North East Procurement Organisation
Guildhall
Quayside
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3AF
Telephone: 0191 433 5949
Email: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
Dave Orr (sent by email)
18th November 2020
Dear Mr Orr,
Freedom of Information Request – Request for an internal review.
I refer to your request of
Pls disclose the case studies & references used
to admit Ignite to the NEPO NEPRO procurement framework for a review
of NEPO’s response to your Freedom of Information request.
Your initial request was:
1) Please disclose the "Two case studies relevant to each category of
accreditation" for Ignite's accreditation;
2) Please disclose "One supporting reference for each category of
accreditation" for Ignite's accreditation.
NEPO’s response was:
1) Such Case Studies are submitted to Bloom as part of a private sector
to private sector accreditation process. Bloom are a private limited
company who provide a service to NEPO. Such case studies are
therefore not subject to FOI.
2) Such references are submitted to Bloom as part of a private sector to
private sector accreditation process. Bloom are a private limited
company who provide a service to NEPO. Such references are
therefore not subject to FOI.
Your request for a review was:
1) Please confirm that the person(s) who rejected this FOI request have
had appropriate FOI Act training and hold appropriate certification.
2) I contend that the information held by Bloom on how suppliers were
accredited is held on behalf of NEPO and is therefore open to
disclosure under the FOI Act.
Please now supply the high public interest information requested.
NEPO’s Decision
Having reviewed NEPO’s initial response, I confirm that we have reviewed
your new request and have provided the following response:
1) Please confirm that the person(s) who rejected this FOI request
have had appropriate FOI Act training and hold appropriate
certification
NEPO is provided with external legal guidance from Gateshead Council, we
refer and receive support on all of our FOI requests to their Data Protection
and FOI team.
2) I contend that the information held by Bloom on how suppliers
were accredited is held on behalf of NEPO and is therefore open
to disclosure under the FOI Act.
Please now supply the high public interest information requested
NEPO does not hold the information that is being requested, therefore we
cannot disclose information we do not have access to or hold.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 only applies to information that is held
by an organisation. As described below, the information you have requested
is held by private companies. NEPO has not been given copies of this
information from Bloom. The information you have requested is therefore not
held by NEPO and therefore cannot be disclosed.
As detailed below:
Such Case Studies are submitted to Bloom as part of a private sector to
private sector accreditation process. Bloom are a private limited company who
provide a service to NEPO. Such case studies are therefore not subject to
FOI.
Such references are submitted to Bloom as part of a private sector to private
sector accreditation process. Bloom are a private limited company who
provide a service to NEPO. Such references are therefore not subject to FOI.
RIGHT TO REVIEW
You may apply to the Managing Director, Guildhall, Quayside, Newcastle
upon Tyne, NE13AF, for an internal review of the decision. This will be a fresh
consideration of your request by a more senior officer. If you wish to request a
review must do this in writing within 40 days of receipt of this letter.
Following the internal review if you are still unhappy you have a right of
appeal to the Information Commissioner as specified below.
You may apply under Section 50 of the Act to the Information Commissioner
at the address given below
Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire
SK9 5AF
For a decision whether, in any specified respect, a request for information
made by you to the Department/office has been dealt with in accordance with
the requirements of Part 1 of the Act.
The Information Commissioner shall consider the matter fully and make a
fresh decision.
Yours Sincerely
North East Procurement Organisation Governance Team.