2.12 The organisational structure put in place by the Agency in July 1996 is shown in Figure 2. To assist the new project manager the Agency engaged the following advisors:
■ ASE, IT consultants, appointed in August 1996;
■ Berwin Leighton, a firm of solicitors, appointed in October 1996;
■ KPMG, financial consultants, a temporary appointment from December 1996 to April 1997, while the Agency hosted a competition for a financial consultant; and
■ Capita, financial consultants, appointed April 1997 after winning the competition.
2.13 The procurement team left it to the potential bidders to propose the precise nature of the partnership when they issued the outline specification in August 1996. Of the six potential bidders who responded to the document, four proposed that the partnership should be founded on a joint venture company with two business streams, one providing IT services to the Agency; and the other exploiting the Agency's expertise. The Agency welcomed this approach, because they considered that a joint venture company would allow the Agency to retain the control they wanted over the supply of IT services. This proposed partnership would also provide the Agency's IT services staff with an option of working in the company while remaining employees of the Agency. In October 1996, the Agency sought and received from their Steering Board approval for the joint