Westminster City Council

Service Contract Review & Improvement Plan

Tony Glew, Chief Information Officer

When the council started to review its provider’s 1500 page service contract we discovered that numerous uncontrolled changes and additions had been made over the years, some of which had been implemented and some which hadn’t. The problem was that because no single person had oversight of the relationship, the service deliverables were never properly monitored. In order to understand where we stood, we brought in BPG to analyse the contract from the standpoint of governance, service quality, financial transparency and risk exposure. Having helped us to understand the contract and the issues that needed to be addressed, BPG then undertook direct talks with the supplier, negotiating a 120 day period in which they had to prove their ability to fulfil the council’s expectations. In clarifying the provider’s contractual obligations and by instituting a firm deadline for delivery, BPG has put the council in a position of strength to decide whether or not to stay with the incumbent or to seek a new provider.