WNC Security Services - Core Guarding

The Council determined that continuation of the existing contractual arrangements was no longer appropriate.The resulting requirement to secure replacement security services at short notice has created a situation of extreme and unavoidable urgency.The need to secure immediate replacement security provision was not reasonably foreseeable and has arisen from the occurrence of recent service incidents rather than any act or omission of the Council.

The Council must ensure that appropriate security arrangements are in place immediately upon termination of the existing contract in order to avoid any gap in service provision which would create unacceptable risk of interruption to service.

Any interruption to security provision would create unacceptable risks to public safety, the security of Council employees, members of the public, Council property and other assets. West Northamptonshire Council requires the uninterrupted provision of security guarding services across a number of operational, public-facing and critical Council sites.

The Council therefore considers it strictly necessary to implement replacement arrangements without delay in order to ensure continuity of security services and maintain appropriate security coverage across its estate.

The direct award is considered strictly necessary for a 12-month term to ensure continuity of critical services, allow for sufficient time for mobilisation, operational stabilisation, implementation of the replacement arrangements and completion of a longer-term compliant competitive procurement exercise.

The Council has considered a shorter contract duration but concluded that a shorter period would create a significant risk of procurement activity needing to commence before service delivery has stabilised following transition from the incumbent provider.

The contract does not include extension options and is intended solely as an interim arrangement pending implementation of a longer-term procurement solution.

The Council does not have sufficient time to undertake a competitive procurement process, including an accelerated competitive procedure available for urgent competitive procedures under section 54(3)-(4) of the Procurement Act 2023, before replacement arrangements are required.

A direct award is therefore being made pursuant to section 41 and paragraph 13 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 on the basis that it is strictly necessary on the grounds of extreme and unavoidable urgency.

1st Reaction has been identified as a supplier capable of mobilising within the required timescales and maintaining continuity of service. Currently they are delivering services to the Council Lot 4 - out of hours, monitoring and maintenance provision. The supplier possesses the operational capability, local knowledge, infrastructure and resources required to mobilise and deliver the services from commencement of the contract with minimal disruption to service delivery.