Weather-forecasting services

Tender description

The Council is looking to commission a localised weather forecasting solution for the purpose of assisting in the delivery of an effective and efficient Winter Service. This is an essential resources as it assists those managing the Winter Service to make informed decisions as to when, for example, the gritting fleet should be deployed and the nature of gritting/salting that is appropriate, based on local climatic data and subsequent, specific, forecasting. Without this service Worcestershire County Council (WCC) may fail in its common-law duty of care to maintain safe highways and, conversely, may deploy the gritting fleet unnecessarily at a cost disproportionate to the cost of the weather forecasting service. The Council is looking to commission a localised weather forecasting solution for the purpose of assisting in the delivery of an effective and efficient Winter Service. This is an essential resources as it assists those managing the Winter Service to make informed decisions as to when, for example, the gritting fleet should be deployed and the nature of gritting/salting that is appropriate, based on local climatic data and subsequent, specific, forecasting. Without this service Worcestershire County Council (WCC) may fail in its common-law duty of care to maintain safe highways and, conversely, may deploy the gritting fleet unnecessarily at a cost disproportionate to the cost of the weather forecasting service. The contract will be a single supplier contract, for an initial duration of 3 years, extendable at the Authority's discretion for a further 2 periods of one year each, up to a maximum of 5 years, effective from May 2018. The Service is carried out under the terms and conditions of the NEC4 Professional Services Short Contract, published in June 2017, by the Institution of Civil Engineers.