Agenda item

DECISION

That a procurement exemption be approved to allow the direct award of a contract to Placemarque for £60,000 to deliver the consultancy, design, manufacture and installation of the interpretative signage element of the Towns Fund Accelerator Project ‘Experience Boston’.

Portfolio Holder and Officer

RA / LS

REASON FOR DECISION

Councillor Richard Austin presented a report, which detailed the content of the Towns Fund Accelerator Project ‘Experience Boston’ and requested that a £60,000 procurement exemption be made for contracting the delivery of the interpretative element of the scheme.

Councillor Austin said this was very much a good news item for Boston. The £80,000 Towns Fund Accelerator project had been previously agreed by Cabinet. £60,000 of this was to be used to deliver an interpretation scheme. Due to the £25,000 limit in the Council’s procurement exemption rules this had to come to Cabinet again.

This was the second phase, and extension, of work to develop interpretation schemes and to design, manufacture and install signage and street interpretation furniture relating to Boston’s heritage and associated heritage artwork. It would go hand in glove with, and enhance, initiatives at various locations such as the six Boston Buoys project, and the Pilgrim Memorial and Structures on the Edge sites, Customhouse Quay and Central Park plus other town centre locations to be agreed with the consultants.

The scheme would achieve the delivery of quality enhancements in the public realm, developing Boston’s historic and cultural offer and its attraction as a destination as well as a place for people to live work and invest.

The grant agreement was given the formal go ahead in September and it dictated that the work had to be initiated and completed by 31st of March 2021. The first phase of this interpretation and place branding scheme was carried out by Placemarque. It was therefore sensible and practical for them to complete this second part of the project for £60,000. Placemarque specialised in this type of work and came with a very good track record both from the phase one work they had completed in Boston and in other towns and cities round the country.

The Council’s Contract and Procurement Procedure Rules had a £25,000 threshold on exemptions, above which it was necessary to seek Cabinet approval for an exemption, as in this case. It would not be possible to meet the 31st of March deadline using the normal procurement avenue. The graphic and sign toolkit in the report was produced during the initial phase of this project.  This Towns Fund Accelerator project was a precursor and related to the main Town Fund Deal. 

Councillor Austin concluded by proposing that a procurement exemption be approved by Cabinet to allow the direct award of a contract to Placemarque for £60,000 and that the wider scope of the project delivery and work with partners was noted.

A Member queried why no other company had been considered to deliver the scheme.   Councillor Austin explained that, as approval had only been received in September, there was insufficient time to consider other options due to the short timeframe.  Others remarked on the excellent work carried out by the company in phase one and welcomed the signage, which would highlight the history and heritage the town had to offer.  The project would definitely enhance visitor experience. 

OTHER OPTIONS OR ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

Production of Request for Quotation and invitation for open tender, which would give a delayed opportunity to contract.

RECORD OF ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

RECORD OF ANY DISPENSATION GRANTED

None.