§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many contracts for goods or services have been awarded by his Department and its executive agencies on the basis of single negotiated contracts in each of the last three years; if he will list the companies involved and the value of the contract in each case; what percentage this represented of contracts awarded by his Department and its agencies after competitive tendering; and, in each case, why the contracts were awarded on the basis of a single negotiated tender. [22864]
§ Mr. BoswellFrom records held centrally, over the last three financial years the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and its executive agencies have let 383 contracts via the single negotiated process. These represent 19 per cent. of the total number reported in my recent reply.
The additional information requested, where it is not confidential, has been listed in the schedules. However, it has not been possible with the resources available to list the reasons why individual decisions to use single negotiated tender were taken. The cost would have been entirely disproportionate. The criteria available to the Ministry for opting for single negotiated contracts are limited and encompass time constraints which do not permit competitive tendering; technical compatibility with existing equipment or systems; or numbers of suppliers restricted to non-competitive levels.
Where research is concerned, much is done under long-standing commissions or "umbrella" contracts with research councils and other bodies. Apart from these, free-standing contracts are awarded, some of which are single tender negotiated contracts. The latter option is taken either when there is reasonable certainty that there is only one contractor with the knowledge to undertake the work, or when the idea for work comes through a concept note and it would clearly be an infringement of intellectual property rights and unfair on the contractor concerned to allow others access to the idea.
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Schedule A: Non-Research and Development Contractor Type 1993–94£ 1994–95£ 1995–96£ ADAS Evaluation work 7,638 — — 7,915 — — British Library Evaluation work 823 — — 411 — — 93 — — Water Research Centre plc Evalution work 2,816 — — 4,217 — — 10,358 — — Soil Survey and Land Research centre (Silsoe) (aka Cranfield University) Evalution work 6,247 — 4,465 4,404, — 4,465 Inveresk Research Evaluation work 1,469 — — 2,938 — — 1,469 — — Company not disclosed Evaluation work 5,346 — — 9,623 — — 823 — — 1,069 — — Ecosurveys Ltd Evaluation work 1,763 — — 3,922 — — 1,137 — — 758 — — Imperial College Consultants Ltd. Evaluation work 2,820 — — Consultants in Environmental Services Evaluation work 7,344 — 4,179 2,535 — — CITERA Evaluation work 2,350 — — 1,083 — — Natural Resources Institute (NRI) Evaluation work 3,738 — — Natural Environment Evaluation work 9,750 — — Company not disclosed Evaluation work 354 — — Company not disclosed Evaluation work — — 500 DBL Consultancy Consultancy 1,375 162 — 485 — — 646 — — 323 — — 646 — — Touchstone Consultancy — 1,049 — Ingres Consultancy Consultancy — 479 — Triad 30,848 — — Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) 755,000 7,11,000 697,400 Long Ashton Aquatic Weeds Research Centre — 12,000 — Laboratory of the Government Chemist(LGC) Advice, support and assessment 30,000 30,000 30,000 Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards (LACOTS) Sample collection in meat and animal products — 32,900 15,000 BMRB International — 50,760 49,350 Clifmar Associates Analysis of samples — — 51,941 Fray Design Ltd. Specialist Furniture 1,903 13,588 — Frame Express Specialist Furniture 1,537 — — Arthur Brett Specialist Furniture 8,646 2,244 — Storacell Voice System Ltd. Call sequence for hotline and upgrade of system 9,943 9,204 — BT Sales Terminal for Hotline 4,834 18,919 — Reprographic Services (UK) Ltd. Document Management Service 160,000 — — Taylor, Young and Partners Design study Northallerton 10,000 — — Design study Exeter 9,000 — — Additional work Northallerton 4,500 — — Benson Network Support Systems (BNSS) Part 1 project record system 6,485 — — MMU Reporting Database 7,648 — — Herring Baker Harris Valuation of ADAS centres — 10,543 — Peter Smith Associates Furniture move — — 4,659 Yates, Edge Greatorex Incinerator CSL York — — 75,000 Midlands Electricity plc Utility — 161,843 71,082 Eastern Electricity plc Utility — 89,647 90,583 British Gas plc Utility — 61,915 — Southern Electric Utility — 55,739 53,673 East Midlands Utility — 53,035 —
Schedule A: Non-Research and Development Contractor Type 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 £ £ £ South Western Electricity Utility — 52,771 — Norweb plc Utility — — 79,519 British Telecommunications plc Telecoms — 632,078 675,833 The Quentin Bell Organisation plc Publicity — 462,520 202,703 Postage by Phone Pitney Bowes plc Postage — 127,300 132,050 Post Office Counters Ltd. Postage — 100,360 80,110 Royal Mail Postage — 74,627 66,578 The Meteorological Office Data — 167,336 103,044 Ordnance Survey Data — — — Total of contracts 1,210,814 2,957,652 2,504,072 Number of contracts 66 41 33
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Schedule B: Research and Development Contractor Total cost Contracts issued 1994–95 Aberdeen University, Zoology 19,085 AEA Technology, Consultancy Services 58,118 Alan Martin Associates 10,802 Ashbourne Biosciences 32,879 Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological Studies 58,950 B and P Instrumentation Ltd. 16,380 BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 114,373 BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 68,449 Beta Technology Ltd. 43,200 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Institutes1 20,383,395 Bristol University 64,471 Bristol University1 105,974 Bristol University, Department Agricultural Sciences 32,540 Bristol University, Food Refrigeration and Proc. Eng. 8,419 Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 113,127 Cambac JMA Research Ltd. 240,979 Coventry University, Environmental Research + Consultancy 177,409 Cranfield University1 1,456.500 Department of Transport 33,520 East Anglia University, School of Biological Science 106,510 Elm Farm Research Centre 92,000 Environmental Research Technology Ltd. 58,180 Game Conservancy Trust 97,155 GENUS 214,346 Glasgow University 91,162 Glasgow University, Veterinary School 40,974 H. R. Wallingford Group Ltd.1 673,200 Harper Admas Agricultural College 172,137 Horticulture Research International1 19,371,951 IACR, Institute of Arabie Crops Research 294,753 IACR, Long Ashton Research Station 29,896 IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 40,951 IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 52,640 IGER, Aberystwyth Research Station 143,149 Institute of Oceanographic Sciences 38,228 Institute of Plant Science Research 297,038 Leicester University, Department of Botany 159,957 Leicester University, Department of Zoology 126,566 Leicester University, Mass Communication Research 77,392 Manchester University, Department of Pharmacy 25,066 Marine Resource Consultants Ltd. 4,500 Medical College, St. Batholomew's Hospital 121,240 National Institute of Agricultural Botany 60,534 National Institute of Agricultural Botany1 313,876 Natural Environment Research Council Institutes1 2,944,177 Natural Resources Institute 58,413 551W
Contractor Total cost NERC, Institute of Terrestial Ecology, Edinburgh 470,353 Nottingham University, Applied Biochemistry and Food Science 28,558 Nottingham University, Department Physiology and Environmental 66,160 Nottingham University, Department of Genetics 51,305 Contracts issued 1994–95 Aberdeen University, Zoology 19,085 AEA Technology, Consultancy Services 58,118 Alan Martin Associates 10,802 Ashbourne Bilsciences 32,879 Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological studies 58,950 B and P Instrumentation Ltd. 16,380 BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 114,373 BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 68,449 Beta Technology Ltd. 43,200 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Institutes1 20,383,395 Bristol University 64,471 Bristol University1 105,974 Bristol University, Department Agricultural Sciences 32,540 Bristol University, Food Refrigeration and Proc. Eng. 8,419 Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 113,127 Cambac JMA Research Ltd. 240,979 Conventry University, Environmental Research+ Consultancy 177,409 Cranfield University1 1,456,500 Department of Transport 33,520 East Anglia University, School of Biological Science 106,510 Elm Farm Research Centre 92,000 Environmental Research Technology Ltd. 58,180 Game Conservancy Trust 97,155 GENUS 214,346 Glasgow university 91,162 Glasgow University, Veterinary School 40,974 H.R Wallingford Group Ltd.1 673,200 Harper Admas Agricultural College 172,137 Horticulture Research International1 19,371,951 IACR, Institute of Arabie Crops Research 294,753 IACR, Long Ashton Research Station 29,896 IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 40,951 IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 52,640 IGER, Aberystwyth Research Station 143,149 Institute of Oceanographic sciences 38,228 Institute of Plant Science Research 297,038 Leicester University, Departmental of Botany 159,957 Leicester University, Departmental of Zoology 126,566 Leicester University, Mass Communication Research 77,392 Manchester University, Department of Pharmacy 25,006 552W
Contractor Total cost Marine Resource Consultants Ltd. 4,500 Medical College, St. Batholomew's Hospital 121,240 National Institute of Agricultural Botany 60,534 National Institute of Agricultural Botany1 313,876 Natural Environment Research Council Institutes1 2,944,177 Natural Resources Institute 58,413 NERC, Institute of Terrestial Ecology, Edinburgh 470,353 Nottingham University, Applied Biochemistry and Food Science 28,558 Nottingham University, Department Physiology and Environmental 66,160 Nottingham University, Department of Genetics 51,305 Oxford University 6,150 Oxford University, Growth and Development 26,655 Oxford University, Zoology 140,478 Phoenix Research Laboratory 66,165 Portsmouth University, Economic Department 8,885 Reading University1 113,648 Roslin Institute, Edinburgh 77,660 Rowett Research Institute 151,238 Royal Veterinary College 101,957 Royal Veterinary College 99,787 Scottish Agricultural College, Ayr 25,092 Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh 162,405 Sea Fish Industry Authority1 148,900 Sea Mammal Research Unit 88,853 Silsoe College, Cranfield Institute of Technology 180,095 Southampton University 10,000 Southampton University, School of Biological Science 319,392 Stirling University, Institute of Agriculture 158,152 Stirling University, Institute of Agriculture 28,329 Surrey University, Biological Sciences 18,650 Surrey University, Biological Sciences 9,325 Surrey University, Biological Sciences 255,129 Surrey University, Management Studies for Tourism 388,342 TecnEcon Ltd. 13,897 UCNW, Marine Science 113,522 UCNW, Ocean Sciences 77,925 UCNW, Ocean Sciences 80,925 UL, Imperial College of Medicine and Science 43,780 UL, University College, Department of Geography 162,059 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority 400 University of Hertfordshire 197,772 University Wales, Bangor 122,566 University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 16,875 Wales University, Swansea 7,874 Wisdom Agricultural Limited 92,428 95,549,295 Contracts Issued during 1995–96 ABP Research and Consultancy Ltd. 23,500 Alistair Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science 492,868 Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological Studies 9,500 Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological Studies 48,625 BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 196,493 Beta Technology Ltd. 44,200 Beta Technology Ltd. 88,400 Bradford University, Food Policy Research Unit 67,781 Bristol University 57,137 Bristol University1 1,855,612 Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 279,327 Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 227,901 British Trust For Ornithology 1,277 Cambac JMA Research Ltd. 86,923 Cambridge Laboratory 279,908 Cambridge University 93,118 553W
Contractor Total cost Central Science Laboratory 399,598 CSL, Harpenden 146,911 Dr. P. J. Dare 11,100 Forest Research Station (Alice Holt) 81,000 Forestry Authority 20,000 Glasgow University, Marine Biological Station 196,850 Gould Rural Environmental Ltd. 22,916 Horticulture Research International1 9,517,820 H. R. Wallingford Group Ltd. 234,000 HRI, Wellesbourne 125,515 HRI, Wellesbourne 210,065 Hydraulics Research Wallingford Group Ltd. 225,000 IACR, Broom's Barn Experimental Station 72,632 IACR1 2,838,677 IACR, Institute of Arable Crops Research 60,045 IGER, Inst. of Grasslands and Environment Research 93,877 IGER, Inst. of Grasslands and Environment Research 490,000 IGER1 3,928,922 IAH1 5,547,933 Institute of Occupational Medicine Limited 217,278 Institute of Zoology 154,317 IPS1 415,000 IPSR, John Innes Centre 149,257 John Spenser 2,000 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 4,255 Leatherhead Food Research Association 10,703 Levington Agriculture Ltd. 136,545 Liverpool University 184,575 Liverpool University 140,751 Lynch, Professor 15,034 Mylnefield Research Services Ltd. 87,565 National Trust 2,000 Natural Environment Research Council Institutes1 2,021,210 Nottingham University, Agriculture and Horticulture 221,501 Nottingham University, Faculty Agriculture and Food Science 94,440 Oxford University, Zoology 162,144 Plymouth University 163,676 Portsmouth University, Economic Department 100,501 Portsmouth University, Economic Department 2,200 Professor H. Kay 5,000 Reading University1 23,156 Richardson, Professor 7,625 Rodgers, Dr. Chris J 21,000 Roslin1 1,116,794 Roslin Institute, Edinburgh 275,512 Roslin Institute, Edinburgh 106,843 Royal Agricultural College 75,364 School of Ocean Sciences 138,037 Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh 113,338 Sea Fish Industry Authority 376,312 Southampton University 265,160 Southampton University, Department Oceanography 218,995 SRI1 1,665,489 Strathclyde University, Bioscience and Biotechnology 121,865 Strathclyde University, Statistics and Modelling 29,820 Surrey University, Biological Sciences 106,566 Surrey University, Biological Sciences 23,250 UL Queen Mary and Westfield College Sch. of Biol Sci 50,382 UL, Wye College, Horticulture 258,835 Univ. Aberdeen, Arkleton Cent. Rural Development 13,983 University of East Anglia 168,215 University of Hull 6,970 University of York, Department of Biology 119,143 University Wales, Bangor, Biological Sciences 202,864
Contractor Total cost University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 10,325 University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 30,975 University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 174,241 Williams, Dr. 6,825 61,562,485
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidelines are currently in force in his Department and its executive agencies relating to competitive tendering and the use of single negotiated tenders; on what grounds single negotiated tenders can be used; and what procedures are in place within his Department to ensure that the use of single negotiated tenders in competitive tendering processes is justified in all cases. [22850]
§ Mr. BoswellThe Government's public purchasing policy consolidated guidelines require goods and services to be acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. In addition, the EC procurement directives and the World Trade Organisation government procurement agreement require most contracts above specified thresholds to be awarded following competition, subject to certain specified exceptions. The central unit on procurement's guidance note No. 40 provides an overview of best practice in the competitive tendering process.
In carrying out its purchasing my Department follows these guidelines and has, where possible, incorporated them directly into its own internal guidance. It is intended to consolidate the available guidance as part of the review of the Ministry's purchasing procedures and guidance manual, which is currently under way.
The criteria for opting for single negotiated contracts are limited and encompass time constraints which do not permit competitive tendering; technical compatibility with existing equipment or systems; or numbers of suppliers restricted to non-competitive levels. Formal arrangements for controlling the use of single negotiated contracts will also be incorporated in the revised purchasing procedures and guidelines manual.