§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which organisation submitted the lowest tender in respect of providing a contract service for the Small Ships Register;
(2) if he will give full details of the tender process followed with regard to the contract for the Small Ships Register including a list of the tenderers, a list of those short-listed and the successful tenderer;
(3) what factors were taken into account in deciding the placement of the contract for the Small Ships Register.
§ Mr. Norris[holding answers 19 and 20 November 1992]: The tender process followed the Department's normal rules for competitive tender which comply with guidance notes issued by the Treasury's central unit on purchasing, with EC regulations and with Government accounting.
Seven firms were invited to tender, but offers were received from only three. In addition an inhouse hid was submitted by the Department's client division (The Register of Shipping and Seamen).
Placement was decided on compliance with the Department's specification, value for money and quality. The contract was awarded to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency which submitted the tender which best met these requirements.
746WIt is not departmental policy to release information on firms tendering as this is regarded as commercial-in-confidence.