You asked
All information relating to the engagement and continued use of the services provided by Corporate Travel Management (North) (CTM) to the Office of National Statistics (ONS.)
I specifically require full details on (but not limited to) the below.
What were the circumstances surrounding this company's engagement?
Which other government departments do they provide this service to?
Was this contract put out to tender?
What are the terms of the contract?
What is their recompense?
What penalty clauses were put in place?
What safeguards are there to the public purse in the case of their failings? (For example if through their own failings they pay a wrong hotel and cannot recoup that money, who bears the cost?)
We said
Thank you for your request. Please see the following answers to your request.
What were the circumstances surrounding this company's engagement?
Crown Commercial Service have a cross government travel and hotel contract that all government departments can access. Via an enabling agreement, ONS engaged with Corporate Travel Management (North of England) Ltd as the most suitable supplier offering the most advantageous cost based on ONS's requirements.
Which other government departments do they provide this service to?
We do not hold this information. The other government departments that you are interested in would be better placed to help with this query. FOI contact emails and forms can be found on the main pages of most departmental websites.
Was this contract put to tender?
The enabling agreement was a direct award from the Crown Commercial Service (CSS) Framework: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6016
What are the terms of the contract?
The terms on our enabling agreement are defined by the CCS Framework terms and conditions: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6016
What is their recompense?
We do not hold this information.
What penalty clauses were put in place?
There are no penalty clauses in the enabling agreement.
What safeguards are there to the public purse in the case of their failings? (For example, if through their own failings, they pay a wrong hotel and cannot recoup that money, who bears the cost?)
Any service failure will be raised with the supplier to seek resolution by the Contract Manager. If this was not possible then ONS Commercial team would escalate as appropriate. Any issues would have to be investigated on a case by case basis.