NI Direct Strategic Partner

Contracts

• Contract 009592-2022-1-1 · BT PLC Services

  Signed

  21 Oct 2012

  Value

  £120,000,000

  Status

  active

  • Change The Authority has substantive reasons for this modification, having had to react to significant challenging political and societal change and demands. In particular the unforeseen impact of the pandemic and the critical and essential services to support the response to the pandemic that were facilitated through this contract, where there were no other options and no option to do nothing. This has included unprecedented and unpredictable demands for vital citizen facing support services and unforeseen work including the out workings of the exit from the EU, the DVA MOT equipment failings, LPS Business Rate relief schemes, and most significantly, supporting departments, particularly the Department of Health, in responding to the pandemic (proximity app, vaccine booking, vaccine passports, domestic certificates, travel certificates, etc.) All of which have substantively and significantly impacted on the volumes of calls and expenditure through the contract, none of which would have been anticipated or foreseen at award of contract. Due to the unpredictability of demand on Contact Centre services and the impact of world events the contract modification required will raise the overall contract value from £110m to £120m. (Note The value of the NI Direct Strategic Partnership Agreement was published at the time of tendering as £50M. The scope of the Agreement increased significantly over time and the value was increased in 2017 to £70M and in 2018 to £110M). This will provide assurance that any further unforeseen business critical or legislative events that would impact the contract could if required be accommodated before contract end., Need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor/concessionaire: This modification would meet the conditions outlined in regulation 72 (1)(b) and 72 (1)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.. DoF will seek to rely on the modification provisions of 72(1)(b) due to the near technical impossibility for another economic operator to achieve the required performance within the time permitted; and the necessity to use its specific know-how, tools and means which only the current Contractor has at its disposal. They will also seek to rely on 72 (1)(c) as the Authority has had to react to unforeseen circumstances in response to the pandemic and essential services to support this were facilitated through the contract. This has included unprecedented and unpredictable demands for vital citizen facing support services and unforeseen work all of which have substantively and significantly impacted on the volumes of calls and expenditure through the contract, none of which would have been anticipated or foreseen at award of contract. The modification also does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.

Dispute resolution & review bodies

• The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures.Review body Belfast