(2) what procedures and criteria are applied by regional development agencies to the selection and appointment of consultants; and what tasks regional development agencies have appointed consultants to undertake since 2004.
Consultancy services have been identified as services commissioned by RDAs to inform the management of the Agency, organisational development, strategy development, and communications and marketing. The services are used when the necessary knowledge and resources cannot be found in-house.
This definition does not relate to services for specific project or programme delivery (for example legal advice on land deals as part of development projects).
The following table shows how much each RDA has spent on consultants in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07. Figures in £000.
RDAs 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 AWM 672 496 247 EEDA 226 714 563 EMDA 149 228 148 LDA 335 287 11,400 NWDA 792 535 518 ONE 200 309 197 SEEDA 125 98 120 SWRDA 648 557 281 YF 296 194 228 1 LDA. An Agency wide restructure was key to implementing changes required to align the LDA management team with the challenges and opportunities presented as a result of London winning the 2012 Olympics. Consultants were employed to oversee the restructure and the ‘New ways of Working' project.
Consultancy services are procured in accordance with OJEU and public procurement regulations (public contract regulations 2003 and 2006), and individual RDA financial memoranda and regulations.
Appointments are made either through a pre-tendered panel of suppliers or through a competitive procurement process. RDA procurement procedures include documented tender specification, and an assessment of the supplier's financial standing, pricing, quality and capacity to deliver the assignment and value for money.