Contract to provide the MPS with embroidered name badges and epaulettes

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.027099

I note you seek access to the following information:

Before 2019 when the contract finished, a German company was contracted to provide the Met Police with embroidered name badges and epaulettes.

1. Please can you provide me with the name of this company and any item numbers for the name badges and epaulettes.

2. Can you also provide the cost per item.

3. Please can you provide me with information as to why this contract was not renewed and as such a much cheaper and less versatile item was selected.

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 43 (2) - Commercial Interests

Reason for decision

Section 43 (2) - Commercial Interests - (2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).

The information relates to details in respect to the contract with the Metropolitan Police Service to provide Name Badges and Epaulettes.

The release of:

• Cost per Item (in relation to question 2 above).

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.

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.

Disclosure

Q1 - Please can you provide me with the name of this company and any item numbers for the name badges and epaulettes.

Items are procured through the National Managed Uniform Services Contract with DHL.
I have considered question 2 information below:

Q2 - Can you provide the cost per item

The above requests for information is exempt under:
Section 43(2) - Commercial Interest.

Q3 - Please can you provide me with information as to why this contract was not renewed and as such a much cheaper and less versatile item was selected.

Name badges and epaulettes were moved over to the National Managed Uniform Services Contract with DHL. Any changes to products are made via consultation through the Product Development Meeting and if required the Uniform Management Board.