Report - Contract Authorisation Report for Advanced Automation Technology (RC-CPU-25-235)
Renfrewshire Council · 11 June 2026
Back to Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board — 11 June 2026 and its agenda
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board On: 11 June 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: The Director of Finance and Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Contract Authorisation Report for Advanced Automation Technology (RC-CPU-25-235) ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board to award a Contract (Call-Off Contract) for Advanced Automation Technology to Blue Prism Limited. 1.2 The recommendation to award a Call-Off Contract follows a procurement exercise conducted in accordance with the Crown Commercial Services G-Cloud 14 Framework Agreement RM1557.14 Framework Schedule 5: Award Procedure (Award Procedure) and the RM1557.14 G-Cloud 14 (lots 1- 3) Buyer Guide (Buyer Guide) and Renfrewshire Council Standing Orders Relating to Contracts for an above Threshold Services Contract. 1.3 The contract strategy was approved by both the Director of Finance and Resources and the Strategic Category Manager on 5 May 2026. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board:
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PUBLIC 2.1 Authorises the Head of Corporate Governance to award the Contract for Advanced Automation Technology to Blue Prism Limited (Co. No. 04260035) being a Call-Off Contract made under Lot 2 of the Crown Commercial Services G-Cloud 14 Framework Agreement (RM1557.14) (Framework). 2.2 Authorises the maximum approved Call-Off Contract value of up to £400,000 excluding VAT for the full Call-Off Contact Term, including the extension. 2.3 Authorises the Call-Off Contract for a Term of 2 years with the option to extend for up to 12 months at the sole discretion of the Council. The proposed Call-Off Start Date is 3 October 2026 however, the actual date will be formally confirmed in the Crown Commercial Services G- Cloud 14 Framework Agreement RM1557.14 Call-Off Contract. 2.4 Authorises the following liability caps within the Call-Off Contract: o Defaults by either party resulting in direct loss to the property (excluding any loss or damage to Buyer Data) of the other Party will not exceed 125% of the annual Charges payable by the Buyer to the Supplier o The annual total liability of the Supplier for the following will not exceed the greater of £500,000 or 125% of the annual Charges payable by the Buyer to the Supplier: − Buyer Data Defaults resulting in damage to any Buyer Data − Liability under clause 10.1 (Confidentiality) and clause 28 (Data Protection and Disclosure). o The annual total liability of the Supplier for all other Defaults will not exceed the greater of £500,000 or 125% of the annual Charges payable by the Buyer to the Supplier. 2.5 This Call-Off Contract will be made using the Framework Award Procedure, related Order Form and Call-Off Terms. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Advanced automation technology is an operational tool which brings significant benefits to the Council. The tool helps develop new ways of reducing routine manual processes by automating administrative, logic- based tasks across the Council. It is proposed under this new Call-Off Contract the Council will continue to expand the use of this tool.
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PUBLIC 3.2 A bespoke specialist in-house team within Business Services is dedicated to developing processes for automation. Since 2017, this team has developed and customised automations and as a result this has reduced the manual processes required across the Council. 3.3 The Council’s current contract for Advanced Automation Technology expires on 2 October 2026. The current Supplier is Blue Prism Limited. 3.4 In accordance with the Renfrewshire Council Standing Orders relating to Contracts 29.5, officers identified that the Crown Commercial Services G-Cloud 14 Framework Agreement RM1557.14 (“the Framework”) Lot 2 Cloud Software was a suitable route to market. A procurement exercise conducted in accordance with the Crown Commercial Services G-Cloud 14 Framework Agreement RM1557.14 Award Procedure and Buyer Guide, and Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts for an above Threshold Services Contract. 3.5 Following the Framework Schedule 5: Award Procedure and the Buyer Guide, the Council followed the steps 1-3 using search criteria as detailed below under Lot 2 (Cloud Software): Search Criteria Search Criteria Details Number of Suppliers Search Criteria 1: RPA 186 Search Criteria 2: Blue Prism 28 Search Criteria 3: OCR 10 Search Criteria 4: Platform 10 Filter - Data storage and processing locations United Kingdom and EEA 10 Filter - Security certification Cyber essentials 8 Filter - User support Email or online ticketing and phone 8 Filter - Management access authentication Two factor authentication 5 Filter - Data protection between buyer and supplier networks Private network or public sector network 4 3.6 After applying the relevant search criteria and filters, 4 Suppliers were identified and progressed on to Step 4 Evaluation and Selection of the award process. In accordance with Step 4: Evaluation and Selection, and permitted by the Buyers Guide, evaluation by “the Most Economically Advantageous
