Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication on 11 December 2024 of the procurement notice Review on the State of Digital Government (2024/S 000-039897), why the evaluation criteria were weighted 85 per cent on quality and 15 per cent on price; and whether the Cabinet Office or Bloom Procurement Services was responsible for setting the evaluation criteria.

The Cabinet Office set the evaluation criteria, with an 85 per cent weighting on quality and 15 per cent on price, to ensure that the contract was awarded based on expertise, capability, and the ability to deliver high-quality outcomes. Bloom Procurement Services acted as a neutral vendor facilitating the procurement process but was not responsible for determining the evaluation criteria.

This weighting aligns with standard industry practice for procuring highly complex and strategic services, where the ability to deliver effectively is more critical than cost alone. In such procurements, a high emphasis on quality ensures that suppliers are assessed on their technical expertise, delivery methodology, risk management, and ability to provide value beyond minimum requirements.