TfL Ref: 0947-1819

Thank you for your emails received by us on 3 and 10 July 2018 asking for a copy of the tender application made by QA Ltd. Please accept my apologies for the considerable delay in responding.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked for:
a copy (PQQ,Technical requirement with weight score and pricing schedule) of the winning tender that is score so i can access if fairness and clear standard was used in awarding the contract.
Please see the information you have requested attached.

Please be aware that, in accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply the pricing schedule and technical submissions as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2) - commercial interests. Disclosure of this information would be likely to affect their ability to compete effectively in current and future tender exercises, as well as the commercial interests of TfL. Prejudice would be likely to occur when we go out to tender for such services in the future, because it would be likely to result in a clustering of bids based on previously negotiated payment rates and the company’s specific service delivery. Releasing this information would also be prejudicial to the company’s ability to compete for tendering opportunities with TfL and other companies in the future by placing detail of their organisation, structure and technical operations into the public domain.

The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, particularly where the expenditure of public money is concerned, but in this instance the public interest in ensuring that we are able to obtain the best value for public money outweighs the general public interest in increasing transparency of our processes.

Additionally, in accordance with TfL’s obligations under Data Protection Legislation, some personal information has been withheld, as required by section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’. This is an absolute exemption and therefore not subject to a public interest test.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London