Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Post Office Limited
100 wood street
london
uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Companies House
02154540
Internet address(es)
Main address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
PR Services
Reference number
C101555
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79416000 - Public relations services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:
Public relations services
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months
36
Section four. Procedure
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Contract award notice concerning this contract
Notice number: 2020/S 245-609030
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
c101555
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:
7 October 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract/concession has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Cardew Group Limited
london
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Companies House
02619626
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (at the time of conclusion of the contract;excluding VAT)
Total value of the procurement: £738,108
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Royal Courts Of Justice
london
Country
United Kingdom
Section seven: Modifications to the contract/concession
seven.1) Description of the procurement after the modifications
seven.1.1) Main CPV code
- 79416000 - Public relations services
seven.1.3) Place of performance
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:
Public Relations
seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months
36
seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession:
£1,107,162
seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Cardew Group Ltd
london
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Companies House
02619626
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
seven.2) Information about modifications
seven.2.1) Description of the modifications
Nature and extent of the modifications (with indication of possible earlier changes to the contract):
The modification is permissible under regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
The additional services became necessary in January 2024. The increased levels of public scrutiny POL was under due to the Horizon IT Inquiry combined with the vacancy created by the sudden departure of POL's Group Director of Corporate Affairs, Communication and Brand, combined with the temporary re-organisation of its public affairs team, meant that POL required a substantial increase in communications support over and above those services covered by POL's retainer with the contractor. POL intends to conduct a competition for these services from July, in order to have a new contract in place by 31st December 2024 when the current contract expires; however, a significant increase in public and media interest has meant additional support is needed during the period from January 2024 to July 2024. From August 2024 POL will return to an enhanced retainer.
The value of the proposed additional services is not more than 50% of the original contract value. The original contract value was £738,108. The modification is valued at £369,054, Total contract value is £1,107,162.
seven.2.2) Reasons for modification
Need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor/concessionaire.
Description of the economic or technical reasons and the inconvenience or duplication of cost preventing a change of contractor:
A change of contractor could not be made during this period for technical reasons because the contractor has established and deep understanding of POL's business operations and its communications needs. The requirement for the Additional Services occurred suddenly and another provider would not have had time to develop that know-how to be able to provide the required surge in services during the period from January 2024 to July 2024. POL could not have appointed another supplier in the short term to provide the additional services up to December 2024 while POL takes steps to procure an alternative provider in the medium term from December 2024. An alternative contractor would not be able to provide the services in the interim until such competition for the future services can be conducted.
If POL had changed the contractor during the period January 2024 to July 2024, POL would have suffered substantial inconvenience and/or duplication of costs. Changing to a contractor without the current contractor's unique know-how would have caused disruption to POL's business at a critical time for the business and its Postmasters. The surge in capacity necessitated by the aforementioned events were required immediately such that, while POL can, and intends to, run a competition in the medium term, it could not have done so in the immediate term. Were POL to appoint a second service provider during the period January to July 2024, it would have been paying for the same service twice and would, therefore, have been duplicating costs.
The value of the proposed additional services is not more than 50% of the original contract value. The original contract value was £738,108. The modification is valued at £369,054, Total contract value is £1,107,162.
seven.2.3) Increase in price
Updated total contract value before the modifications (taking into account possible earlier contract modifications, price adaptions and average inflation)
Value excluding VAT: £738,108
Total contract value after the modifications
Value excluding VAT: £1,107,162