Award

Insurance Broker Services

ARK HOUSING ASSOCIATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Summary of the contracting process

The Ark Housing Association, based in Edinburgh, UK, has completed the procurement process for Insurance Broker Services. The association aims to extend the existing contract to Howden (formerly known as Bruce Stevenson) until 31st March 2027. The procurement method used was a limited "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition."

This tender presents an opportunity for businesses specializing in insurance brokerage services to engage in a contract with Ark Housing Association. Given the specific requirements of the Scottish Social Housing market, with limited competition and specialised services, businesses with a focus on high-quality service delivery and industry expertise would be well-suited to compete in this market. Ark's decision to directly award the contract to Howden reflects the value placed on continuity and exceptional service in the sector.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

Insurance Broker Services

Notice Description

Ark Housing Association are looking to extend the existing insurance broker provision contract to 31st March 2027 with Howden (Formally known as Bruce Stevenson) who are the current insurance service broker/provider.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Ark Housing Association are looking to extend the existing insurance broker provision contract to 31st March 2027 with Howden (Formally known as Bruce Stevenson) who are the current insurance service broker/provider for elements stated below: Property Stock Group Personal Accident Combined Liability Crime Office & Computer Combined Contract Works Professional Indemnity Engineering Cyber Liability

Procurement Information

Howden have acted as Arks insurance broker since April 2018. The initial contract was entered in to following a competitive procurement exercise via Public Contracts Scotland. Due to mergers and acquisitions, along with underwriters withdrawing from the market, there are now effectively only three brokers and one direct insurer in the Scottish Social Housing market, alongside an ever-decreasing number of underwriters/insurers, all of whom have different requirements and risk appetites. In the past year, through discussion with other RSL's experiencing similar issues, an insurance provider (now deemed overweight across the Social Housing sector) noted that it will not tender for new business but will continue to support existing clients as long as they are not in tender mode. There is therefore a risk that in complying with procurement best value and legal regulation, Ark may face only one or two bidders - a lack of a competitive market and pricing. Ark proposes to directly award a three-year contract to Howden from 1st April 2024, bypassing our usual procurement process. This is due to: 1. the lack of competitors within the sector - there are three insurance brokers which serve the Scottish Social Housing sector, of which one currently provides Ark with buildings insurance and therefore would be conflicted from bidding for any broker role. This leaves one alternative supplier; 2. the minimal financial savings (if any), that could be achieved through competitive tendering - Howdens annual brokerage fee for their services has not increased since the original contract in 2018; and 3. the high-quality service provided by Howden - Howden provide Ark with a high level of service including out of hours support. They are very responsive with enquiries and always go above and beyond providing support and advice when required. Howden recently visited Ark to do a policy/claims workshop at no additional cost and have offered to reattend at any time. This was extremely beneficial to several staff across the organisation. There is a risk of moving supplier and not getting the same level of service.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JAN496693
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services


CPV Codes

66518000 - Insurance brokerage and agency services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£35,000 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Jan 20242 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
15 Jan 20242 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ARK HOUSING ASSOCIATION
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH10 4SG
Post Town
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM75 City of Edinburgh

Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
Morningside
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