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PUBLIC Tender (MEAT)” was applied. A desk top analysis of the 4 Suppliers’ individual Service offerings was undertaken against the Council’s requirement, functional fit, Terms and Conditions and price. 3.7 Following the desk top analysis, it was identified that Blue Prism Limited’s Service offering would provide best value to the Council and therefore progressed to Step 5 - Award and Buy. 3.8 The Call-Off Contract with Blue Prism Limited will be formed using the Call-Off Contract (Order Form) and Call-Off Terms issued with the Framework. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - The costs for this Contract will be met by the Finance and Resource Service budget with a maximum approved Contract value of up to £400,000 excluding VAT for the Period of Contract, including extension. 2. HR & Organisational Development - No HR & Organisational development implications have arisen or are anticipated. 3. Community/Council Planning – o Working together to improve outcomes - the Council must work smarter and in fundamentally different ways, sharpening the focus of our organisation to meet the significant financial challenges. This Call-Off Contract will ensure the Council takes advantage of new technologies to reduce manual tasks by automating administrative, logic-based task allowing staff to concentrate on other tasks. 4. Legal - This procurement was carried out in accordance with Crown Commercial Services G-Cloud 14 RM1557.14 Framework Schedule 5: Award Procedure and (lots 1,2 and 3) Buyer Guide and the Renfrewshire Council Standing Orders Relating to Contracts for an above Threshold Services Contract. 5. Property/Assets - No property/assets implications have arisen or are anticipated. 6. Information Technology - This Call-Off Contract will ensure the Council takes advantage of new technologies. ICT Staff have also
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PUBLIC been involved in this procurement exercise assisting with the desk top analysis and will also assist with the offboarding and onboarding requirements under this Contract. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety - No Health and Safety implications have arisen or are anticipated. 9. Procurement – This procurement exercise was conducted in accordance with Crown Commercial Services G-Cloud 14 RM1557.14 Framework Schedule 5: Award Procedure and the RM1557.14 G-Cloud 14 (lots 1,2 and 3) Buyer Guide and Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts 10. Risk - Blue Prism Limited’s insurance documentation was evaluated by Crown Commercial Service at the time of awarding Blue Prism Limited a place on the Framework. The Framework does not permit unlimited liability Call-Off Contracts; therefore, the following liability caps apply as part of the Call-Off Contract: o Defaults by either party resulting in direct loss to the property (excluding any loss or damage to Buyer Data) of the other Party will not exceed 125% of the annual Charges payable by the Buyer to the Supplier o The annual total liability of the Supplier for the following will not exceed the greater of £500,000 or 125% of the annual Charges payable by the Buyer to the Supplier: − Buyer Data Defaults resulting in damage to any Buyer Data − Liability under clause 10.1 (Confidentiality) and clause 28 (Data Protection and Disclosure).
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PUBLIC o The annual total liability of the Supplier for all other Defaults will not exceed the greater of £500,000 or 125% of the annual Charges payable by the Buyer to the Supplier. 11. Privacy Impact - As part of the procurement process, a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) was conducted by the Service and the Council’s Information Governance team. Blue Prism Limited are required to adhere to the Framework Conditions and Call-Off terms which include provision for Data Protection and GDPR. Blue Prism Limited must agree to the Data Protection requirements as noted within the Order Form and Call-Off Contract Schedule 7: UK GDPR information. 12. Climate Risk – The level of impact associated with provision of this service under this Contract has been assessed using the Scottish Government Sustainability Test and is considered to be low risk. 13. Children’s Rights – No children rights implications have arisen or are anticipated. 14. Cosla Policy Position – No Cosla policy position implications have arisen or are anticipated. _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) None ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Gillian Gordon, Senior Procurement Specialist, Corporate Procurement Unit, gillian.gordon@renfrewshire.gov.uk