2.40 Because of concerns about affordability, the Association of Chief Police Officers established a group of seven forces to evaluate Airwave and to investigate the feasibility of locally procured alternatives. In June 1999 the group published its findings. Principal amongst these was the estimated £940 million net present cost for locally procured radio systems for English and Welsh forces, compared with the then estimated £1,220 million net present cost of Airwave (for English and Welsh forces only). In November 1999, PITO questioned the group's findings in the areas of service quality, service performance, risk transfer and pricing methodology. Despite the fact that the group's estimated cost was similar to that calculated in the should-cost model, PITO avoided using the findings productively for two reasons. Firstly, the timing of the publication of the group's findings was late in the procurement with the negotiations already well advanced and most pricing issues, through comparisons with the should-cost model and public sector comparator, explained. Re-examining issues in the light of the group's findings would have further delayed the award of the contract. Secondly, PITO was committed to the objective of procuring a national police radio system, something that was not assured if the group's alternative won support among stakeholders.
2.41 In January 2000, the Treasury asked PA Consulting to examine Airwave in the light of emerging recommendations from a Cabinet Office review of major Government IT projects3. PA Consulting focused on risk management, deliverability and issues regarding the contract and made recommendations for changes in these areas. PITO issued a detailed response, which indicated that it would implement some of these changes, including improving how it documented the management of identified risks.
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3 The review culminated in the publication in May 2000 of the report, "Review of Major Government IT Projects, Successful IT: Modernising Government in Action".