Follow up information request about the contract between PHSO and Silverbear Ltd
What the £100 plus was spent on... so this would include implementation of the project and any files on the progress of the contract - to its ending.
As part of your previous request (FDN-211299) I provided you with all information relating to the implementation of this contract. This included details regarding the pricing structure of the contract where it was not considered sensitive commercial information to Silverbear Ltd. Information was withheld where it was considered commercially sensitive and the relevant exemption applied. That being the case, we have previously provided you with the information we hold where an exemption does not apply. I do not consider that the circumstances required to reconsider this part of your request have changed significantly enough to reconsider my decision. As such, this part of your request will not be considered in accordance with section 14 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) (repeat requests).
Did any problems arise for instance? And how were they solved?
There is no information held on this subject (section 1, FOIA).
Presumably there was monitoring of the implementation of the contract after the signed agreement?
The information that we hold about monitoring was included in the documents released as part of your previous request (FDN-211299). There are no additional documents that are included by the terms of your new request.
I would also like to know the total paid to Silver Bear from 2011 to date, in that the initial cost of the contract was estimated at £50k.
Please find this information attached. Please note however that some of the information contains details on the description of the purpose of the payment, to the extent that its disclosure would reveal the pricing structure of Silverbear Ltd. As such, that part of the information is provisionally exempt from disclosure under section 43 of the FOIA. The public interest considerations applied to the section 43 exemption in FDN-211299 apply in equal measure here.
Is every payment to Silver Bear recorded in the resource accounts?
Every payment is accounted for in the resource accounts. This does not mean that Silverbear is mentioned in the resource accounts, but each payment made to them is contained in the overarching accounts reported. For example, payments made to Silverbear Ltd. is included under Information & Communications Technology in section 9 – Other Administration Costs.
If so, where might I read the resource accounts?
The relevant resource accounts can be found at PHSO Resource Accounts 2012-13. /sites/default/files/FINAL_PHSO_Resource_Accounts_2012-13.pdf
I hope the information is helpful.
Yours sincereley
FOI/DP Officer
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman