This report proposes a procurement process to award a contract for the supply of temporary agency workers.

The Committee received a report seeking authority to procure and award a contract for the supply of temporary agency staff for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a further one year in accordance with the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation Framework Agreement, Managed Services for Temporary Agency Resources (MSTAR).

The report explained that the current contract for the supply of temporary agency workers expired in February 2025. The Council’s need for agency staff to provide skilled resource on a time limited basis or cover key posts was expected to continue. Therefore, it was proposed that a procurement process was started to award a contract under the leading Framework available to Local Government, Mstar4.

The report noted that the Council currently operated under a framework call off contract with Reed, which ran until February 2025. It was proposed that the new contract would be for three years with an option to extend by one year and the total value of the new contract over four years was approximately £56m based on current usage.

The report stated that the proposed procurement approach was to use the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) to access Managed Services for Temporary Agency Resources (MSTAR) 4, as this framework was the leading temporary staff framework for Local Authorities.  This would involve running a ‘mini-competition’ to ensure best available rates were achieved with the solution tailored to the Council’s requirements.  It was expected that the re-tender of this contract would achieve additional savings of around £100k per year.  A £50k saving had been included in the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2025/26 onwards and the figure would be updated once the contract had been let.

Resolved –

That the Executive Director of Resources, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Corporate Services and Resources, be authorised  to award a contract to provide temporary agency staff for an initial term of three years with an option to extend for a further one year under the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation Framework Agreement, Managed Services for Temporary Agency Resources (MSTAR).