Find a TenderAwarded without competition
Published 4 Oct 2022, 12:26 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Specialist recruitment company for Finance Transformation Project

Official notice

Authority: UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER (Education)·Consortium: 2 public authorities

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competitionSME suitable
Awarded value£800,000published contract · exc. VAT
Awarded 7 Nov 2022no call for competition
Awarded to CTR Partners Limited2 awards

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Specialist recruitment company for the Finance Transformation Project.

CPV: Recruitment services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Specialist recruitment company for the Finance Transformation ProjectAwarded
Delivery: North West · The University of Manchester

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
4 Oct 2022, 12:26 BST
Last source update
7 Nov 2022, 10:26 GMT
Authority reference
2022/1953/CTR Partner/JL
FTS notice number
2022/S 000-031351
Classification (CPV)
Recruitment services
Delivery area
North West (UKD3)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0372c1 Find a Tender
Why no open competition

The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons; Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority/entity and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the directive

Published justification

Following the pandemic, 2022 has seen unprecedented demand for IT Contractors across the UK. So much so, that 2 stage interviews, or delays in offering positions, would invariably result in the contractor taking an offer elsewhere. Back in May 2022 ERP specialist resources were extremely difficult to find and even more so in the Northwest, as the London markets were saturated with opportunities.

University of Manchester (UoM) are implementing a critical time dependant, large and complex ERP solution which is an on-premise solution. Enquiries to the University's contracted agencies proved very challenging as the message was consistent from all:-

  • It may take some time to fill this position as the demand is at an all-time high.
  • All ERP contractors known to the agency were already in contract
  • Contractors preferred to work on cloud-based solutions.
  • Manchester was either too far to travel or they wanted to work from home

UoM had no choice but to widen the search for specialist resources to non-contracted providers, that had immediately available and contractors willing to travel to Manchester. Using several specialist ERP search and selection recruiters that are recognised as the leading agencies for top tier ERP solutions, UoM identified several candidates which were available or coming available within 2 weeks that lived in or around Manchester.

The chosen company, CTR Partners, have subsequently been able to recruit to additional hard to recruit roles that contracted providers have not been able to fill and it is our intention to retain the services of this provider for the duration of the Finance Transformation Project (October 2023).

Review and risk notes
Review procedure

The authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. Applicants who are unsuccessful shall be informed by the authority as soon as possible after the decision has been made as to the reasons why the Applicant was unsuccessful.

  • If an appeal regarding the award of the contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must generally be brought within 3 months.
  • If a declaration of ineffectiveness is sought, any such action must be brought within 30 days where the authority has communicated the award of the contract and a summary of reasons to tenderers, or otherwise within 6 months of the contract being entered into. Where a contract has not been entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the authority to amend any document and may award damages.
  • If the contract has been entered into the court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a declaration of ineffectiveness, order the authority to pay a fine, and/or order that the duration of the contract is shortened.

The purpose of the standstill period referred to above is to allow the parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the contract is entered into.

Notice history

1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender
  1. Buyer details updated
    7 Nov 2022, 10:26 GMT

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 2
Awarded value £800,0001 contract exc. VAT · 1 repeated publication of the same award counted once
Bids received 11 from SMEs
Contracts signed 2latest 7 Nov 2022
Awarded toValueDateStatus
CTR Partners Limited£800,000 †same award published again · counted once—Awarded
CTR Partners Limited£800,000 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • Specialist recruitment company for Finance Transformation Project · CTR Partners Limited

    Signed
    7 Nov 2022
    Value
    £800,000
    Status
    active
  • Specialist recruitment company for Finance Transformation Project. · CTR Partners Limited

    Signed
    4 Oct 2022
    Value
    £800,000
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1bids1——

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

2 public bodies on the notice

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

Contracting authorityEducationBody governed by public lawEducation GB-UKPRN: UKPRN 10007798 · GB-UKPRN: UKPRN10007798 Room G010,John Owens Building, Oxford Road, MANCHESTER, North West, M139PLContact email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • The High Court of Justice of EnglandReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • CTR Partners LimitedAwarded supplierGB-COH: 11065487 Lafone House The Leather Market Weston Street, London, London, SE1 3ER

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.