Freedom of Information Team
S1715
6 Floor
Central Mail Unit
Elise
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE98 1ZZ
By email: request-651844-
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Email xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Web
www.gov.uk
Date: 23 March 2020
Our ref:
FOI2020/00504
Dear Elise
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)
Thank you for your request, which was received on 3 March, for the fol owing information:
“1. When was the original contract for the HMRC Connect project let? When did it expire,
and what was it value?
2. How much has the Connect project been worth to date at HMRC?
3. How was Connect original y procured? Was it procured through an open competition, or
through a prime contractor such as CapGemini?
4. Please provide any available business case documentation relating to investment in the
Connect platform.
5. Please provide any details on the Connect platform capabilities and how they are used at
HMRC.
6. When are HMRC’s requirements for Connect-type capabilities going to be re-tendered?
7. How is the Connect re-tender process going to work? Which framework or procurement
method (OJEU etc) wil be adopted?
8. What is the proposed scope of the Connect re-tender?
9. Please provide al available details of the Connect2 project.
10. Please provide al available details of the Protect Connect project.
11. Please provide al details of the Protect Connect Rich Picture.”
To qualify as a valid submission under the FOIA, a request must fulfil the criteria set out in
Section 8 of the Act which states the fol owing:
FOIA 8. (1) In this Act any reference to a “request for information” is a reference to such a
request which;
(a) Is in writing,
(b) States the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence, and
(c) Describes the information requested.
Your FOI request has been classified as invalid as your request does not fulfil the criteria of
section 8(1) (b).
Information is available in large print, audio and Brail e formats.
Text Relay service prefix number – 18001
Guidance from the Information Commissioners Office to public authorities in receipt of FOIA
requests regarding Section 8 states:
Any variation of the requester’s title or first name combined with their surname (such as Mr
Smith or John Smith) wil be sufficient to meet this requirement. However, a first name or
surname provided in isolation, or a set of initials, wil not.
Ful details of the guidance can be found at;
https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1164/recognising-a-request-made-
under-the-foia.pdf
As the request has been deemed as invalid, I am not obliged to disclose the requested
information at this point.
Please note that non-valid FOI request is not subject to internal review.
If you are not satisfied with this reply you may request a review within two months by
emailing xxx.xxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx, or by writing to the address at the top right-hand side of
this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of an internal review you can complain to the
Information Commissioner’s Office.
Yours sincerely,
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
2