Decision Maker: Assistant Director (Finance & IT) & Section 151 Officer
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Officer decision to continue Tendring District
Council’s participation in the partnership through the
renewal of the Essex partnership Pan Essex Counter Fraud Data
Matching System and the Vulnerable Intelligent Persons Emergency
Response (VIPER) with incumbent supplier Vigilant Applications
Limited.
The Counter Fraud Data Matching System is primarily used to
identify Council Tax related fraud across Essex.
VIPER is now the ‘go to’ Essex partner civil emergency
planning and response system to to identify and report on all
persons affected by an emergency planning incident BUT specifically
to identify, focus specialist services and safeguard vulnerable
persons from harm during a civil emergency.
The 5 year contract is procured jointly by all Essex local
authorities, Essex Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police with
Chelmsford City council leading on the direct award framework
procurement on behalf of all partners.
Tendring District Council’s financial contribution (the total
cost of the contract to TDC) over the five year period is
£20,532.
Please see the accompanying report for details
Officer decision to continue Tendring District
Council’s participation in the partnership through the
renewal of the Essex partnership Pan Essex Counter Fraud Data
Matching System and the Vulnerable Intelligent Persons Emergency
Response (VIPER) with incumbent supplier Vigilant Applications
Limited.
Option 1 - Doing nothing is not an
option.
Option 2 - A re-tender process would be very resource intensive for
all partners and in this instance is highly likely to;
a) Increase costs even if the incumbent contractor was
successful.
b) Result in a period of considerably reduced support performance
with a new provider ‘getting up to speed which could arguably
put vulnerable persons lives at risk (or lead to additional harm)
should a major emergency incident occur.
c) Expose the council and all Essex partners to an unnecessary
period of business continuity risk.
This is a wider Essex partner procurement. Tendring District
Council simply do not have the resources to procure these
specialist services in isolation.
Option 3 - Renew the contract with the trusted, proven incumbent
supplier through a direct award framework agreement having ensured
value-for-money is achieved.
Publication date: 04/08/2022
Date of decision: 04/08/2022
Accompanying Documents: