Hope Home Care

Summary

The request sought confirmation of Treasury approval for extending the Hope Home Care contract beyond its maximum term. The Treasury responded that no such approval was granted as the contract reached the statutory 5-year limit and no extension beyond that was requested from the Chief Financial Officer.

Key Facts

• The contract with Manx Home Care (t/a Hope Home Care) was entered into on 7 January 2013.
• The contract was extended to the maximum permissible length of 5 years, concluding on 7 January 2018.
• Neither the Chief Financial Officer nor the Financial Controller approved an extension beyond the 5-year limit.
• Responsibility for the contract lies with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
• The Government's central procurement team has moved from the Treasury to the Attorney General's Chambers.

Data Disclosed

• 7 January 2013
• 7 January 2018
• 5 years
• £100,000
• 23 November 2017
• 4 December 2017
• 1 September 2017
• 17 November 2017
• IM111349I
• IM98-126i
• IM106206i

Original Request

Treasury approval to extension of Hope Home Care contract

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

The Treasury

Yn Tashtey

REFERENCE NUMBER: IM111349I REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”)

Thank you for your request dated 23 November 2017 and the clarification you subsequently provided.

Your request

You asked: -

“Can you please confirm in accordance with with the FD Regulations Hope Manx Home Care the conract the company entered into with the Dept of Health which has been extended for a further year after receiving Treasury approval?”

[sic]

Within your response to our request for clarification you referred to two previous Freedom of Information responses from the DHSC, which contain some information that is relevant to your request as follows: -

Request reference: IM98-126i dated 1 September 2017 Q1. Confirmed that Manx Home Care t/a Manx Cleaners were the successful tenderer for cleaning services in 2013. Request reference: IM106206i dated 17 November 2017

Q1. Confirmed that the contract with Manx Home Care was entered into on 7 January 2013. Q2. Confirmed that the contract was extended to the maximum permissible contract length of 5 years and will conclude on 7 January 2018.

Response to your request

In accordance with point 17 of Financial Directive 8 of Government’s Financial Regulations (copy enclosed at Annex A): -

Freedom of Information Seyrsnys Fysseree

The Treasury Government Office,
Douglas Isle of Man,
British Isles IM1 3PU

Telephone (01624) 685605 Email: FOI.Treasury@gov.im

Government Website: www.gov.im Date: 4 December 2017

“Unless approved by the Chief Financial Officer or the Financial Controller, the maximum length of any contract or partnering arrangement which exceeds the tender threshold of £100,000 (see above) is 5 years.”

In this case, neither the Chief Financial Officer nor the Financial Controller have been asked to approve the length of the contract between the DHSC and Manx Home Care extending beyond the maximum 5 year period.

It may be of interest to you to note that the DHSC has recently issued a press release which refers to the arrangement between the Department and Manx Home Care. That press release can be found here: - https://www.gov.im/news/2017/dec/01/users-of-home-cleaning-service-to-be-offered- a-reassessment-of-need-as-contract-ends/

Responsibility for the contract is vested in the DHSC. If you require any further information relating to it, the online portal for making a Freedom of Information request is as follows: -

https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/make-a-freedom- of-information-request/

It may also be of assistance for you to know that Government’s central procurement team, which previously formed a part of the Treasury, is now part of the Attorney General’s Chambers. Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to me at the above address.
An electronic version of our complaint form can be found at www.gov.im/foireview. If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;
1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.
More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im/. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.
Yours sincerely, FOI Coordinator, the Treasury

ANNEX A