Contract Terms and Due Diligence Process for the appointment of Matrix SCM

Dear James
Thank you for your request for information. Your request was received on
the 14th July 2010 and we are dealing with it under the terms of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000.

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will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be
required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

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Stephen Hughes on telephone number 01254 585761. Alternatively, our email
address is [1][Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email]

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communications.
Regards

Kerri McFadden
Audit & Assurance
(: 01254 585712
8: [2][email address]
*: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Audit & Assurance, F Floor,
Tower Block, Town Hall, King William Street, Blackburn, BB1 7DY

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1. mailto:[Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email]
2. mailto:[email address]

Dear Mr Morris,

I am writing to confirm that the Council has now completed its search for
the information which you requested on 14 July 2010. The answers to your
questions are as follows:

1. Terms of Payment Agreed between Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
and Matrix SCM Limited.

Answer - 25p per hour management fee

2. Schedule of Invoices and Payments between Matrix SCM Limited and
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council for the month of June 2010.

Answer - No invoices received in June 2010

3. Average Payment Days from Receipt of Invoice by Blackburn with Darwen
Borough Council and Payment to MATRIX SCM limited.

Answer - Within 14 days of receiving the invoice

4. Balance of Monies due to Matrix SCM Limited at the 30th June 2010
(please include the age of any balance).

Answer - No balance due - no invoices received in June 2010

5. Details of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's due diligence
procedure/process that is carried out/assessed prior to the
outsourcing/awarding of contracts of entire functions such as the
recruitment process to SCM/RPO organisations.

Answer - Following a full tender procedure where companies are evaluated
for their capability to deliver services (including financial strength,
company structure, references, environmental management, health and safety
management, corporate governance, etc) a due diligence process would take
place. This process would include confirming legal status, confirming that
the Council has the power to enter into the contract, investigating any
changes in the financial viability of the preferred tenderer since the
evaluation period, addressing performance and contract management issues -
standards, agreements, identifying what implementation plans, strategies,
service plans etc. will be required from the organisation, identifying
numbers and status of staff affected, ensuring that Council resolutions
and Cabinet Office guidance is followed, ensure that appropriate action is
taken in respect of continuity of service and pensions, identifying all
property which may be affected - location, type, nature of occupancy,
tenure, etc, producing complete inventories of all transferring assets
(ICT, furniture, plant, vehicles, etc.). These are examples but a thorough
direct diligence process would contain many more checks and tasks to be
completed before contract commencement.

It must be noted that no outsourcing has taken place with the Matrix
agreement. Also, the framework agreement was tendered by Lancashire County
Council on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and other
Lancashire councils.

In addition if the information is available are you able to ascertain how
many pre-matrix SME's are still supplying Blackburn with Darwen Borough
Council compared to Post Matrix appointment this should also include any
organisations/sme's that have gone into liquidation during the term of the
Matrix contract.

Answer - All suppliers which were supplying Blackburn with Darwen Borough
Council before the Matrix agreement was implemented are still supplying
agency workers.

The information supplied to you is protected by the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. You are free to use it for your own purposes, including
any noncommercial research you are doing and for the purposes of news
reporting. Any other reuse, for example commercial publication, would
require the permission of the Council.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or ask for a review of our decision,
you should write to Susan Smith at the address at the bottom of this
message. If you are not content with the outcome your complaint, you may
apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally,
the Information Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Council. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9
5AF.

If you have any queries about this message please contact me, quoting
reference 12328.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Hughes

Audit & Assurance Officer (Information Governance)
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
F Floor
Town Hall
Blackburn
Lancashire
BB1 7DY

Email: [email address]

Telephone: 01254 585 852

[1]www.blackburn.gov.uk

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