Issue details

Proposed decision

To agree to:

a)         award the Works Asset Management System (WAMs) contract to Brightly Software Limited from 31^st July 2023, for a period of 3 years; and

b)         delegate authority to the Director for Highways and Transportation to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision.

Reason for the decision

The Works Asset Management System (WAMs) has been in use since 2006 to support the Council’s operational delivery of Highways and Transportation business.  The product used is the Confirm Enterprise Asset Management Solution. The current contract expires at the end of June 2023. A new contract is being procured for this service with the same supplier, Brightly plc, under the G- Cloud procurement framework.

The Contract will start on 31^st July 2023, and continue for a period of 3 years.

Background

Highways and Transportation needs to ensure that it has a suitable system in place that meets our current needs around to name a few:

·      Customer enquiries

·      Fault reporting

·      Mobile working

·      Emergency Response 24/7/365

·      Jobs creation, ordering and status updates.

·      Payments and Financial Management.

·      Asset Inventory Management – includes information and history

Options (other options considered but discarded)

1.  Do Nothing: Allow the Current Contract to lapse.  Kent County Council would no longer have ongoing support for this solution, posing a significant risk to its operational activities within the Highways service area.  This needs to be linked to the Highway Act 1980 and our asset management approach etc. This supports this work.  Discounted.

2.  Extension of current contract: There are no remaining contract extensions, permissible in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.  Discounted.

3.  Conduct an open competitive tender process in accordance with the PCR15. Market engagement has identified limited alternative solutions within the market that provides all functionality required by the Authority.  To move to an alternative solution would incur significant migration, implementation, configuration and training costs which outweigh any potential saving conducting a competitive process. Discounted.

How the proposed decision supports Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026:

Priority 2: Infrastructure for communities;

The Confirm Enterprise Asset Management System - WAMS  - holds details of the majority of highway assets on the Kent highway network and provides staff with the ability to manage, maintain, repair and carry out highways works, to a safe standard which in turn impacts on Kent residents’ accessibility to employment, education, health provision and leisure opportunities.

Data Protection implications

DPIA completed and no issues identified.