Agenda item

          The Sub-Committee considered a request to waive Standing Orders and extend the current Northgate@work and Northgate’s Docs on Line contract for a further 5 years.

          The Revenues and Benefits Division successfully implemented Anite@work (now known as Northgate@work), a document managing and workflow system, in January 2001. The contract was extended in 2006 and the current contract expired in January 2010. Northgate@work was an integral part of the work process of the division. It was the market leader in the supply of document imaging systems to Local Government, in particular in the field of Revenues and Benefits.

          It was noted that an advantage of Northgate@work was that they offered a remote scanning and indexing service. This service had been used successfully during the course of the Northgate@work contract and was only offered by Northgate. In 2001 it was determined that it was more cost effective for the Council to outsource this specialist operation and provision was made in the budget to accommodate this service. As the Northgate@work contract was to be extended then it was necessary to extend the Docs on Line contract at the same time.

          Members noted that there were various factors for extending the contract with Northgate including:

-      the existing supplier had been used successfully for ten years;

-      no conversion of information was necessary;

-      no staff training on a new system was necessary, therefore no associated costs; and

-      there would be no significant additional costs in the setting up of a new system, data mapping and staff training

          -      the new Doc on Line contract was on more favourable terms and                  would achieve a saving of existing costs; and

          -      the current system was compatible with the Council’s Home                          Working Policy and also supported staff working in various                         locations e.g. Job Centre Plus and Housing offices.

          RESOLVED: That

          (1)      the Operational Director, Finance in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources be authorised to extend the contract for the scanning and indexing of images for the Revenues and Benefits Division to the contractor Northgate Information System at a cost over 5 years of £240,000 and the annual maintenance contract for a cost over 5 years of £30,725;

          (2)      for the purposes of Contract Standing Order 1.6, approval be given on this occasion to the waiver of Standing Orders 3.1 to 3.7 and Procurement Standing Order 4 in light of the exceptional circumstances under the following provisions:

·       Standing order 1.6a, as Northgate was the only provider of a remote scanning and indexing system;

·       Standing order 1.6c, as the existing system had been operating successfully for ten years and any new supplier would involve the Council in substantial set up and installation costs;

·       Standing order 1.6d, as Halton Borough Council had been a  reference site for Northgate@work. Due to this relationship Halton Borough Council had been able to negotiate favourable terms for the extension of the contract, which would not be available on the open market;

·       Standing order 1.6e as the provision of a remote scanning and indexing of documents can only be provided by Northgate Docs on Line.