Research contracts

paul ellis made this Freedom of Information request to Learning and Skills Council

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Learning and Skills Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

From: paul ellis

5 February 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to see information related to successful contracts
being given to research contractors for the past 5 years by the LSC
only in the context of research though

Yours faithfully,

Mr Ellis

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From: Freedom of Information
Learning and Skills Council

16 February 2009

Dear Mr Ellis

Thank you for your request for information where you have sought
"information related to successful contracts given to research
contractors for the past 5 years".

In order to assist the LSC in identifying the information requested and
which information might also help in estimating the cost of locating,
identifying, retrieving and extracting the information, I shall be
grateful if you can clarify the following:

What information are you seeking in relation to successful contracts
given by the LSC to research contractors for the past 5 years? For
example, are you seeking the details about the successful contracts
themselves and any information relating to the process for procuring the
research contractor to undertake the work? Are you seeking disclosure
of the information produced as a result of the work undertaken by the
research contractor to fulfil the contract with the LSC?
It is possible that the LSC has commissioned a considerable amount of
work that falls within your request. Can you please advise if you have
any focus on work commissioned in relation to a specific funding stream,
or work undertaken for a particular Region?

Thank you in anticipation of any clarification you can provide

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From: paul ellis

16 February 2009

Dear Freedom of Information,

Thank you for your prompt response.

I am not interested in procurement procedures at this point but
when the information has been provided below then I will probably
ask questions about specific contracts and scoring perhaps and but
in the absence of that I would like the following.

Commissioned research undertaken by contractors on research
frameworks nationally which you have in place and the following

- company names of successful contractors
- value of contracts
- title of research
- date appointed
- annual research LSC budget for research including market research

Let me give you an example the LSC NESS in 2006, who won it etc...

Finally, can you provide copies of the bids/proposals of successful
tenderers and scoring matrices for example?

Yours sincerely,

paul ellis

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From: paul ellis

16 February 2009

Dear Freedom of Information,

Thank you for your prompt response.

I am not interested in procurement procedures at this point but
when the information has been provided below then I will probably
ask questions about specific contracts and scoring perhaps and but
in the absence of that I would like the following.

Commissioned research undertaken by contractors on research
frameworks nationally which you have in place and the following

- company names of successful contractors
- value of contracts
- title of research
- date appointed
- annual research LSC budget for research including market research

Let me give you an example the LSC NESS in 2006, who won it etc...

Finally, can you provide copies of the bids/proposals of successful
tenderers and scoring matrices for example?

Yours sincerely,

paul ellis

Link to this

From: Freedom of Information
Learning and Skills Council

2 March 2009

Dear Mr Ellis

The LSC has begun to identify information it holds covered by your request and has commenced a consultation exercise with third parties as recommended under the Lord Chancellor's Code of Practice issued pursuant to section 45 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Following consultation, it might be necessary for the LSC to consider the public interest test in relation to disclosure of information it has identified as covered by your request, and we will write to you again in accordance with our obligations under the Act if further time is required by the Council Solicitor to consider such a test.

In the meantime, the LSC estimates that the cost of identifying, locating, retrieving and extracting all of the information you have requested will significantly exceed the appropriate cost limit (which is £450 for the LSC) as set out under section 12 of the Act and the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004. Whilst the LSC is therefore under no legal obligation to continue to handle your request, your request will continue to be processed, with the LSC undertaking such work to within what it estimates can be undertaken within the appropriate cost limit to maximise the amount of information to be made available to you.

Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information

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From: paul ellis

2 March 2009

Dear Freedom of Information,

I find it difficult to understand why the LSC would not hold a
database which contains this information. There would be no need to
enter into into third party discussions in my view. You have
research contract frameworks correct? well why do you not hold this
information related to that? All research is commissioned through
that process, you have a closed group of contractors whom you use
for research and evaluation purposes. I am flabbergasted that a
public sector organisation the size of the LSC does not have this
very straightforward information at hand or any mechanisms to
identify it at ease. I know you spend millions on research so how
come this isn't in place? You have a central research function do
you not?

P.S. these costs, who bear them?

Yours sincerely,

paul ellis

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