Decision details

To accept the fee proposal received from Calfordseadon ltd to act as Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Engineering consultants for the redevelopment of the former Monkscroft School Site and for CBC to enter contract with them.

In recent months we have been working to appoint the consultants required to work as a wider design team with the intention of submitting a planning application for the site later this year.

For the appointment of the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Engineering consultant the project team explored a range of potential procurement options and Frameworks. It was collectively agreed with Publica and One Legal that the NHSSBS Framework offered the most suitable list of potential suppliers on the Framework that fit the required schedule of services, etc.

Calfordseadon Limited was identified as a suitable supplier under the relevant and available lot (lot 5) with the range of expertise required within the core services for MEP, they provide collaborative working as a key to the successful delivery of their services. They can provide design in support of projects and in delivering innovative solutions.

Therefore, the scope of services for a Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineering consultants was procured through the framework, NHSSBS, and as the framework is a public sector framework, CBC can access the appointment it.

The proposal is to enter contract with Calfordseadon Limited via a direct call off permissible via the NHS Framework and they are to act as MEP Engineering consultants for the redevelopment of the former Monkscroft School site to provide new affordable homes to develop the site from concept design stage at RIBA Stage 2 through to RIBA Stage 4a.

An alternative option would have been to procure all design and technical services as one multi-disciplinary appointment. However, we assessed this scenario and found that a project of this complexity would need to have independent consultants appointed to develop and support the design process – this approach was rejected earlier in the procurement planning process.

We have worked with Publica and One Legal (OL) throughout the procurement and tendering process, and internal consultation within the development team along with support from the externally appointed Project Management team, Henry Riley.

We received feedback from both Publica and OL supporting us in using NHSSBS framework for the direct award / call-off process permissible under this framework.

The principle of redeveloping the site is supported by the overarching governance bodies for new supply comprising CBC/CBH Senior Officers at SHDG and Cabinet Member Housing Working Group.