Companies currently contracted to the MPS to provide business change services

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.026791

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. Which companies are currently contracted to the Met Police to provide business change services?

2. How long have they been working with the Met Police?

3. How much money has been spent with each of them to date since they started working with the Met Police?

4. How much money has been spent with each of them so far this financial year?

5. How many work packages have been let under Lot 3 of the Next Generation Surge Framework since it started?

6. Please can you also send me all the ITT submissions against the recent procurement for the Next Generation Surge Framework 2022 which was first issued as a PQQ in Feb 2022 and subsequently as an ITT in April 2022.

Decision

Having located and considered the relevant information. I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some information has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Partial Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Section 41(1) - Information Provided in Confidence.
Section 43(2) - Commercial Interest.
Section 44(1)(a) - Prohibitions on Disclosure.

Reason for decision

When a request is made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act), a public authority must inform you, when permitted, whether the information requested is held. It must then communicate that information to you. If a public authority decides that it is cannot comply with all or part of a request, it must cite the appropriate section or exemption of the Act and provide you with a suitable explanation. It is important to note that the Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then considered public information and must be communicated to any individual should a request be received.

Section 41(1)(a)(b) - Information Provided in Confidence - The Freedom of Information Act provides an exemption for Information provided in confidence and this is known as the section 41 exemption.

Information obtained from any other person if its disclosure would constitute a breach of confidence actionable by that or any other person.

Section 43 (2) - Commercial Interests - In considering whether or not this information should be disclosed, we have considered the potential harm that could be caused by disclosure.

The information relates to details in respect to the contract with the Metropolitan Police Service to provide business change services.

The release of:

How much money has been spent with Companies contracted:
a. To date since they started working with the Metropolitan Police Service and
b. So far this financial year.

ITT submissions against the recent procurement for the Next Generation Surge Framework 2022

Into the public domain could compromise the MPS’ ability to achieve best value for money from other Commercial contractor’s in future tenders.

As the ICO Freedom of Information Awareness Guidance states, "there is a public interest in ensuring that companies are able to compete fairly". It is likely that the disclosure of this information would impact the MPS’ ability to achieve best value for money from other Commercial contractor’s in future tenders.

It is not in the public interest for the MPS to be negatively affected.

We have considered whether the public interest lies in favour of releasing the requested information into the public domain or whether there is sufficient reason to support withholding the requested information. Having considered your request and having examined the associated risk in release, we have found there is a risk to the commercial interests of the MPS. We believe this risk, as outlined above, is both real and likely.

Therefore, it is our opinion that for these reasons the balance test for disclosure is not made out.

Section 44 (1)(a) - Prohibitions on Disclosure - The Freedom of Information Act provides an exemption for Information if its disclosure is prohibited by or under any enactment. This is known as the section 44 exemption.

I have considered questions 4 information below:

Q4 - How much money has been spent with each of them so far this financial year.

The above requests for information is exempt under:

• Section 43(2) - Commercial Interest.

I have also considered question 6 information below:

Q6 - Send me all the ITT submissions against the recent procurement for the Next Generation Surge Framework 2022 which was first issued as a PQQ in Feb 2022 and subsequently as an ITT in April 2022.

The above requests for information is exempt under:

• Section 41(1) - Information Provided in Confidence.
• Section 43(2) - Commercial Interest.
• Section 44(1)(a) - Prohibitions on Disclosure.

Disclosure

Q1 - Which companies are currently contracted to the Met Police to provide business change services?

The only company contracted to the Met Police is Bloom as sole supplier and NV under the framework. Providers that are part of the Lot are - Deloitte, Moorehouse, North Highland, CMC and Ignite.

Q2 - How long have they been working with the Met Police?

The first NEPRO2 Call-Off (NEPRO2) is dated 6th December 2015, the existing NEPRO 3 Call-Off is dated 1st November 2021.

Note: These are the only contracts that have been in place between Bloom and MPS.

Q3 - How much money has been spent with each of them to date since they started working with the Met Police.

The contract spend with Bloom for 2021 is c£30m and for 2022 (year to date) is £19m.

Q5 - How many work packages have been let under Lot 3 of the Next Generation Surge Framework since it started?

Two.