Contract Authorisation Report for Erskine Civic Plaza
Renfrewshire Council · 20 November 2025
Back to Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board — 20 November 2025 and its agenda
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OFFICIAL ___________________________________________________________________ To: Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board On: 20 November 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: The Director of Finance and Resources and the Chief Executive Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Contract Authorisation Report for Erskine Civic Plaza (RC-CPU-25- 007) ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek the approval of the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board to award a Works Contract for Erskine Civic Plaza (RC-CPU-25-007) to Covanburn Contracts Limited. 1.2 The recommendation to award the Contract follows a procurement exercise conducted in accordance with the Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts for a below Regulated (Works) Contract using the below Regulated value Open Procedure. 1.3 A Contract Strategy was approved by the Interim Corporate Procurement Manager on 13 August 2025 and Head of Economy & Development Services on 12 August 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board:
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OFFICIAL 2.1 Authorises the Head of Corporate Governance to award a Works Contract in the form of NEC3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract April 2013 incorporating the additional and amended ‘Z’ clauses, for Erskine Civic Plaza (RC-CPU-25-007) to Covanburn Contracts Limited (Co. no. SC263761): 2.2 Authorises the award of the Total of the Prices of £494,881.21 excluding VAT. 2.3 Authorises a contingency spend of £98,976.24 excluding VAT which equates to 20% of the Total of the Prices. 2.4 Authorises a total Approved Contract Value of £593,857.45 excluding VAT (which is the Total of the Prices plus the contingency spend). 2.5 Note that the starting date is anticipated to be 5 January 2026, and the completion date is 22 weeks from the starting date. If there is a change to these dates then, the actual dates will be as stated in the Award Schedule to the Council’s Letter of Acceptance to Covanburn Contracts Limited. ______________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 This procurement exercise is for the appointment of a contractor to carry out the construction of a multi-functional civic plaza within Erskine Town Centre, with associated soft landscaping, lighting and street furniture. The project will create a new active route and new blue/green habitats. 3.2 A Prior Information Notice (PIN) was issued on the Public Contracts Scotland portal on 10 July 2025 to advertise the opportunity in advance of the issue of the Contract Notice. 3.3 The Contract Notice was published on the Public Contracts Scotland advertising portal on 14 August 2025 with tender documentation available for downloading from Public Contracts Scotland – Tender portal from this date. 3.4 During the live tender period, 31 organisations expressed an interest in the tender. By the closing date set for return of electronic tender submissions, 12pm on 11 September 2025, 5 organisations submitted a response, 9 organisations declined to respond, and 17 organisations did not respond.
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OFFICIAL 3.5 In accordance with the Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders relating to Contracts, standing order 11.5, each Tenderer was required to complete a Single Procurement Document Scotland (SPD) to be submitted as part of their tender submission. All 5 SPDs were evaluated against a pre-determined set of Criteria in the SPD by representatives from the following Council services: Chief Executive Service (Economy & Development Services), the Corporate Procurement Unit, Corporate Risk and Corporate Health & Safety. 3.6 1 tender submission failed to submit a completed Contractor’s Offer by the tender deadline. Another tender submission failed to comply with the information and instructions in the ITT and was deemed Abnormally Low. Both tender submissions were deemed non-compliant and excluded from the procurement process. The remaining 3 tender submissions complied with the minimum selection criteria of the SPD and each Tender Submission was further evaluated against the Award Criteria of 60% Quality and 40% Price. 3.7 The scores relative to the Award Criteria for each of the 3 tender submissions are noted below: Tenderer Name Price Score (40%) Quality Score (60%) Total Score (100%) Covanburn Contracts Limited 40.00% 55.50% 95.50% Landscapes and Contracts Limited 34.79% 49.75% 84.54% JH Civil Engineering Limited 15.31% 48.00% 63.31% 3.8 The evaluation of tender submissions received identified that the submission by Covanburn Contracts Limited is the most economically advantageous tender. 3.9 The form of Contract is NEC3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract April 2013 incorporating the additional and amended ‘Z’ clauses. 3.10 The Contract is being part funded by the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund and Scottish Government's Place Based Investment Programme. 3.11 Community benefits were requested as part of the tender and Covanburn Contracts Limited have offered the following community benefits:
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OFFICIAL Community Benefit Outcome Description No of People / Activity Work Experience Placement for an individual 16+ years of age 1 Work Experience Placement for an individual in full time education 2 Commitment to ensure that supply chain opportunities are prioritised for Renfrewshire based businesses 1 Financial Support for a Social Enterprise or other approved community initiative 2 Non-financial support for a Social Enterprise or other approved community initiative 1 ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - The Approved Contract Value of £593,857.45 for the 22-week Contract will be met through 3 sources: • Renfrewshire Council Capital funds £243,857.45 • Shared Prosperity Fund (UK Government) £200,000 • Place Based Investment Programme (Scottish Government) £150,000 The £200,000.00 Shared Prosperity Fund allocation requires to be spent by the end of March 2026. After consultation, the Council’s Neighbourhood Services department has confirmed that no significant additional resource is required for ongoing maintenance of the project. The first year of maintenance costs have been included in Covanburn Contracts Limited approved contract value. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None directly arising from this report. 3. Community/Council Planning – Place - working together to enhance wellbeing across communities • Adopting a 'place shaping' approach to developing our communities - working together to maximise our collective impact and influence across economic, social, physical, cultural and environmental policies and practices.
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OFFICIAL • Demonstrating that Renfrewshire is a great place to grow up, it's a place of opportunity for those that live and work here, and it's a brilliant place for a day out. Green - leading Renfrewshire to Net Zero • Working across partners and communities to deliver the priority areas highlighted in our Plan for Net Zero, working towards a net zero Renfrewshire by 2030. • Integrating climate considerations into our long term strategic and financial planning as an organisation. Living our Values - making a difference together • Ensuring Renfrewshire Council delivers Best Value for our citizens and customers, that we are a well governed, effective organisation. 4. Legal - This procurement exercise was carried out as an Open Procedure for a below Regulated value works contract in accordance the Council’s Standing Orders relating to Contracts. 5. Property/Assets - Delivery of the works will return a long-term area of vacant and derelict land to a positive use for the local community. 6. Information Technology - None directly arising from this report. 7. Equality & Human Rights - None directly arising from this report. 8. Health & Safety – Covanburn Contracts Limited health and safety submissions have been evaluated by the Corporate Health and Safety team and met the Council’s requirements regarding health and safety. 9. Procurement – The procurement procedures outlined within this report ensures that the Council meets its statutory requirements in respect of procurement procedures, efficiency and modern Government. 10. Risk - Covanburn Contracts Limited insurances have been assessed and evaluated to confirm that they have met the requirements regarding insurable risk. 11. Privacy Impact - None directly arising from this report. 12. Climate Risk– The Scottish Government Sustainability Test was carried out and the risks associated with this has been assessed as High Risk. Mitigations to address this high risk are that the project will include enhanced landscaping, biodiversity and climate resilience.
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OFFICIAL Covanburn Contracts Limited have developed a Carbon Reduction Plan that aims to reduce their emissions in line with the Scottish Government’s targets that includes the reduction of carbon emissions, waste minimisation and implementation of recycling innovation; all of which will be considered throughout the lifetime of the Contract. 13. Children’s Rights – None directly arising from this report. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None directly arising from this report. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers - None __________________________________________________________________ Author: Louise Bishop, Procurement Adviser - louise.bishop@renfrewshire.gov.uk