Contract with FDS International Ltd

Direct Communications Unit

2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

Switchboard 0870 0001585 Fax: 020 7035 4745 Textphone: 020 7035 4742

E-mail: [Home Office request email] Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

19 January 2009

Dear Mr Todd,

Thank you for your email received here on 13 January 2009 in which you ask
about FDS International. Your request is being handled in accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as a request for information.

We aim to send you a full response within 20 working days of our receiving
your request. You should receive this response by 9 February.

If you have any queries about the handling of your information request
please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Jo Hollis

Direct Communications Unit

Home Office

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Direct Communications Unit

2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

Switchboard 0870 0001585 Fax: 020 7035 4745 Textphone: 020 7035 4742

E-mail: [Home Office request email] Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

5 February 2009

Dear Mr Todd

I am writing further to my correspondence of 19 January regarding your
information request which arrived here on 13 January.

I regret that we are unable to send you a full response to your request
within 20 working days, as required by the Freedom of Information Act.
This is because I am awaiting information regarding one of the questions
you have asked. I would like to apologise for this delay and for any
inconvenience that this may cause. I would like to assure you that we are
dealing with your request as a matter of urgency, and that we will send
you a full reply as soon as possible. We now aim to send you a full reply
by 23 February.

If you have any queries about the handling of your information request in
the meantime then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Jo Hollis

Direct Communications Unit

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Direct Communications Unit

2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

Switchboard 0870 0001585 Fax: 020 7035 4745 Textphone: 020 7035 4742

E-mail: [Home Office request email] Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Direct Communications Unit

2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

Switchboard 0870 0001585 Fax: 020 7035 4745 Textphone: 020 7035 4742

E-mail: [Home Office request email] Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

17
February 2009

Dear Mr Todd

I am writing further to my correspondence of 19 January and 5 February
regarding your information request which arrived here on 13 January.

I regret that I am unable to send you a full response by 23 February. I am
very sorry for this further delay, which I did not anticipate. I would
like to assure you that I am dealing with your request as a matter of
urgency, and that I will send you a full reply as soon as possible. I now
aim to send you a full reply by 6 March.

If you have any queries about the handling of your information request in
the meantime then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Jo Hollis

Direct Communications Unit

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Direct Communications Unit

  2 Marsham Street, London  SW1P 4DF

Switchboard 0870 0001585    Fax: 020 7035 4745 Textphone: 020 7035 4742

E-mail: [Home Office request email]   Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk

                 

                     

2 March 2009

                                   

Dear Mr Todd,

Further to my email of 19 January regarding your information request
received in the Home Office on 13 January, I am now in a position to offer
a full reply to your request for information about the Home Office
Customer Satisfaction Survey, conducted by FDS International, Ltd (FDS).

The department conducted a competitive tender exercise in 2006 to identify
a suitable contractor to undertake a series of customer surveys. The value
of the work was below the EC threshold and did not need to be advertised
in the EC journal.  FDS was awarded the contract on the grounds that
their proposal represented the best value.

I attach a copy of the Purchase Orders confirming the agreement between
the two parties in 2006.  Further Purchase Orders were issued in the
following two years on a single tender basis because it was judged that
the cost of running a full competitive tender would outweigh any potential
savings. I attach a copy of the 2007 Purchase Orders.  The total cost of
the survey to the Home Office (between 2006 and 2008) was £57,100
(excluding VAT).

To enable the survey to be undertaken FDS is sent the names and addresses
(and email addresses where applicable) of those members of the public who
have written to the Home Office and received a reply.  FDS then conduct
telephone interviews and online and postal surveys.  They design and
maintain a survey questionnaire and ensure its distribution.  They also
analyse the results which are presented to Home Office to inform and
improve the level of customer service.   

The transfer of the correspondent data to FDS is handled in accordance
with requirements of the Data Protection Act and Home Office protocols. 
All data containing personal information is encrypted when sent outside
the Government Secure Intranet. The file containing names and addresses
was encrypted and password protected and sent to FDS.   FDS have
confirmed, in writing, that they will comply with Home Office data
handling protocols and submitted their data security policy for Home
Office scrutiny and approval. They have also given a written undertaking
to destroy the data within one calendar month of the close of the survey.

You may fine the following link useful:

[1]http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/i...

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may request an independent
internal review of our handling of your request by submitting your
complaint within two months to the below address quoting reference 11022.

Information Rights Team
Information and Record Management Service
Home Office
4th Floor, Seacole Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Email: [email address]

 

During the independent review the department's handling of your
information request will be reassessed by staff who were not involved in
providing you with this response.  Should you remain dissatisfied after
this internal review, you will have a right of complaint to the
Information Commissioner as established by section 50 of the Freedom of
Information Act.

I hope that you find this information of interest, and would like to
assure you that you have been supplied with all relevant information that
the Home Office holds. 

Yours sincerely

                                               

                                                                                               

Jo Hollis

Direct Communications Unit

Home Office

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/i...