Decision ref
0030 2025/26
Decision date
19/08/2025
Portfolio
Children and Young People
Wards
All wards
Title
DNA Drug & Alcohol Testing Services Framework
Summary
To approve joining Liverpool's framework agreement for the provision of DNA, drug, and alcohol testing services. Ensuring consistent access to compliant, cost effective, and quality-assured testing to support statutory responsibilities.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to seek approval for St Helen's Council to enter into the newly reprocured framework agreement led by Liverpool City Council for the provision of DNA, drug, and alcohol testing services. This follows the expiry of the previous framework under which St Helen's Council was a participating member. The new framework provides a compliant and efficient route to market, ensuring continued access to these essential services that support statutory functions, particularly in safeguarding, legal, and court proceedings. The report outlines the due diligence undertaken and sets out the governance arrangements that will be put in place to manage local delivery under the new framework.
Background
St Helen's Council has an ongoing requirement for DNA, drug, and alcohol testing services to support statutory duties, particularly within safeguarding, court proceedings, and legal processes. These services were previously accessed through Liverpool City Council's framework, in which St Helen's Council was a participating member. That framework has now expired and has been replaced by a newly reprocured agreement following a compliant procurement process.
This new framework provides a legally robust, cost-effective, and operationally efficient mechanism for continuing access to these specialist testing services. It ensures service continuity without interruption, avoids the resource burden of running a standalone procurement exercise, and builds on the service delivery model that has already proved effective under the previous agreement.
Joining the new framework will allow St Helen's Council to maintain timely and consistent access to testing services critical to meeting statutory obligations, while continuing to benefit from the governance and performance management arrangements established through a formal framework structure.
Conclusion
This DED seeks approval to re-enter into Liverpool City Council's DNA Drug & Alcohol Testing Services Framework due to the ending of the previous contract. As a result of this a new framework has been established, under which three approved available providers are available for instruction.
In order to progress the necessary assessments, St Helen's Council will re-enter this updated framework and instruct an appropriate provider for the current list. All providers within this framework meet the required evidential and procedural standards.
The re-entry into this framework ensures that testing can proceed without undue delay and support timely, informed decision making. All necessary consents and safeguards remain in place, and the process is considered fair, proportionate, and in the best interest of the child.
Risk Implications
Even where full due diligence has been completed and appropriate legal access to Liverpool Council's framework has been established, some residual risks remain. These include the potential for supplier underperformance, variations in service quality, and limited influence over contract changes or dispute resolution, as the contract is managed by the lead authority. There may also be legal and reputational risks, such as shared liability in the event of a procurement challenge or service failure, and scrutiny during legal proceedings if the integrity of testing processes is questioned.
Measures to Redress Risk
To mitigate these ongoing risks, it is essential to maintain robust oversight, including clear governance arrangements, and performance monitoring.
Declarations Of Interest
None
Equality Impact Assessment
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More information
Please contact Lauren Cole on 07743190170
