New website and digital services development

The request was partially successful.

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

I note that in the past ~12-18 months you have launched a new website with digital services such as reporting a crime online.

Can you please tell me:

1. The names of all external supplier(s) involved in conceiving, researching, designing, developing and launching your new website and digital services

2. The total costs incurred to date on the new website and digital services by external suppliers

3. The average salary and number of internal staff employed by the Met to manage the new website and digital services

4. The average salary and number of full time contractors commissioned by the Met to manage the new website and digital services

5. The total costs of any preparatory work (research, user studies, user research) conducted by external suppliers prior to website launch

Yours faithfully,

Patrick Palmer

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Palmer

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2018040000308

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 06/04/2018.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

"I note that in the past ~12-18 months you have launched a new website
with digital services such as reporting a crime online.

Can you please tell me:

1. The names of all external supplier(s) involved in conceiving,
researching, designing, developing and launching your new website and
digital services

2. The total costs incurred to date on the new website and digital
services by external suppliers

3. The average salary and number of internal staff employed by the Met to
manage the new website and digital services

4. The average salary and number of full time contractors commissioned by
the Met to manage the new website and digital services

5. The total costs of any preparatory work (research, user studies, user
research) conducted by external suppliers prior to website launch"

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act).  You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act.  

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] or on the phone at 0207 161 3500, quoting the
reference number above. Should your enquiry relate to the logging or
allocations process we will be able to assist you directly and where your
enquiry relates to other matters (such as the status of the request) we
will be able to pass on a message and/or advise you of the relevant
contact details.

Yours sincerely

R. Loizou
Support Officer - Freedom of Information Triage Team
 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: [1]https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk 

Twitter: @metpoliceuk

References

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Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Palmer

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2018040000308

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 06/04/2018.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

I note that in the past ~12-18 months you have launched a new website with
digital services such as reporting a crime online. Can you please tell me:
1. The names of all external supplier(s) involved in conceiving,
researching, designing, developing and launching your new website and
digital services
2. The total costs incurred to date on the new website and digital
services by external suppliers
3. The average salary and number of internal staff employed by the Met to
manage the new website and digital services
4. The average salary and number of full time contractors commissioned by
the Met to manage the new website and digital services
5. The total costs of any preparatory work (research, user studies, user
research) conducted by external suppliers prior to website launch .

SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
within the MPS.  The searches located information relevant to your
request.

DECISION

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information.  Some
data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this
response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemption:

Section 43(2) exemption - Commercial Interests.

Please see the legal annex for further information on the exemptions
applied in respect of your request.

REASONS FOR DECISION

The exemption provided by Section 43 has been utilised in questions 2, 4,
and 5 in that to provide costs and salary information would be detrimental
to the commercial interests of our suppliers and the MPS, and would reduce
the level of competition within the procurement process.  Our decision
making process is fully explained within the Legal Annex below.

DISCLOSURE

Q1. The names of all external supplier(s) involved in conceiving,
researching, designing, developing and launching your new website and
digital services
A1. Globant services for UX, design and content.

CDS technical partner services include:
- content management service including training
- associated CMS hosting services
- service management and support
- content migration

Q2. The total costs incurred to date on the new website and digital
services by external suppliers
A2. S43 FOI Exemption

Q3. The average salary and number of internal staff employed by the Met to
manage the new website and digital services
A3. The average salary is £72,024 cost per annum this includes all on
costs for the employer as well as the salary that is paid and there are
four members of staff.

Q4. The average salary and number of full time contractors commissioned by
the Met to manage the new website and digital services
A4. S43 FOI Exemption

Q5. The total costs of any preparatory work (research, user studies, user
research) conducted by external suppliers prior to website launch .
A5. S43 FOI Exemption

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me via email at [email address], quoting the reference
number above.

Yours sincerely

Bibi Karim
Information Manager

LEGAL ANNEX

Section 17(1) of the Act provides:

(1)        A public authority which, in relation to any request for
information, is to any extent relying on a claim that any provision in
part II relating to the duty to confirm or deny is relevant to the request
or on a claim that information is exempt information must, within the time
for complying with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice which-

(a) states the fact,
(b) specifies the exemption in question, and
(c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption
applies.

Section 43(2) of the Act provides:

(2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act
would, or would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of any
person (including the public authority holding it).

