SALFORD CITY COUNCIL - RECORD OF DECISION
I (insert name) Harry Seaton
(insert title)
Director of Housing Services
in exercise of the powers conferred on me by Paragraph 2 of Section J of the Scheme of
Delegation of the Council, and following consultation with Councillors Warmisham and
Burgoyne being the Lead and the Deputy Lead Member, respectively, for the Housing
Service function, do hereby authorise
The acceptance of the tender of the Northern Consortium of Housing Authorities at
£18,441 exc VAT to carry out the Tenant Satisfaction Survey for the Housing Services
Directorate
The reasons are
An evaluation of the responses provided at Appendix 1 to the report
The source of funding is Housing Revenue Account
The following documents have been used to assist the decision process:-
Signed ............................................... Dated ................................................
Director
Signed
............................................... Dated ................................................
Lead Member
Signed ............................................... Dated ................................................
Deputy Lead Member
Contact Officer Stephen Jolley
Tel. No. 925-1218
* This decision is not subject to consideration by another Director
* Delete, as appropriate
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PRE-DECISION CHECKLIST
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Consultation Yes/No/N Applic – Please list …………………………………..
Environmental Impact …………………………………………………………
Budget Provision £ 18441 Revenue
Personnel/Training/Equal Opps Implications. Please specify ………………..
IT Requirements Yes/No/N Applic
Refer to Area/Scrutiny/Cabinet
Publicity/PR Yes/No. If Yes refer to Sue Hill.
Signed: ………………………………. Asst. Director or Department
Date: ……….
Report to Lead Member and Deputy Housing
Report for Decision/Information
Date of Meeting : 27th October 2000
Subject : Results of Customer Satisfaction Survey Tender
This report has been prepared in order to inform you of the process used in selecting the contractor to be used
to carry out a survey of council tenants opinions as to the service they receive from the City Council. This
survey has to be undertaken in order to meet the requirements of Best Value Performance Indicators 74 &
75.
An initial list of contractors known to be experienced in this field was contacted and three tender
submissions were received. Given the requirements of the contract brief, which you have previously
approved, the proposals for methodology in undertaking the survey were very similar between all three
contractors.
An evaluation of the bids was undertaken by the Principal Officer(Tenant Participation), the Head of
Investment Strategy and the Senior Research Officer. A number of key factors were identified, including
cost, estimates of response rates, length of questionnaire, adherence to timescales etc. this is attached as
appendix 1.
Results of the Evaluation
Given that all contractors varied in their estimates of response rates, and that all bids stated that there could
be a variance in costs if responses did not match estimates an attempt was made to equalise the response
rates and estimate likely increases in costs. The Northern Consortium of Housing Authorities (NCHA) bid
was most pessimistic about response rates, and, as their bid was based upon recent work in Salford rather
than average response rates, this was used as the basis for estimations.
The three tenders received all used different assumptions as to the level of response that would be received
from the initial mailout. This differing response rate also means that there are differing cost elements
associated with sending out reminder cards and second questionnaires.
All tender prices included a provision for increased costs should the initial response rates not be met
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In order to get a level playing field, the cost element of the survey for each tenderer which relates to mailing
of reminder questionnaires was re-evaluated, based upon the most pessimistic assumptions of response rates.
This assumption used an expected initial response rate of 33% as used by the Northern Consortium of
Housing Authorities
The cost figures created by using this methodology are as follows:
Tender
Kwest
ORCI
NCHA
response rate
40%
50%
33%
Initial cost
£17,325
£18,700
£18,441
Revised cost
£18,545
£21,604
£18,441
These figures do not take into account any other factors, such as the length of the questionnaire.
Following further discussions with NCHA, they have managed to shorten their questionnaire from 12 to 8
pages, and have now suggested that this may result in reduced printing and postage costs. The revised costs
for NCHA based on these estimates are between £13,294 and £14,400.
