Seacole Building
4th Floor
2 Marsham Street
T: 03459 33 55 77
London
xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
SW1P 4DF
www.gov.uk/defra
Marta Nass
Our ref: FOI2024/11684
By email
: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 20 June 2024
Dear Marta Nass,
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: Management of Corporate Estates and Maintenance
for the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal
Thank you for your request for information of 20 June 2024 about the management of
corporate estates and maintenance for the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal (PVST).
We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
Your information request and our response are set out below.
I would be most grateful if you would provide me, under the Freedom of Information Act,
the following information regarding the facilities management approach for Plant Varieties
and Seeds Tribunal:
−
How are facilities management services (hard FM, soft FM or TFM) handled across
their estates?
−
If any services are outsourced, which services and to which suppliers?
−
What are the start dates and durations of these contracts, including the end date,
and which services are included in each?
−
What are the values of the contracts?
−
Is there an extension clause in the contract(s) and if so, what is the duration of the
extension?
−
Has a decision been made yet on whether the contract(s) are being either extended
or renewed?
−
What is the job title of the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for the
contract(s)?
−
Do you utilise any outsourced helpdesk or FM integrator services? If so, with which
supplier(s)?
−
Which software solution(s) are used to manage your corporate property/assets
including facilities management (CAFM)?
On 17 June 2024, an identical request was sent to Defra regarding the PVST which we
responded to in full on 17 June 2024 (FOI2024/11604). In that letter we informed you that
the information is not held.
You have now submitted the same request and as our position has not changed. We are
not obliged to comply with this request for information in accordance with section 14(2), if it
is identical or substantially similar to that which has been sent before.
Section 14(2) can be applied to your request of 20 June 2024 when:
• the request is identical or substantially similar to a previous request;
• the authority has previously complied to the earlier FOIA request; and
• a reasonable interval has not elapsed between the new request and compliance
with the previous request
We attach an annex giving contact details should you be unhappy with the service you
have received.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact us.
Yours sincerely
Information Rights Team
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
Annex
Complaints
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request you may
make a complaint or appeal against our decision under section 17(7) of the FOIA or under
regulation 11 of the EIRs, as applicable, within 40 working days of the date of this letter.
Please write to Vanessa Drury, Head of Information Rights via email at
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx and they will arrange for an internal review of your
case. Details of Defra’s complaints procedure are on our website.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, section 50 of the FOIA and
regulation 18 of the EIRs gives you the right to apply directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a decision. Please note that generally the ICO cannot
make a decision unless you have first exhausted Defra’s own complaints procedure.
The ICO can be contacted using the following link:
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/official-information-concerns-report/official-information-
concern/
