crisis which the College could not have foreseen nor is it attributable to any actions or failings on the part of the College, that NESCOT proposes to extend (as per Regulation 72(1)(c), where relevant) or reappoint the same Suppliers (as per Regulation 32(c), where relevant) and for a further 12 months, and without a further procurement exercise, provided that there are no Value for Money or performance concerns and that the Suppliers themselves agree to such modifications, extensions and/or a new Contract. The length of any modification and/or new Contract will be 12 months, starting on 1 August 2021.
The main justification for this that the operation of these Contracts have been severely disrupted by the three National Covid-19 Lockdowns, resulting in these Suppliers not being able to deliver on all their Contractual obligations nor have they been able to capitalise on any investment which they put in as part of their successful Bids.
Although the procurement exercise was undertaken in line with the Light Touch Regime of the PCRs, it did include Open competition and the successful Suppliers were deemed to be the best of what the market had to offer at that time and less than 12 months ago. Such a response is therefore seen as proportionate, fair, economic and reasonable given the circumstances. Finally, the College is currently focusing all its limited procurement resource on obtaining appropriate PPE and Testing for its staff and learners, so that the College can operate within Government guidelines and remain open safely. This has to be our organisational priority in the current situation.