Framework Agreement for the Provision of Transport Technical Support Services

<p>The Council is seeking to appoint suitable Provider(s) to a Framework for Transport Technical Services Support to deliver high quality and cost-effective provision of strategic transport schemes for Sefton. The Council has recently submitted bids to the Department for Transport, through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for funding support for a range of schemes and projects. These include support for the development of two business cases, a five-year indicative bid from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, capital support from the DfT Capability Fund and applications to the Levelling Up Fund for a number of projects. This is in addition to projects which are emerging as part of the successful Southport Town Fund bid. These have enabled a programme of strategic transport schemes for Sefton to be developed and agreed with elected Members. These schemes are at various stages of development, but all will require detailed appraisal, development, design and supervision if they are to be funded and delivered. In addition, Sefton&rsquo;s Local Plan has recently been adopted and there are significant emerging proposals for development of the key town centres of Bootle, Southport and Crosby, all of which will require a review of transport and access issues. The Council does not have the capability or capacity to undertake all the elements of work involved in developing and delivering this programme of strategic transport investment and technical support and evidence gathering for the town centre development strategies. It is clear that with a significant number of projects all necessitating development within 2021/22 and 2022/23, there is some pressure on staff within the Strategic Transport Planning and Investment team and also the Highways Design and Development teams. The required information in support of the process of securing funding is varied, depending largely on the specific requirements of each funding source. The process of scheme development and preparation of business cases frequently requires extensive data collection and review and specialised pieces of work utilising specific software packages, particularly in relation to economic costs and benefits. The Council does not have the resources to undertake such assessments and in order to be in a position to bid for City Region funding to invest in the Borough&rsquo;s infrastructure we need to be able to call on these services, often at short notice. Other services where the Council may need to procure assistance include traffic modelling, economic assessment, transport and access studies, review of planning related transport assessments, junction modelling and engineering design, wider economic impacts and contract supervision. It is therefore proposed to procure a service provider to assist in providing technical expertise and capability that is either not currently available or where there is insufficient staff resource within the Council. This is on the understanding that the services can be provided relatively quickly. The Council also intend to appoint a reserve service provider.</p>