BRUCE STEVENSON

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386-2024-01-17T00:00:00Z",
    "date": "2024-01-17T00:00:00Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "org-220",
            "name": "Ark Housing Association",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Ark Housing Association"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "The Priory, Canaan Lane",
                "locality": "Edinburgh",
                "region": "UKM",
                "postalCode": "EH10 4SG"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Michaela Loughlin",
                "email": "michaela.loughlin@arkha.org.uk",
                "telephone": "+44 7514670296",
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer",
                "centralPurchasingBody"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "Registered Social Landlord",
                        "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE"
                    },
                    {
                        "id": "10",
                        "description": "Social protection",
                        "scheme": "COFOG"
                    }
                ],
                "url": "http://www.arkha.org.uk"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-221",
            "name": "Bruce Stevenson",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Bruce Stevenson"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "38-40 New City Road",
                "locality": "Glasgow",
                "region": "UK",
                "postalCode": "G4 9JT"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "telephone": "+44 7590910186"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "scale": "large",
                "url": "http://"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-38",
            "name": "Edinburgh Sheriff Court",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Edinburgh Sheriff Court"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "27 Chambers Street",
                "locality": "Edinburgh",
                "postalCode": "EH1 1LB"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "reviewBody",
                "mediationBody",
                "reviewContactPoint"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "name": "Ark Housing Association",
        "id": "org-220"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386",
        "title": "Insurance Broker Services",
        "description": "Ark Housing Association are looking to extend the existing insurance broker provision contract to 31st March 2027 with Howden (Formally known as Bruce Stevenson) who are the current insurance service broker/provider.",
        "status": "complete",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKM75"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethod": "limited",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "Howden have acted as Arks insurance broker since April 2018. The initial contract was entered in to following a competitive procurement exercise via Public Contracts Scotland. Due to mergers and acquisitions, along with underwriters withdrawing from the market, there are now effectively only three brokers and one direct insurer in the Scottish Social Housing market, alongside an ever-decreasing number of underwriters/insurers, all of whom have different requirements and risk appetites. In the past year, through discussion with other RSL's experiencing similar issues, an insurance provider (now deemed overweight across the Social Housing sector) noted that it will not tender for new business but will continue to support existing clients as long as they are not in tender mode. There is therefore a risk that in complying with procurement best value and legal regulation, Ark may face only one or two bidders - a lack of a competitive market and pricing. Ark proposes to directly award a three-year contract to Howden from 1st April 2024, bypassing our usual procurement process. This is due to: 1. the lack of competitors within the sector - there are three insurance brokers which serve the Scottish Social Housing sector, of which one currently provides Ark with buildings insurance and therefore would be conflicted from bidding for any broker role. This leaves one alternative supplier; 2. the minimal financial savings (if any), that could be achieved through competitive tendering - Howdens annual brokerage fee for their services has not increased since the original contract in 2018; and 3. the high-quality service provided by Howden - Howden provide Ark with a high level of service including out of hours support. They are very responsive with enquiries and always go above and beyond providing support and advice when required. Howden recently visited Ark to do a policy/claims workshop at no additional cost and have offered to reattend at any time. This was extremely beneficial to several staff across the organisation. There is a risk of moving supplier and not getting the same level of service.",
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "JAN496693",
                "documentType": "awardNotice",
                "title": "Insurance Broker Services",
                "description": "Ark Housing Association are looking to extend the existing insurance broker provision contract to 31st March 2027 with Howden (Formally known as Bruce Stevenson) who are the current insurance service broker/provider.",
                "url": "https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JAN496693",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ],
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "description": "Ark Housing Association are looking to extend the existing insurance broker provision contract to 31st March 2027 with Howden (Formally known as Bruce Stevenson) who are the current insurance service broker/provider for elements stated below: Property Stock Group Personal Accident Combined Liability Crime Office & Computer Combined Contract Works Professional Indemnity Engineering Cyber Liability",
                "status": "complete",
                "hasOptions": false
            }
        ],
        "coveredBy": [
            "GPA"
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "D_TECHNICAL",
                "description": "The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons",
                "scheme": "TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL"
            }
        ],
        "classification": {
            "id": "66518000",
            "scheme": "CPV"
        }
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386-1",
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "org-221",
                    "name": "Bruce Stevenson"
                }
            ],
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "contracts": [
        {
            "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386-1",
            "awardID": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386-1",
            "status": "active",
            "value": {
                "amount": 35000,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "dateSigned": "2024-01-15T00:00:00Z"
        }
    ],
    "language": "EN",
    "description": "(SC Ref:755386)",
    "bids": {
        "statistics": [
            {
                "id": "596",
                "measure": "bids",
                "value": 1,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "597",
                "measure": "smeBids",
                "value": 0,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "598",
                "measure": "foreignBidsFromEU",
                "value": 0,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "599",
                "measure": "foreignBidsFromNonEU",
                "value": 0,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "600",
                "measure": "electronicBids",
                "value": 1,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ]
    },
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "canonical",
            "href": "https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000755386"
        }
    ],
    "noticetype": "PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice"
}