After weighing up all of the factors in the bid documents, it was agreed between all three panel members to
select the NCHA as the preferred contractor and to invite them in for interview to clarify their bid and, if
satisfactory to the council, to agree protocols and working arrangements. This meeting took place on the 18th
October 2000, and protocols were agreed between the NCHA and the Council.
The main points agreed were:
Northern Consortium to provide:
 Draft copies of questionnaire and covering letter for approval
 Regular updates of progress
 Written report and presentation of results
Salford to provide:
 Data file in access or excel format
 Translation phrases into four main languages as graphic files
 Translated copies of survey to be made available as required
Contact point for residents queries will be Marilyn Thornley.
After agreeing all of the above points, it is recommended that the tender of the Northern Consortium of
Housing Authorities be accepted and they be appointed as the contractor for this survey.
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Customer Satisfaction Survey 2000/1
Appendix 1
Tender Evaluation Proforma
Consideration /
Tender Brief Item
Estimated total cost
Contractor Details
(a) Northern Consortium of
Housing authorites
£18,441 (ex VAT)
(b) Opinion Research
Corporation International
£18,700 (ex VAT)
(c) Kwest
Comments
Preferred
(if any)
£17,325 (ex. VAT)
All prices were within a reasonable range of one another,
and all carry a caveat of extra costs should a significant
amount of extra work be involved
A
Estimate of total number of
surveys required to achieve +/4% accuracy in each of the 5
areas
3,100
2,710
2,698
The figures from NCHA were considerably higher than
those provided by the other organisations, which
suggests that the accuracy of results provided by them
would be more robust than information provided by the
other two companies tendering
Estimated response rate & total
number of households to be
contacted
33%
9,200
50%
5,420
40%
6,746
NCHA estimates based upon recent work in Salford.
Other estimates have a much higher expected response
rate, so are more likely to incur additional costs.
A
A
A,B
Cost per questionnaire sent
£2.00
£3.45
£2.57
NCHA is considerably cheaper on this basis per
questionnaire sent. Although part of the cost is for
analysis and therefore would not be repeated if more
fieldwork is required, the likely increase in costs should
still be smaller. For NCHA
Follow up methodology
Reminder card followed by 2nd
copy of questionnaire
Reminder card followed by 2nd
copy of questionnaire
2 repeat mailings of
questionnaire
All consultants favour 2 reminders, however, the Kwest
methodology is likely to prove more expensive than the
other two
Ability to meet timescale
Agreed could fit to Salford’s
timescale
Agreed could fit to Salford’s
timescale
Proposed amended timescale in
order to realistically stick to it –
still meets aims and
requirements of survey
All contractors seem to be capable of meeting required
deadlines
Meeting the needs of clients
with special needs
Use of translations and 14pt text
recommended – client to
provide translations for letter
and translated questionnaire
Uses translations on covering
letter – client to provide
translations for letter and
translated questionnaire
Uses translations on covering
letter – client to provide
translations for letter and
translated questionnaire
All potential contractors covered the needs of minority
ethnic populations, however only one covered the needs
of people with sight difficulties. The needs of people
who are completely blind will need to be taken into
account
Presentation of results
Contractor to provide a written
report and presentation to client
Contractor to provide a written
report and presentation to client
Contractor to provide a written
report and presentation to client
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A
Consideration /
Tender Brief Item
Contractor Details
(a) Northern Consortium of
Housing authorites
(b) Opinion Research
Corporation International
(c) Kwest
Testimonials / References
Testimonial provided by Alan
Lunt – Housing Market
Demand study completed to
satisfaction
Reference checked with
Chesterfield BC- very happy
with all elements of work and
presentation
Reference provided by
Lambeth LBC – very good
service provided, although there
was some slippage to the
timescale, which the client felt
was partially attributable to
both parties
Overall quality of submission
Detailed, clealy laid out,
examples of similar surveys
provided
Detailed, clealy laid out,
examples of similar surveys
provided
Detailed, clealy laid out,
examples of similar surveys
provided
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Comments
Testimonial for ORC noted that they are prepared to
negotiate on terms of price
Preferred
(if any)