Decision details

SHDC needs to secure project management services to cover the final 1-year extension for the Grants4Growth programme to cover the period 1st June 2022 to 30th April 2023. The role is to effectively manage the project delivery team through the final months of capital investment and the evaluation process to project close down. Kudos Project Management has previously been procured to deliver project management until 31st May 2022, but the extension leaves us with a potential ‘gap in service’. It is necessary to prevent a gap in service and support the continuation of the programme. Following discussions with the procurement team it was recommended that that Kudos Project Management be reprocured via a YPO Framework Agreement to remain compliant with ERDF procurement guidance and to maintain continuity of the management of the programme for the final year. Councillor Nick Worth, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for People, Places and Economy, has been briefed and is aware.

Since the programme inception in October 2016 the project management of the Grants4Growth programme has been delivered by an external contractor. However, the current contract is due to expire on 31st May 2022 as this commenced prior to the final year extension secured in January 2022, resulting in this decision being part retrospective. The cost of the project management role will be 100% covered by the Grants4Growth programme which is reimbursed through current ERDF funding and will not be a cost to SHDC.

1.Not to replace the current project management contractor and to continue without a designated project manager.
2.To vary the current contract by offering an extension to the current contract but to comply with ERDF regulations the extension would be limited to an additional 10% of the current contract value which is insufficient to complete the final year of the programme.
3.To reprocure using an open tender process. A new contract manager would not have the knowledge of the programme given there is such a short amount of time left.