Only very recently has an experienced contract manager been permanently appointed to the ECMU to manage the contract, three years into its life, even though both departments have accepted that the contract has needed to be managed more robustly for a number of years. It had been identified that there was a lack of commercial contract management skills within the ECMU. Notwithstanding this, departments are increasingly having to invoke contractual obligation clauses against Mapeley in an effort to ensure compliance.
The general perception of staff across all businesses, in both Customs & Excise and the Inland Revenue, is that the contract is failing. They are witnessing a general deterioration in their work environments, in an attempt to cut costs. Staff are the front-line main business users of the Mapeley contract, and as much as the departments may say that the contract is working, the users of the estates see it failing and view it with suspicion. The Mapeley contract has a minimum 20 year term, ie a further 17 years during which HMRC will be unable to change the contract or guarantee changed behaviour on the part of Mapeley.