Agenda item

Contracts Update

Meeting of Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Friday, 19th December, 2025 9.30 am (Item 21.)

Minutes:

Contracts Update

The Committee:

· Approved the public advertisement of tenders as per Standing Order 37a detailed in Appendix 1 (Table 1);

· Approved the award of STAs in line with Standing Order 55 exceptions as detailed in Appendix 1 (Table 2);

· Approved the modification of the contract as per Standing Order 37a detailed in Appendix 1 (Table 3);

· Noted the award of retrospective STAs in line with Standing Order 55 exceptions as detailed in Appendix 1 (Table 4); and

· Noted the non-procurement expenditure (Table 5).

Table 1: Competitive Tenders

Title of Tender	Proposed Contract Duration	Est. Max Contract Value	SRO	Short description of goods / services	On published pipeline (Y/N)	Prior Committee approval (Y/N) If Y name Committee & Date	External Funding (Y/N)
Renewal of Eploy online recruitment system	Up to 4 years	£124,800	S McNicholl	Required to maintain the provision of the online recruitment system for the Council	N	N	N
Online security awareness training and provision of phishing tests	Up to 3 years	£69,000	P Gribben	Increasing need to ensure staff awareness and help reduce the risk of security events	N	N	N
Procurement of annual insurance contracts	Up to 1 year	£1,262,000	T Wallace	Annual insurance premiums covering employer’s liability, public liability, crime, environmental legal liability, property (excess of loss city hall) and motor fleet. Current annual policies expire on 31st March 2026.	N	Included in annual financial estimates	N
Procurement of the Cisco Secure Connect Service	Up to 5 years	£130,410	S McNicholl	The Belfast WiFi service requires a secure DNS facility to protect users and devices. Cisco Secure Connect is a security product with a focus on DNS-layer security which will add layered protection to all Public Belfast WiFi users and devices and protect BCC from possible reputational damage.	N	N	N
The provision of a new regulatory case management solution for City & Neighbourhood Services	Up to 10 years	£2,162,000	S McNicholl	The objective is to replace our current systems (APP/Flare, IDOX – Public Protection Portal – NIHMO and Animal Welfare (IDOX) with a single modern and intuitive case management solution designed to embed mobile technology and digitally transform how we plan, manage and monitor our service delivery across the core areas. This project aligns with the CNS Transition & Improvement Programme by improving customer service, removing duplication, making long-term cost savings, services more sustainable, empowering staff and to improve decision-making. Furthermore, it fits with the strategic themes Customer and Performance in the CNS Business Plan. We also have alignment with the Digital Strategy in terms or Digital Transformation, improved Data & Analytics and reduction of cyber security risk. The existing contracts for current systems will be aligned to the go live date of the new case management system. Capital Year 1: £665,000 & Revenue Years 2-10: £1,497,000	N	Outline business case previously approved through the Capital Programme - Physical Programmes update, S,P&R June 2024	N
Hire of Grounds Machinery with Operator	Up to 3 years	£130,000	D Sales	To complete flail arm work, fraise mowing, overseeding and herbicide application and spiking across the OSS Estate. This supports in house teams/ operations.	N	N	N

Table 2: Single Tender Actions

Title	Duration	Est. Max Contract Value	SRO	Description	Supplier	STA Reason	Other Committee approval (Y/N) If Y name Committee & Date	External Funding (Y/N)
Hire of Ulster University Belfast Campus (York Street) for use during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 inclusive of setup and de-rig.	Up to 8 days	£200,000	D Martin	Ulster University Belfast Campus has been designated as a central competition and educational hub in the Fleadh operational plan, developed jointly by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Belfast City Council. It provides the only feasible location capable of supporting the complex requirements of Scoil Éigse and All-Ireland competitions	Ulster University Belfast Campus	3	Fleadh budget agreed at S,P&R	N
Hire of the MAC Arts Centre, Belfast, as a core competition and cultural venue for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026	Up to 8 days	£45,000	K Forster	The MAC is uniquely positioned as the Irish Language and Cultural Hub within the Fleadh 2026 delivery plan and was identified through joint planning with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ) and Belfast City Council as a core competition and programming venue	The Mac	3	Fleadh budget agreed at S,P&R	N
Hire of The Belfast SOS Bus for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026	Up to 8 days	£49,000	K Forster	The Belfast SOS Bus provides a mobile, non-judgemental safe space on the streets, offering a range of support including first aid, mental health intervention, and harm reduction. It offers practical assistance like refreshments, transport home, and referrals to other services. There is no other provider of this service for Belfast.	The Belfast SOS Bus	3	Fleadh budget agreed at S,P&R	N
Upgrade and contract extension of the Content Management System (CMS) which supports all BCC websites	Up to 4 years	£350,000	S McNicholl	There has been an urgent, unforeseen and essential need to upgrade the current CMS platform to ensure continuity of service. This can only be actioned by the existing supplier. A longer-term procurement strategy to procure a new CMS will be developed to align with the expiry of this requirement. £200k- Capital & £150k - Revenue	Simply Zesty	7	N	N
Hire 2 x 7.5T Glass Collect vehicles	Up to 8 months	£21,333	S Leonard	Stewart Commercial are the only supplier within N. Ireland to supply the hire of these specialist glass collect vehicles. These 2 vehicles will ensure continuity of supply until the new vehicles are delivered in August 26. The current T2048 contract expired on 31.05.25 therefore retrospective STA approval is required – see below.	Stewart Commercials	1	N	N

Table 3: Modification to Contract

Title of Contract

Duration

Modification

SRO

Description

Supplier

Provision of Drama, Puppetry and Script writing CNS 2412

Up to 1 year

Additional £1,584

Original quotation value - £30k

J Girvan

Additional cost for writing a new script for anti-litter/ waste roadshow to be performed in primary schools 2025/26. The supplier was the only respondent to the original quotation process.

Being reported as quotation value now exceeds £30k.

Cre8 Theatre Ltd

Table 4: Retrospective Single Tender Actions

Title of Contract	Duration	Est. Max Contract Value	SRO	Description	Supplier	STA Reason	Other Committee approval (Y/N) If Y name Committee & Date	External Funding (Y/N)
Hire 2 x 7.5T Glass Collect vehicles	Up to 7 months	£18,667	S Leonard	Further to STA request above this is retrospective STA approval to cover hire of these vehicles 01 June 2025 to 31^st December 2025.	Stewart Commercials	1	N	N

Table 5: Non-Procurement Expenditure

Title of Contract	Duration	Est. Max Contract Value	SRO	Description	Supplier
Hire of the ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall	Up to 7 days	£400,000	D Martin	The spaces available across three sites were identified during the initial planning and bid for Fleadh 2026 in conjunction with the Comhaltas team. Given occupancy of all other viable sites across the city centre there are no other venues available that offer the same level of occupancy/production support required to successfully deliver Fleadh core events alongside multiple competition and performance spaces.	Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall

Supporting documents: