Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
COUNTY HALL
CHELMSFORD
CM1 1QH
Contact
Andrew Beaver
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKH3 - Essex
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
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
TEMPORARY WORKER SUPPORT SERVICES
Reference number
CO0095
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79211110 - Payroll management services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
To support delivery of our resourcing strategies we now need to secure a partner to deliver our vision of temporary worker support services, reflecting ECC's ambition to continue to minimise the use of third-party recruitment agency suppliers and to adopt a talent pool first approach. We are looking for a supplier who can enable our vision that ECC will source it's own temporary talent directly or via our own supply chain and that our chosen partner will provide the technology and service to deliver the engagement of this temporary workforce both contractually and for all timesheet and billing purposes.
We are looking to partner with a temporary worker support service provider who can own the contractual engagement of our temporary workforce, weekly payroll, timesheet, and billing of all temporary workers that will be sourced by the ECC inhouse recruitment team both directly and via our own supply chain of third-party agencies. ECC will attract workers across all worker categories and types either directly or via our own supply chain of third-party agencies. Recruitment and attraction of new temporary staff is out of scope of this procurement and will be managed by ECC. We expect our partner would own the contractual engagement of our directly sourced temporary workforce as well as the other services described, we expect for agency hires that the agency provider (via the ECC DPS) will manage the contractual engagement with our partner responsible for the timesheet, payment and billing to agency suppliers via their provided technology.
The supplier will need to provide an adaptive, legally compliant service and exemplary technology platform to ECC which enables the service provider to contractually engage our temporary workers, contracting such workers to deliver services in the following ways:
• PAYE hourly rate contract for candidates directly sourced by ECC
• PAYE daily rate contract for candidates directly sourced by ECC
• Ltd Company hourly rate contract for services directly sourced by ECC
• Ltd Company daily rate contract for services directly sourced by ECC
• Statement of work arrangements whereby temporary services are only paid upon deliverable milestones not time worked, both PAYE and Ltd Company directly sourced by ECC.
• Pay per assessment arrangements whereby temporary services are only paid upon deliverable assessments not time worked, both PAYE and Ltd Company directly sourced by ECC.
• Umbrella arrangements via compliant umbrella companies.
• Able to adapt and deliver to emerging working arrangement in the talent marketplace
The service must also allow ECC to place temporary workers found via third party agencies on to the timesheet and billing technology platform which must be fully integrated with the Councils existing P2P solution.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £4,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of a technology platform which will enable ECC to transfer its existing direct temporary workers to the new arrangements and continue to build its own direct workers across all staffing categories through the life of the contract. The platform must also allow ECC to transfer its existing third part agency workers to the technology platform, ECC will transfer the agency contractual relationship to our own agency supply chain DPS.
In addition to the technology platform outlined in above the preferred bidder will also manage the transfer of existing direct temporary workers including working with the incumbent provider, the direct temporary workers and ECC. The provider will manage the transfer of all existing direct temporary staff ensuring a smooth transfer with no negative impact to the existing direct temporary workforce, 0 days of down time to service and 100% accuracy on 1st payroll of new arrangements for direct hires and 100% accuracy of payment to our supply chain.
The cost of implementation of services will be met be the successful supplier and should be considered when completing your pricing proposal.
The use of industry standard technology which achieves a fully automated purchase to pay (P2P) process from requisition through to invoicing and payments through establishment of systems interfaces between the VMS and ECC's systems for both direct temporary workers and those represented by ECC third party agency suppliers.
Over the last year the volume of temporary workers has been around 10% of our workforce. This represents up to 650 temporary workers engaged at anyone time, not taking account of seasonal variations, which can increase the number of workers. On average there are currently around 40 new temporary workers each month.
The average length of engagement for temporary workers is 2.19 years; tenure is highest in the Place & Public Health function (2.78 years), and lowest in the Finance & Technology function (just under 5 months).
Of the 523 live assignments approximately 40% are casual 'as and when' workers. Currently around 70% of the population are directly sourced.
The future temporary worker supply service will provide efficient, agile and proactive temporary worker support services that are flexible and scalable to accommodate anticipated workforce and organisational changes in demand and supply. This will enable ECC to identify agile and cost-efficient sourcing solutions; and support delivery of our People Plan (provided separately) and emerging strategic workforce plans.
A service which uses its recruitment expertise to ensure ECC is fully compliant to all relevant temporary worker legislation including IR35 and AWR and pro-actively guides ECC when needed in respect of legislative changes.
Engagement, payroll and billing of temporary workers both for volume and seasonal recruitment campaigns: this will ensure ECC is able to maintain frontline service delivery e.g. country parks and outdoor centers, as well as adult community learning.
Management of temporary workers that is compliant with legislation and any anticipated changes: the provider will ensure that the temporary workforce is compliant e.g. pension auto enrolment, Working Time Regulations and Agency Worker Regulations etc.; and will also work in partnership with ECC to scope, plan and deliver responses to any legislative changes.
Ensuring all temporary and interim workers are paid within agreed, and consistently applied, pay rates which demonstrate value for money for ECC and that full and transparent reporting is easily available to ECC showing the detailed breakdown of worker pay rate, individuals statutory costs, agency margins and supplier margins.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Option to extend for a further period of 12 months
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
21 June 2021
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
21 June 2021
Local time
1:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court, Royal Courts of Justice
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom