FOI Reference: FOI/2022/4326
You asked
What services are included in the contract(s)? (e.g. printing vs scanning etc)
Which supplier is delivering them? (If in-house, please confirm or if multiple providers please identify them)
How many contracts does this entail and what's the award value for each?
When do these contracts expire and do they have any extensions?
What is the annual volumetric data (split by Annual Mono and Annual Colour print)?
What is the total number of devices supplied?
What Managed Print Service software solution do you use?
How many Mono MFDs and Colour MFDs do you have?
What document management solution do you use?
What High Volume printing devices do you use?
Were any framework agreements used to procure the goods/services? If so, which ones?
Any documentation you can provide me with, e.g. the order form
What department is managing the contract and who's the decision-maker?
How many Adobe Acrobat (standard, professional and reader) licenses do you have?
What is the annual cost?
When is the renewal date?
Who is responsible for the contract?
Do you use any other PDF editing tools?
We said
Thank you for your request.
Please see the following answers to your questions.
1. What services are included in the contract(s)? (e.g. printing vs scanning etc)
- MFD Printer Devices - ONS owned
- MFD Printer Services (Toners, Maintenance and Support) - Lexmark
- Large Printer Devices - Xerox
2. Which supplier is delivering them? (If in-house, please confirm or if multiple provider please identify them)
- Lexmark
- Xerox
3. How many contracts does this entail and what's the award value for each?
- Two (Lexmark - £28,000, Xerox - £678,000)
4. When do these contracts expire and do they have any extensions?
- Lexmark - 30/11/2022 (No extensions)
- Xerox - 31/08/2025 (No extensions)
5. What is the annual volumetric data (split by Annual Mono and Annual Colour print)?
- Lexmark - Colour 677,592 and Mono 4,707,484
Please notes these are for March 19 - March 20 as pre covid figures to give an indication of a normal print year volume for ONS.
- Xerox - Mono 1,335,791 and Colour 7,590,192
6. What is the total number of devices supplied?
- Lexmark - 70 black, 55 colour
- Xerox - 2
7. What Managed Print Service software solution do you use?
- Lexmark - Pharos System Blueprint Server
- Xerox - Mentacaptus which is the Solimar system
8. How many Mono MFDs and Colour MFDs do you have?
- Please see response to question 6.
9. What document management solution do you use?
- SharePoint
10. What High Volume printing devices do you use?
- Xerox - Baltoro and a Versant
11. Were any framework agreements used to procure the goods/services? If so, which ones?
- Lexmark - Services Contract, Single Tender
- Xerox - CCS Framework RM3781
12. Any documentation you can provide me with, e.g. the order form
The information contained on the order form is exempt under Section 43(2) of FOIA, as its release would cause commercial prejudice to the supplier in question. Other parties would be able to determine how they price the various elements of their contract and subsequently use this information to the supplier's disadvantage when competing against them at future tender exercises. For example, another company could copy their business model and reduce the price of their service to secure a win.
This information, if released, would also likely cause commercial prejudice to our organisation. We would likely face disadvantage at future tendering processes with IQVIA and other companies, as they would likely be unwilling to work with us in the future for fear that commercially damaging information could be released. For similar reasons, our existing commercial relationships would also likely be prejudiced.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test.
We recognise arguments in favour of transparency and accountability regarding the suppliers contracted with public authorities, and we have demonstrated our commitment to this interest by supplying the rest of the requested information in questions 1 to 11 and 13 to 18. We have also demonstrated this by actively publishing our Payments to suppliers over £25,000. This adheres to the inherent public interest in the spending of public money. Considering this, we do not believe there is any further public interest in the commercially sensitive inner workings of our supplier.
We should also consider the public interest in our own capability to negotiate and to compete in a commercial environment. Damage to the trust and confidence of our suppliers would reduce the pool of suppliers with which we can negotiate, as suppliers would be unwilling to work with us for fear that their commercially sensitive information would be released. This would lead to a reduction in the choice of quality of services offered and also a reduction in competitive incentive amongst suppliers to offer us a good price. This would be detrimental to the preservation of public funds and the quality of service received by members of the public. Therefore, this hinderance to our capability to compete effectively in a commercial environment directly and negatively impacts the public.
The balance of the public interest therefore falls in favour of non-disclosure in this instance.
13. What department is managing the contract and who's the decision-maker?
- Digital Services and Technology
14. How many Adobe Acrobat (standard, professional and reader) licenses do you have?
- For the version currently in use within ONS - Standard - 610 Professional - 320 Reader - unlimited.
15. What is the annual cost?
- No annual cost as these are perpetual licences not subscriptions.
16. When is the renewal date?
- No renewal cost or date as these are perpetual licences not subscriptions.
17. Who is responsible for the contract?
- Contact details of members of staff are considered as personal data and will be withheld under s40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please use the following email address if you have any questions in relation to contracts: ons.contract.management@ons.gov.uk
18. Do you use any other PDF editing tools?
- No.