Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
Island Civic Centre Lagan Valley Island The Island
Lisburn
BT27 4RL
Contact
Kathryn Cahill
kathryn.cahill@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 7827258083
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
T21/22-019 Planting, Installation, Removal and Irrigation of Hanging Baskets
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 77300000 - Horticultural services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Contract for the Planting, Installation, Removal and Irrigation of Hanging Baskets across Council sites.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £200,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 77300000 - Horticultural services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN0E - Lisburn and Castlereagh
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Contract for the Planting, Installation, Removal and Irrigation of Hanging Baskets across LCCC sites
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
The publishing of this VEAT relates to a variation to an existing contract (T21/22-019-Planting, Installation, Removal and Irrigation of Hanging Baskets). The contract variation will result in an increase of 50% of the contract value. The council is content that this variation is permitted under Regulation 72(1)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (c) where all of the following conditions are fulfilled:—
(i) the need for modification has been brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting authority could not have foreseen;
(ii) the modification does not alter the overall nature of the contract;
(iii) (iii) any increase in price does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract or framework agreement
The Council could not have foreseen the below events which have attributed to the need for a contract variation;
• During the term of the contract energy costs have risen by approx. 218%.
• Fertiliser cost has risen by approx. 47%.
• Labour costs by 24.3%.
• Substrate costs, due to the governmental drive to ban peat, have risen by approx.33%.
• The cost of fuel is up 32% from 2021 (These figures and the above figures used are based on a report published by and reported by the National Farmers Union - Jan 2024. These figures are not being taken as fact but instead being used to give an indication of the current state of the industry).
• There are other costs not mentioned, such as chemicals and standard material, which have increased and put more pressure on prices, especially those that have not risen from 2021.
• The Royal appointment of Hillsborough as the first Royal town on the island of Ireland was welcomed by LCCC and extra resource was designated to the village to accommodate any improvements required however the King’s Coronation brought more unaccounted for pressures to improve the horticultural standards within the village which included the hanging baskets. Due to the Kings visit there was a requirement for the contract to be delivered to the highest standard as emphasis on horticultural standards was highlighted.
• One unforeseen side effect from this was the pressure from throughout the Council area for these horticultural standards to be replicated throughout the Council area in line with Royal Hillsborough’s standards.
• A consecutive year of unusually warm and dry weather which required additional waterings which further increased the spend.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
9 December 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Whiteisland Nursery
Dungannon
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKN0B - Mid Ulster
Internet address
https://www.whiteislandnursery.com/
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £200,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
lisburn
Country
United Kingdom