Informed Solutions: Message to AGI Commercial members

Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 10:47
AGI

Message to AGI Commercial members

Informed Solutions response to the closure of the Government Procurement Service GISS Framework and offer to AGI Commercial Members

Background

The Government Procurement Service GISS Framework and its predecessor versions have been an important mechanism for raising awareness of GI within the government sector and for providing a convenient and simplified way for government bodies to procure from commercial companies in the GI market.

Informed Solutions and other AGI member companies have benefited over a number of years from their inclusion on this Framework although it is recognised that aspects of the structure of the Framework have caused some controversy.

Informed Solutions lobbied the GPS (previously OGC Buying Solutions) for the Framework to be re-let on the completion of its term in mid December 2011 however this has not taken place and Buying Solutions have announced that new arrangements will be put in place later this year.

Commercial members of the AGI now face a gap of unknown duration, but likely to be at least 6 months, while plans for a replacement are put in place. This seems particularly disadvantageous both to commercial and government AGI members wanting to work together; all the more so in the context of the PSMA where progress needs to be made without unnecessary delays.

Informed Solutions’ position

Informed Solutions are included on other public sector Frameworks, namely the Government Procurement Service Digital Continuity Framework, Information Management Services Lot and also the Scottish Government’s GI Framework.

We are currently advising clients that they may recommend the use of either of these frameworks as an alternative procurement route to the discontinued Framework. Most GI related projects are only using GI as a component of a wider Information Management project and the Digital Continuity Framework is in general fully relevant for GI related projects.

Informed Solutions wishes to avoid an unhelpful gap in the availability generally for collaboration between GI related companies and central and local government, particularly, as mentioned above, in the context of the PSMA related objectives.

Informed Solutions Offer to AGI members

Where an AGI member, whether included on the discontinued GIS Framework or not, knows of a client wishing to procure their services but is frustrated by the non availability of the Framework, they are invited to contact Informed Solutions to discuss the possibility of a partnership arrangement.  Informed may be able to facilitate procurement through either the Digital Framework or Scottish Framework routes, with the following general terms:

• The nature of the engagement does not directly conflict with Informed Solutions’s professional or commercial position as an independent consulting practice.

• There is some value that our involvement would add to the engagement, however modest.

• Informed Solutions will respect and not impede in any detrimental way the relationship between the AGI partner and the client, provided this does not bring Informed into disrepute.

• We will not assume professional liability for work undertaken by the AGI partner, and we must be satisfied that all liabilities and penalties can be passed through to the AGI partner on a back-to-back basis.

• The financial terms agreed between Informed and the AGI partner must be cash flow neutral, such that there is no negative impact on our own business.

• We will not, in the interests of actively supporting fellow AGI members through this period, charge a margin for any services or (technology or data) products delivered by the AGI partner to the client through Informed, recognising that the market is already difficult and highly competitive for us all.

In making this offer, we hope to lead by example and demonstrate that SMEs doing ethical and transparent business, in a professional and collaborative manner, will enable us all to build stronger more resilient businesses and improve the UK’s economic outlook.

Please contact: Paul Collins, Business and Client Services, Informed Solutions:

Paul.collins@informed.com

Tel: 0161 942 2000

Informed Solutions  January 2012

Article originally appeared on AGI (http://www.agi.org.uk/).