{ "tag": [ "compiled" ], "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f69c-2026-04-08T11:50:57+01:00", "date": "2026-04-08T11:50:57+01:00", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f69c", "initiationType": "tender", "parties": [ { "id": "GB-PPON-PYRZ-1467-WNJW", "name": "Chelmsford City Council", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PYRZ-1467-WNJW" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "Civic Centre", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1JE", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "procurement@chelmsford.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } }, { "id": "GB-COH-13657240", "name": "Sarto Thomas", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-COH", "id": "13657240" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "2nd Floor, 1635 Parkway", "locality": "Hampshire,", "postalCode": "PO15 7AH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKJ36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "info@sartothomas.com" }, "roles": [ "supplier" ], "details": { "scale": "sme", "vcse": false, "publicServiceMissionOrganization": false, "shelteredWorkshop": false } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PYRZ-1467-WNJW", "name": "Chelmsford City Council" }, "tender": { "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f69c", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Building Control Management Services", "description": "Chelmsford City Council has a statutory duty to provide building control services within its geographical area. Due to a national shortage of qualified building control inspectors, the council has been unable to recruit permanently to this role despite repeated attempts. To prevent a breakdown in statutory service delivery, the council previously awarded a 6-month temporary contract to Sarto Thomas to provide a Building Control Manager. This contract is due to expire, and recruitment efforts remain unsuccessful. The Council has undertaken a direct award for a further 12 month contract to ensure continuity of services.", "status": "complete", "procurementMethod": "direct", "procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award", "procurementMethodRationale": "Justification for Direct Award under Section 41, 42 and Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 The Council is making a direct award to Sarto Thomas for a further 12 months on the following grounds: 1. Continuity of Essential Service: A change of supplier at this point would create a significant gap in service delivery, causing operational disruption and failing to meet the Council's legal obligations. 2. Knowledge and Integration: The supplier has developed specific knowledge of the council's systems, processes, and ongoing caseload during the initial contract. Replicating this with a new supplier would require substantial duplication of cost and time. 3. Absence of Viable Alternative: The council's master vendor contract was previously unable to fulfil this specialised requirement. The ongoing national skills shortage means a competitive tender is unlikely to yield a suitable alternative in the necessary timeframe. 4. Proportionate and Necessary: The award is limited to 12 months to maintain service continuity while the council pursues a permanent recruitment solution and/or develops a longer-term procurement strategy for this critical function. This direct award is considered necessary and proportionate to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of the council's statutory building control service.", "lots": [ { "id": "1", "status": "complete", "suitability": { "sme": true } } ], "documents": [ { "id": "conflictOfInterest", "documentType": "conflictOfInterest", "description": "Not published" } ], "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [ { "id": "additionalRepeatExtensionPartialReplacement" } ], "coveredBy": [ "GPA" ] }, "awards": [ { "id": "1", "status": "active", "value": { "amountGross": 230000, "amount": 192000, "currency": "GBP" }, "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "aboveThreshold": true, "suppliers": [ { "id": "GB-COH-13657240", "name": "Sarto Thomas" } ], "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "79620000", "description": "Supply services of personnel including temporary staff" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2026-01-31T00:00:00Z", "endDate": "2027-01-30T23:59:59Z" }, "relatedLots": [ "1" ], "documents": [ { "id": "083310-2025", "documentType": "awardNotice", "noticeType": "UK5", "description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083310-2025", "datePublished": "2025-12-16T12:12:45Z", "format": "text/html" }, { "id": "083324-2025", "documentType": "awardNotice", "noticeType": "UK6", "description": "Contract award notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083324-2025", "datePublished": "2025-12-16T12:27:49Z", "format": "text/html" } ], "milestones": [ { "id": "1", "type": "futureSignatureDate", "dueDate": "2026-01-05T23:59:59Z", "status": "scheduled" } ], "date": "2025-12-16T00:00:00Z", "standstillPeriod": { "endDate": "2025-12-29T23:59:59+00:00" } } ], "language": "en", "contracts": [ { "id": "1", "awardID": "1", "status": "active", "period": { "startDate": "2026-01-31T00:00:00Z", "endDate": "2027-01-30T23:59:59Z" }, "value": { "amountGross": 230000, "amount": 192000, "currency": "GBP" }, "aboveThreshold": true, "dateSigned": "2026-01-09T00:00:00Z", "noAgreedMetricsRationale": "Not required at this value.", "documents": [ { "id": "031851-2026", "documentType": "contractNotice", "noticeType": "UK7", "description": "Contract details notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031851-2026", "datePublished": "2026-04-08T11:50:57+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ] } ] }