§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to ensure that the bidding process for the national insurance computer contract was fair, allowing no one bidder an undue advantage. [23634]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe contract for the national insurance computer replacement system was awarded following a procurement through a competitive tendering exercise, undertaken in accordance with EC regulations governing the award of public service contracts (Public Service Contracts Legislation 1993). Due to the novel nature of the arrangement through the private finance initiative, DSS independent audit carried out surveys at various checkpoints to ensure that suppliers were content with the process and its fairness. None of the three suppliers made any criticism of the Department's efforts to create an unbiased and fair procurement process.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the companies that bid for the national insurance computer contract had previously been involved in drawing up the business case for outsourcing the contract. [23633]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe business case for outsourcing was produced soley by civil servants of the Contributions Agency and the Information and Technology Services Agency with legal and financial guidance from external advisers who had no links with any of the companies involved in the bidding process.