MD3177 Host City transport and mobility contract

1.1.    The GLA’s Major Sports Events (MSE) team has worked with transport and mobility specialists periodically over the last four years to develop mobility concepts to support project delivery. Such projects include UEFA EUROs 2020 (held in 2021); UEFA Women’s EUROs 2022; and the upcoming UEFA Champions League Final in June 2024. Many of the agreements the GLA enters into with sporting bodies contain a contractual obligation to provide a transport strategy and mobility planning for the event to run smoothly. 
1.2.    Each time the GLA has contracted a supplier to work with, the TfL procurement process (via open tender or a call-off from a framework) has typically taken three to six months to complete for each piece of work required. As the MSE team’s work of this type has been consistent, and now stands to increase, the team has identified a business need to enter an agreement with a single provider over a longer term. This will better streamline the process, and allow the team to activate the services required quickly and efficiently. 
1.3.    In addition to the owned portfolio of events, there is a growing need for detailed planning and demand modelling for other events in London, both scheduled and prospective. This will ensure smooth running of the capital, and limited impact on business-as-usual operations. 
1.4.    The anticipated consultancy services required include demand modelling, assessment of event owner or venue plans, contribution to event bids, and planning services. 
Budgetary proposal
1.5.    At budget-setting time, the team earmarked funds from the MSE programme budget to cover a contract from 2022-23 to 2025-26. The GLA will complete a competitive tender process using the Events Framework in conjunction with TfL Procurement.
1.6.    The amount to be spent under the contract depends on the major events secured for which these services are required. The funding profile for the maximum amount is as follows: 

Expected outputs
1.7.    Once the supplier has been appointed, the GLA will be equipped to provide expert transport strategy and mobility concepts to sporting bodies with whom we work regularly, and in line with project timescales, rather than being delayed by procurement and contracting processes. This demonstrates the GLA’s ability to plan and mobilise events of national importance internally and at short notice. 
1.8.    Expected outputs from this appointment include the following:
•    event management plans
•    traffic management and road closure plans
•    barrier plans
•    infrastructure itineraries including barriers, toilets, stage and audio/visual elements, and event-related signage
•    safety and security plans
•    crowd management plans
•    health and safety plans
•    risk assessments
•    CAD drawings 
•    parade route planning.
 

2.1.    The objectives of the expenditure are to appoint a suitable service provider with the relevant expert knowledge and experience to provide the GLA with specialised mobility and transport strategies and plans on an ad hoc basis over the next three budgetary years.
2.2.    GLA support for this contract will facilitate the work of the MSE team, which:
•    enables Londoners to join together and attend major GLA-led sports events in the capital
•    supports delivery of the GLA’s major sports events strategy, London: Home of World Class Sport
•    increases international exposure for London as a major destination for world-class sport and tourism
•    contributes to achieving the Mayor’s Tourism Vision for London
•    delivers across various Mayoral priorities, including community participation and youth engagement.
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor and the GLA are subject to the public sector equality duty and must have due regard to the need to: 
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not 
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. 
3.2.    The “protected characteristics” are age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage/civil partnership status. The duty involves having appropriate regard to these matters as they apply in the circumstances, including having regard to the need to: remove or minimise any disadvantage suffered by those who share or are connected to a protected characteristic; take steps to meet the different needs of such people; and encourage them to participate in public life or in any other activity where their participation is disproportionately low. This can involve treating people with a protected characteristic more favourably than those without one.
3.3.    At this stage, no equality issues have been identified with this decision, but this will be kept under review and we will work with TfL to ensure a comprehensive and fair procurement exercise is undertaken. Any strategies or plans produced by the provider will consider equalities issues.
 

Risk
4.1.    Key risks are outlined in the table below:

    Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities 
4.2.    GLA support for major events will:
•    support delivery of the GLA’s major sports events framework, London: Home of World Class Sport
•    increase economic investment into London
•    support delivery of the Mayor’s sports strategy, Sport Unites
•    increase international exposure for London as a major destination for world-class sport and tourism, particularly in Europe.
    Conflicts of interest
4.3.    There are no conflicts of interest to declare for those involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form. 
 

5.1.         This decision seeks approval for the procurement of a mobility specialist to provide expert guidance and consult on host city and major sports events’ projects and events. The cost to the GLA for this is up to £250,000 in the years 2023-24 to 2025-26. The proposed split of cost is outlined in paragraph 1.6. 
5.2.         There is sufficient budget within this year and the plan for subsequent financial years to cover this cost. Appropriate break clauses will be inserted into the contract to ensure it can be terminated should the funding not be agreed.
 

Power to undertake the requested decisions
6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the Authority’s general powers; and fall within the Authority’s statutory power to do such things considered to further, or that are facilitative of or conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation within Greater London and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of the health of, and health inequalities between, persons; and contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the UK
•    consult with appropriate bodies.
6.2.    In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely, the need to: eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation) and persons who do not share it; and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
Procurement
6.3.    The decision, above, requests budgetary approval of £250,000 for the purpose of the procurement of a transport and mobility specialist services provider. Officers are reminded to comply with the requirements of the Contracts and Funding Code, and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, when undertaking the procurement. Furthermore, officers are reminded to ensure that an appropriate contract be put in place between the GLA and the service provider before the services commence. 
 

7.1.    Planned delivery approach and next steps are outlined in the table below.