Description
The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), on behalf of a consortium of local authorities and other organisations in Wales, intends to directly award a contract to CACI Limited for continued access to the Paycheck household income dataset. The dataset provides modelled estimates of gross household income at individual postcode level and is used by consortium members to support work on Local Housing Market Assesments, Local Development Plans, Strategic Housing Investment Plans and Ward profiles. WLGA facilitates the procurement and management of access to this dataset on behalf of the consortium. CACI Limited is the current provider of the Paycheck household income dataset used by a consortium of local authorities and partner organisations across Wales. The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), acting on behalf of a consortium of local authorities and partner organisations across Wales (the “contracting authority”), considers that the conditions for direct award under Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 are met, specifically in relation to technical considerations and the avoidance of disproportionate operational disruption.
The Paycheck dataset supplied by CACI Limited is currently embedded within established analytical models, evidence bases, and longitudinal datasets used across multiple Welsh authorities. A change of supplier at this stage would introduce significant incompatibility due to differences in modelling methodologies, data definitions, and dataset structure.
Transitioning to an alternative provider would require substantial reworking of analytical models, re-baselining of datasets, and validation of outputs, resulting in loss of comparability over time. This would create disproportionate technical and operational difficulties and would risk delays to statutory planning processes and the robustness of evidence supporting housing and planning decisions.
Alternative datasets have been considered at a high level; however, they cannot be adopted within the required timeframe without incurring unacceptable cost, delay, and analytical risk.
For these reasons, the contracting authority considers that competition is not feasible at this time without disproportionate disruption.
This direct award is strictly limited to a period of 12 months and is intended as a time-limited bridging arrangement only.
During this period, WLGA will:
Undertake a structured review of technical requirements and available datasets
Engage with the market
Prepare and conduct a compliant competitive procurement for longer-term provision
The contract duration reflects the minimum period necessary to ensure continuity while this work is undertaken.