Cash Collection Service

Bath & North East Somerset Council wishes to establish a single provider contract for the provision of a Cash Collection, Transit, Counting and Preparation for Banking/Accounting and Banking Service. The Council is managing this procurement in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

This is a Service Contract being procured under the competitive dialogue procedure.

The Council through its various operations generates revenue. In some cases this involves cash and cheques. Where this is so, and where there are high levels of coinage, a service is needed to manage the collection, counting and preparation for banking.

The Contract provides cash collection, counting and preparation for banking services. This is currently carried out by an external contractor, with the arrangement now due for renewal.

In preparing this tender the Council has acted in accordance with the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector and the Code of Practice on Workforce matters in Local Authority Service Contracts. Bidders are required to submit details of how proposed management and staffing proposals will deliver the service requirements, details of the management structure and provide information on employment.

Tenders may indicate the ability and indicative costs for additional services as part of the Variance Schedule; further discussion may ensue as a result. The cash value collected and handled is currently in the order of £18M per annum; the majority of which is coinage.

The Council has reviewed the provision of cash collection services across the different functions where there is a cash collection requirement. This review was undertaken to determine the most economically advantageous way forward that will ensure a successful business review of this service.

The Council wishes to award a contract commencing 1 July 2016 for the provision of cash collection services for a period of 36 months with a further provision of 1 x 12 month extensions or part thereof, to run consecutively if required; a maximum period of 60 months. The length of contract reflects the high set up costs of such a contract.

The contract is managed under the auspices of Parking Services, as the Authorisation Officer; the service is also a main customer. Service areas requiring a collections services include –

Parking Services – On & Off Street Parking ‘pay and display’ cash handling; annualised value approximately £7M.

Open Spaces – Parks Income cash handling

Customer Services – coinage delivery

Bath Register Office – cash handling from registrations and marriages

Public Protection – Licensing cash handling; annualised value approximately £2.25M.

Heritage Services – cash handling from key tourist venues; annualised value approximately £7M.

Children’s Services – cash handling from various Children Centres and Nurseries

Library Services – cash handling from various locations

Waste Services – cash