Capita's bid for the contract to support the CRB Agency complied with the key assumptions made by the Agency and its specification at the time about how the public would access the service.
The Agency had presumed that over 80% of Disclosure applicants would use a telephone-based process. Following contract award, the Agency introduced an applicant led paper-based process. After the service became operational, 80% of applications were made in this way. A delay in processing built up as over 50% of these applications contained errors or omissions by applicants and these applications had to be returned for correction and /or additional information to ensure the integrity of the checking process.
When the Agency took the decision to introduce a bulk paper channel Capita warned that this could lead to operational difficulties and delays because the business processes, the supporting IT system and staff recruitment had been based on the Agency's original assumed channel mix as set out in the tender specification. The different channel mix required different processes and system design. However, Capita recognised that the Agency was under pressure from its customers and that it took an understandable decision to agree the bulk paper channel. Because of this significant process change by the Agency, it was necessary to fundamentally amend the business processes and system.
This altered the operational requirements and consequentially the operating costs, and the alignment of the contract, to the service.