If you’re covered by FOI or EIR (usually it’s both), one of the most common requests you can expect to receive focusses on what you’ve spent money on. Why did you buy this? Why did you buy this from them? What did they do for the money you paid them? Why didn’t you buy this from me? It’s a minefield!

This practical course will guide you through the issues associated with commercial contracts and relationships, with case studies that show how the relevant exemptions apply and also how to run a procurement process that takes account of both transparency and legitimate commercial concerns.

Includes:

• What is a trade secret?

• What is commercial information?

• Identifying your own commercial interests

• Dealing with ‘value for money’

• Competitiveness

• Current / recent tender exercises compared to future ones

• What to tell prospective bidders

• Confidentiality vs commercial interest