2.1 In this part of the report we look at the Agency's procurement of the partnership. In April 1995, the Agency estimated that the procurement would take 13 months and cost £550,000. The partnership deal was not signed until 8 June 1998 and cost the Agency approximately £3.4 million to procure. We found that the decision to break new ground in the public sector by basing the partnership on a joint venture company was responsible for much of the increase. We also found that disagreements within the Agency about the scope and implementation of the partnership contributed to the delay and the length of the process contributed to the withdrawal of some of the potential bidders.