1. Derbyshire Dales District Council recognises its responsibility and commitment to equalities in all its activities. Any contractor/organisation working for and on behalf of the District Council, or any organisation receiving grants from the District Council, must demonstrate their compliance with the Equality Act 2010.
2. The contractor/organisation must ensure that all providing, receiving or benefiting from the service are treated fairly, have access to the same opportunities and without discrimination. The contractor/organisation shall ensure that no person is treated unfavourably on the grounds of their sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity or any other grounds which cannot be justified.
3. At the pre-qualification stage, the District Council will seek information as to the general competence, track record, details of criminal offences and acts of grave misconduct in relation to previous and current equalities legislation. Contractors will be excluded from the tendering exercise if they have been convicted of a criminal offence or have committed an act of grave misconduct.
4. The following will be included as clauses in tender documents for contracts;
- It is a priority of the Council's policy to use whatever opportunities are required or allowed by law, to ensure that contractors and their agents accept a commitment to equalities.
- The contractor and any sub contractor employed by the contractor shall adopt policies to comply with all legislation as detailed above. The contractor will be required to monitor its performance as an employer and service with regard to equalities as specified by the Council.
- The contractor is required to ensure that information and services are fully accessible to all sections of the community and that resources are targeted to ensure that best value is provided.
- The contractor is required to make every effort to consult, involve and encourage the participation of local communities.
- In the event of any finding of unlawful discrimination being made against the contractor or any sub contractor employed by the contractor during the contract period, by any court or employment tribunal, or of any adverse finding in any formal investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission over the same period, the contractor shall inform the Council of this finding and shall take appropriate steps to prevent repetition of the unlawful discrimination.
- The Council will monitor performance in this area. Non compliance will be treated as a serious breach of contract and may result in the contract being terminated and/or the contractor not being permitted to tender for future contracts.
5. The Contractor will accordingly complete the evaluation questions in the tender document;
- Is it your policy as an employer and as a service provider to comply with existing equalities legislation, and to treat all people fairly and equally so that no one group of people is treated less favourably than others?
- Are you able to evidence compliance with existing equalities legislation if required?
- In the last three years has any finding of unlawful discrimination, victimisation, harassment or breach of human rights been made against your organisation by any court or industrial or employment tribunal or equivalent body?
- In the last three years has your organisation been the subject of a formal investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission?
- If the answer to question 2 and / or 3 is "Yes", what was the finding or result of the investigation and what steps did your organisation take as a result of that finding or investigation?
- What does your organisation do to ensure that equality and diversity is embedded within your organisation?
- Do you actively promote good practice in terms of eliminating discrimination, victimisation and harassment in all forms through:(a) instructions to your employees concerned with recruitment, training and promotion?(b) making guidance or policy documents concerning how the organisation embeds equality and diversity available to employees, recognised trade unions or other representative groups of employees?(c) appropriate recruitment advertisements or other literature?
- If we asked, could you provide relevant examples of the instructions, documents, recruitment advertisements or other literature?
- If required, is your organisation able to monitor its performance as an employer and service provider with regard to equalities?
As part of 3 Policies – Sustainability, Environmental Purchase Policy, Equalities
