Dear Mr Barnes,

Thank you for your request for information. Please find the relevant detail attached. There were two stages to the engagement with Vanguard, an initial process that was subject to three procurement regulation waivers and then a formal tender for further support through the West Midlands Regional Efficiency and Improvement Programme (WMRIEP). The procurement through the WMREIP was against their business improvement consultancy framework, which Vanguard was successful in winning. The original waiver was on the basis that the support being sought was for training and development of the internal team in systems thinking. The procurement was for support to further develop internal systems thinking capability over a number of interventions and to help shift senior leadership thinking. In 2007 when these approaches were first explored, because systems thinking specifically matched the council’s requirements, at that time Vanguard was the only real player in that area of the market, which was tested outside a tender process through discussion with a number of consultancies and local authorities. WMREIP also informally marketed tested at that time. The combination of this and the fact it was training support being sought, provided justification for the waiver. By 2008 the market had matured and the WMREIP framework contract demonstrated that were a number of other suppliers with potential systems thinking capability. What became apparent once the tender process had been gone through, was that other consultancies had adopted methods, but had very little experience or credibility in delivery around a core systems thinking approach so Vanguard still won the tender.

In terms of the length of contract, this wasn’t specified as the services being sought were an up-skilling of the internal resources around a systems thinking approach and helping the organisation become more ‘systems thinking’ orientated at a senior level. This contract was let in March 2008.

In terms of the original Lean Fundamentals and scoping that was the start of the Vanguard contract, this took place in May 2007.

In all instances the decision maker was the council’s then Assistant Director of Finance.

If you have any queries or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

In the first instance if you have any comments relating to how your request has been handled by our authority, please write to Philip Jones, Head of Information Governance, Wedgwood Building, Block A, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH.

If you have any further comments relating to how your request has been handled by our authority, please contact the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Yours Sincerely,

Lian Stibbs
Senior Access to Information Officer

From: Mike Barnes [mailto:[FOI #165818 email]]
Sent: 21 June 2013 14:32
To: Freedom Of Information (IRU)
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Consultants

Dear Staffordshire County Council,

In the last five years have you paid for any services/ work to Vanguard - a management consultancy business - or any work from any consultancy providing services of "lean systems thinking"/ "lean systems"?

If so please provide details.

Nature of work - cost - appointment date - length of contract - decision maker - tendering process.

Please also provide copies of any invoices.

Yours faithfully,

Mike Barnes

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