3.12 Some of the IT systems transferred to Radio Spectrum International were crucial to the Agency's ability to meet their business objectives, so they sought to reduce the risk of non-performance to a minimum. In the Agency's opinion, this could be achieved, if the partners related well to each other, with the best relationship founded on mutual trust.
3.13 The Agency accepted the principle, expressed by their advisors, that trust requires a mutually supportive environment to thrive, where there is a reciprocal concern about the welfare of the other and encompasses openness and the sharing of risks and benefits. To minimise the potential for disagreement in the contentious area of costs and profits the Agency made it a condition in the contract that Radio Spectrum International retains an open book accounting regime for IT services. This ensures that the Agency have full access to the records of the company. This openness extends to CMG, who have undertaken to provide long-term secondees to the company at cost, and agreed to provide all evidence required by the Agency to verify that charges for such secondees excludes any element of profit. CMG also agreed to grant the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry the right to audit compliance with the relevant terms.