§ Paul HolmesTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list all contracts awarded by his Department to Capita since 1997, stating(a) start and finish date of contract, (b) value of contract, (c) description of 24W work to be carried out, (d) evaluation mechanism for successful delivery of contract, (e) penalty charges for failure to deliver and (f) if penalty charges have been incurred; and if he will make a statement. [39982]
§ Mr. McCartneyUntil 2000 most records for use of consultants were kept by individual projects and programmes, rather than centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The available information is as follows.
Accommodation and Office Services (AOS)
(a) Start and finish dates:
AOS contract Start date End date North-west coast and Greater Manchester 1 April 1999 Extended to 31 March 2004 Tyne Tees and Yorkshire 1 April 1999 Extended to 31 March 2004 West Midlands and Mercia 1 April 1999 Extended to 31 March 2004 (b) Estimated total value for the three contracts to 31 March 2004 is £112.9 million.
(c) Services provided under each of these contracts are:
- Post opening
- Typing
- Secretarial
- Shuttle bus management
- Post despatch Reprographics
- Fleet management
- Messengerial
- Switchboard operation
- Stationery ordering.
(d) The contractor is monitored against the standards of delivery stipulated in the contract. The contractor provides monthly reports detailing levels of service achieved. If the service level is deficient, service credits can be applied.
(e) and (f) There are no penalty clauses within the contract.
Winter Fuels Payments (New Rules)
(a) The initial contract was for one year from 5 May 2000 to 4 May 2001, with an option to run for up to five years—i.e. to 4 May 2005. To date there have been two one-year extensions—the current expiry date is 4 May 2003.
(b) Estimated value for the three years to 4 May 2003 is £16.1 million.
(c) Bulk issue of claim forms for winter fuels payments to potential customers, identified by the Department (as living within Great Britain); and provision of a helpline service to deal with inquiries and issue of forms to customers with potential entitlement from previous winters.
(d) and (e) Performance targets for service delivery were included in the contract, and liquidated damages set for failure to reach these targets The detail of the targets set and the level of liquidated damages to be imposed for failure to deliver these are commercially confidential between the Department and Capita.
(f) To date, no liquidated damages have been imposed.
25WRecruitment Services
(a) 13 July 2001 to 31 December 2002.
(b) Some £600,000 in total.
(c) To provide the Department's Human Resource Services with professional, independent advice and recruitment services.
(d) and (e) A range of quality criteria and control mechanisms are included in the contract, with post exercise reviews of administration, value for money and charging regimes.
(f) Not applicable.
Working Age Specification Framework
(a) Initially let from 15 October 2001 to 7 December 2001, then extended to 31 March 2002.
(b) £139,443.
(c) Support to provide a framework to ensure that Working Age Group is focused directly on activities that best contribute to the targets for which it is responsible.
(d) and (e) Payment for defined products, to time and standard. Unacceptable deliverables/products can result in re-work to correct at no additional charge to the Department, partial acceptance and pro-rata payment or, finally, termination of the contract.
(f) None.
Consultancy support to Pension Credit Project Central Design Authority
(a) Let from 4 February 2002 to 12 April 2002.
(b) Maximum value £198.000.
(c) Consultancy support to assist in key design tasks.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.
User Tester to the Pensions Forecasting Project
(a) 19 November 2001 to 25 February 2002.
(b) £24,850.
(c) Capita analysed new business processes in order establish their impact and any testing requirements.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.
Private Sector Led New Deal—Solihull
(a) 1 August 1998 to 15 November 2002.
(b) £500,000.
(c) Provide consultancy advice and support to the Employment Service locally.
(d) The contract sets out the services to be delivered and the key performance indicators that have to be met. The contract manager is responsible for assuring that the services captured within the contract are being delivered. The contract sets out the remedies for non-delivery of the services specified within the contract. Performance management is undertaken by the contract manager who is responsible for working in partnership with the contractor to improve the levels of performance. Where appropriate the delivery of performance is directly linked to outputs/outcomes so in such circumstances payment is only triggered when the agreed levels of performance have been met.
26W(e) and (f) The contract does not include provision for penalty charges and therefore none have been incurred.
Employment Services Estates Corporate Supply
(a) 6 May 1998 to 5 May 2002.
(b) £3 million.
(c) Advised on Jobcentre Plus pathfinder environment issues, acting as managing consultant for the Jobcentre Plus refurbishment programme in the Employment Services estate.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.
New Deal Next Phase (progress2work)—Birmingham North
New Deal Next Phase (progress2work)—Birmingham South
(a) Both run from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2004.
(b) £238,000 each.
(c) Establishing pathfinders for the first tranche of progress2work, targeting unemployed clients disadvantaged through drug misuse.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.
Disability Marketing in the North-west
(a) 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2003.
(b) £168,000.
(c) Marketing support for the North West Disability Services.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.
Access to Work
(a) 1 April 2001 to 1 October 2001.
(b) £184,000.
(c) Review of the Access to Work processes.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.
New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) Procurement Support
(a) 9 October 2000 to 22 December 2000.
(b) £127,000.
(c) Technical support during the NDDP procurement exercise.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.
(d) (e) and (f) As above.