Selection of Assessment Bodies
Why are there four assessment bodies?
In response to customer feedback and in line with the principles of public
services reform we have re-designed the Charter Mark assessment
arrangements to offer greater choice for applicants. Instead of having to
apply in a particular way, at a given time and with a single organisation,
customers can choose from four different assessment bodies, each offering
their own services.
How were the assessment bodies accredited?
At the moment, there is a pool of four assessment bodies accredited to
conduct Charter Mark assessments. We are confident that these organisations
offer excellent choice, flexibility and value for money for applicants.
All 4 assessment bodies have achieved accreditation by the United Kingdom
Accreditation Service (UKAS). This demanding and thorough process gives
Charter Mark applicants additional assurance that the assessment body they
have chosen is competent and operating to an internationally recognised
standard.
Do you need to run a procurement exercise?
We have designed the new arrangements with the aim of minimising the
administrative and regulatory burden on applicants. You may engage any one
or more of the assessment bodies in the pool according to your specific
needs and requirements.
In the Cabinet Office's view, the services provided by the assessment
bodies fall within the definition of Part B (Category 27) services under
Schedule 1 to the Public Services Contracts Regulations (1993) ('the
Regulations'). For this type of services, there is no regulatory
obligation to run a formal competition. It is for you to decide how best to
draw from the pool. It might, for instance, suit you to run an informal,
mini competition between any two or more of the assessment bodies. On the
other hand, it may be appropriate to engage any one of them without
reference to the others. That is entirely up to you.
Some of you, though, may have to comply with one particular regulatory
requirement. If your engagement of an assessment body (either alone or
aggregated with other engagements, in accordance with the Regulations)
exceeds the applicable threshold value, e.g. currently £99,695 for central
government applicants, then you should place a contract award notice in the
Official Journal of the EU (OJEU) within 48 days after the engagement. The
address to which that notice should be sent is:
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities,
2, rue Mercier
L-2985,
Luxembourg
(Fax: 00 352 49 00 03)
Further details on the OJEU can be found on www.publications.eu.int/general/en/oj_en.htm
[External website]
Please note that each applicant organisation must make its own procurement
decisions. The Cabinet Office is not in the business of issuing procurement
or legal advice, and you cannot place any reliance on this guidance note.
You should rely instead on your own professional advisers on the law
generally and any internal procurement procedures in particular.