In order for the exemption provided under Section 43(2) to be engaged in
this case, the MPS must show that disclosure under the Act would, or would
be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including
the public authority holding it).

In this case, this exemption has been applied as disclosure of costs and
salary information relating to our new website with digital services such
as reporting a crime online would prejudice the commercial interest of the
MPS and specifically of digital suppliers.    

Evidence of Harm

In considering whether or not this information should be disclosed, we
have considered the potential harm that could be caused by disclosure.  

The information relates to pricing and salary, this is provided solely to
the MPS during the procurement process.  Digital suppliers do not have the
expectation that this information will be shared with competing companies.
 By disclosing this information under the Act, it becomes public and
thereby could be used by competitors to inform future business decisions,
which would significantly impact the market position of our suppliers.
 This is because costs may include discounts, package pricing, services,
and other elements that could be of a competitive / strategic advantage
during future tenders.  It is predominantly the digital companies who hold
the commercial interests for this business area and therefore would be
directly prejudiced by the disclosure of the information sought in this
request.  Ultimately the disclosure of the costs information would damage
their business confidence.  Therefore it is possible that the release of
this information could prejudice the future commercial interests of
digital services.

It would be harmful to the commercial interests of the MPS to disclose the
requested information as this would prove detrimental to the relationship
between the MPS and our suppliers and as a result damage the bargaining
position of the MPS.  This may in turn impact the procurement of similar
products in the future, as companies would be less willing to share
details with the MPS through fear of disclosure under the Act.  The MPS
has previously consulted with digital manufacturers on this subject and
they have evidenced an expectation of non-disclosure, specifically due to
concerns regarding commercial interests.

The perceived harm in disclosing costing information is not associated
with the financial interest of the digital services supplier, but more so
with their ability to engage in a competitive manner within the
marketplace.

Furthermore, exposing the discounted cost at which digital services are
supplied to the MPS could potentially provide an indication of
manufacturer profit margin when studied in parallel to list prices.  

Public interest considerations favouring disclosure

There is a public interest in transparency relating to procurement and
disclosure could provide the public with an understanding that public
funds are being used appropriately and represent the best value for money
possible.

Public interest considerations favouring non-disclosure

As the ICO Freedom of Information Awareness Guidance states, "there is a
public interest in ensuring that companies are able to compete fairly".
 The level of competition within the procurement process would be directly
affected by the release of the requested information.  If commercially
sensitive information relating to current suppliers were to be placed into
the public domain, then the MPS would not be able to easily obtain
aggregated public sector discounts in their future commercial activities.
 Potential details surrounding these discounted costs would be exposed to
the wider market for digital services and could result in increased costs.
 This would be of detriment to the public purse.

It is not in the public interest for the relationship between the MPS and
digital suppliers to be negatively affected.  This is due to the fact that
harm to, or termination of, these relationships may result in the MPS
being unable to procure our preferred choice of digital services; which we
require to facilitate effective policing.  In the event that our current
suppliers terminate their relationship with the MPS, we would have to seek
out new suppliers and renegotiate terms.  By narrowing the range of
manufacturers that will supply to us, we would restrict our access to
certain technologies and it may force us to use less preferable suppliers.
 This could subsequently lead to us having to procure less suitable
services or utilise public funds in a less efficient manner.  

Balancing Test

Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of policing
resources and providing reassurance that the MPS is appropriately and
effectively procuring equipment, there is also a strong public interest in
knowing that policing activity with regard to the delivery of law
enforcement is operationally effective.

With regard to commercial interest, we have considered whether the public
interest lies in favour of releasing pricing information into the public
domain or whether there is sufficient reason to support withholding the
requested information.  Having considered your request and having examined
the associated risk in release, we have found there is a risk to the
commercial interests of our suppliers.  We believe this risk, as outlined
above, is both real and likely.

After weighing up the competing interests I have determined that the
disclosure of the above information would not be in the public interest.
 I consider that the benefit that would result from the information being
disclosed does not outweigh the considerations favouring non-disclosure.

In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service will not breach the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the
enclosed information will continue to be protected by law.  Applications
for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the
attached information should be addressed to MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 10 Lambs Conduit Street, London, WC1N 3NR.
 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: [1]https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk

References

Visible links
1. https://m.facebook.com/metpoliceuk