Soft Market Testing - Arboriculture Services

Descriptions

Both Wandsworth Borough Council and the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames Arboriculture Maintenance Services contracts are due to expire on 31 January 2025 and require timely retendering. The aim of this exercise is for the Authorities to gain a better understanding of how the supply market operates in relation to the provision of Arboriculture Services and ascertain whether the proposed service requirements are viable. The exercise will help to inform the scope and processes for securing service delivery in an evolving marketplace. The contracts relate to Arboriculture Services which include, but are not limited to: Tree Planting, Tree Pruning, Tree Felling, Young Tree Maintenance, Stump Grinding, Basal Growth, Climbing Tree Inspections and Emergency Works. In Wandsworth, there are two contracts: (a) Arboriculture Services in parks, open spaces and cemeteries (b) Emergency Arboriculture Services for Housing and Highways The contracts are also used by some Wandsworth schools. The total annual value of these contracts for the year ending March 2023 was circa £1 million. The London Borough of Richmond contract includes highways and street trees as the bulk of contract, as well as allotments parks and open spaces (both routine and emergency works). It is our intention to provide schools with access to the new contract. In 2022/23 the total annual value of the contract (excluding schools) was circa £600,000. The Councils currently intend to approach the market with a two-lot tender, i.e. one for Wandsworth Borough Council and one for the London Borough of Richmond. The questionnaire is available on the Delta e-sourcing portal accessible at www.delta-esourcing.com and the access code is 9ZN64ASRYK. The tender will be issued by the middle of 2024.