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Supply, Installation and Maintenance of Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-TMS) System

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Dear FOI Team,

I would be most grateful if you would provide me, under the Freedom of Information Act, details in respect to the contract below.

Supply, Installation and Maintenance of Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-TMS) Systems

The details we require are:

• Suppliers who applied for inclusion on each framework/contract and were successful & not successful at the PQQ & ITT stages
• Actual contract values of each framework/contract (& any sub lots)
• Start date & duration of framework
• Is there an extension clause in the framework(s)/contract(s) and, if so, the duration of the extension?
• Has a decision been made yet on whether the framework(s)/contract(s) are being either extended or renewed?
• Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for this contract?

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely

! Freedom of Information Mailbox, Sheffield Hallam University

Reference: FOI/1920/042

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request on 25th September 2019. We will respond to your request in due course and within the 20 working days stipulated by the Freedom of Information Act.

Should you need to contact us regarding this request, please use our reference: FOI/1920/042

Kind regards,

Information Governance Team

Governance Services
Sheffield Hallam University
Howard Street
Sheffield S1 1WB

Telephone +44 (0)114 225 5555

www.shu.ac.uk
[email address]

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! Freedom of Information Mailbox, Sheffield Hallam University

2 Attachments

Reference: FOI/1920/042

 

Dear Mr Smith

 

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information request regarding
LC-TMS Systems at Sheffield Hallam University. Please see the information
below in response to your request.

 

• Suppliers who applied for inclusion on each framework/contract and were
successful & not successful at the PQQ & ITT stages

Please see response below regarding the successful supplier.

 

With regards to the unsuccessful suppliers section 43(2) of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 allows a public authority to withhold information if
disclosure of that information would, or would be likely to, prejudice the
commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding
it). 

The University considers that disclosing the unsuccessful suppliers would
prejudice the commercial interests of both the suppliers and the
University:

·         Disclosing the suppliers that were not successful would be
likely to prejudice their commercial interests by causing damage to their
reputation.

·         By disclosing the names of these unsuccessful suppliers
potential bidders may be deterred from competing and sharing commercially
sensitive information with the University for future contracts.

 

Section 43(2) is a qualified exemption and we are required to conduct a
public interest test when applying any qualified exemption. This means
that after it has been decided that the exemption is engaged, the public
interest in releasing the information must be considered. If the public
interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in
withholding it then the exemption does not apply and must be released.

 

Arguments for disclosure:

·         The University, as a public authority, has a commitment to
accountability and transparency in its commercial activities and decision
making, to allow public scrutiny and to demonstrate that public funds are
being used in an efficient and effective way;

·         Private sector companies engaging in commercial activities with
the public sector must expect some information about those activities to
be disclosed.

 

Arguments against the disclosure:

·         It is not in the public interest to release information that may
affect a supplier’s competitive position in their respective market and
the confidence its customers, suppliers or investors may have in its
commercial operations;

·         If potential bidders for future contracts are deterred from
competing and sharing commercially sensitive information with the
University, there would be a negative impact upon the quality and quantity
of our suppliers;

·         The University must retain the commercial confidence of third
party bidders when they choose to engage in commercial activities with us
– releasing this information may jeopardise this commercial confidence.

·         It is important that no supplier is disadvantaged in future bids
due to commercially sensitive information being made available to the
public;

·         Maintaining the University’s ability to attract as many
suppliers to bid for future contracts as possible ensures that the
University, as a public authority, is able to continue to ensure choice
and value for money when engaging commercial organisations.

 

In conclusion the University has determined that it is not in the public
interest to prejudice the commercial interests of the unsuccessful
suppliers. As such this information had been deemed exempt from disclosure
under section 43(2) of the Act.

 

• Actual contract values of each framework/contract (& any sub lots)

Section 21 of the Act allows a public authority to refuse a request for
information if the information is reasonably accessible by other means. 

The contract notice can be accessed here:
[1]https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE....

The award notice can be accessed here:
[2]https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE....

 

• Start date & duration of framework

It was a one off contract, not a framework

 

• Is there an extension clause in the framework(s)/contract(s) and, if so,
the duration of the extension?

See links provided above

 

• Has a decision been made yet on whether the framework(s)/contract(s) are
being either extended or renewed?

See links provided above

 

• Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for this
contract?

See links provided above

 

This concludes the University’s response to your request. Should you be
dissatisfied with how the University has handled your request, please
consult the attached complaints procedure.

 

Regards,

Information Governance Team

 

[3]image001

 

Governance Services

Sheffield Hallam University

Howard Street

Sheffield S1 1WB

 

Telephone +44 (0)114 225 5555

 

[4]www.shu.ac.uk

 

 

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We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Owen Smith please sign in and let everyone know.