FOI - Fleet Accreditation Schemes [Dec 2023]

Our response 

Please see our answers to each question, in turn, below:

1. Do you specify any Fleet Accreditation Scheme, for example, FORS, DVSA Earned Recognition, Van Excellence, CLOCS, Mission Zero, as a mandatory requirement on any existing contracts, or contracts that have received a recent award notification but have not yet commenced?
 
Yes. The majority of GLA contracts are procured and managed by Transport for London (TfL).

Procurement and Commercial under a shared service agreement between TfL and the GLA. TfL specifies Work Related Road Risk (WRRR) contractual clauses wherever trucks or vans are used at any level of the supply chain. These include FORS Silver accreditation or a suitable alternative as agreed by TfL. Current approved alternatives are DVSA Earned Recognition with the TfL module and Mission Zero with the WRRR module.

For contracts that have not yet commenced a commitment is made by the supplier to meet these obligations within 90 days of contract commencement.

• Please visit TfL for further information.
• For details of our standard contracts, standard purchase orders and terms and conditions, please see 'Procurement information'.

2. If the answer to Q1. is ‘yes’, please tell us which Fleet Accreditation Scheme(s) you specify and at what level(s) (for example, FORS Silver)?
 
TfL specifies Work Related Road Risk (WRRR) contractual clauses wherever trucks or vans are used at any level of the supply chain. These include FORS Silver accreditation or a suitable alternative as agreed by TfL. Current approved alternatives are DVSA Earned Recognition with the TfL module and Mission Zero with the WRRR module.

For more information, please visit the links provided in response to Q1.

3. If the answer to question 1. is ‘no’, please tell us whether you are considering specifying Fleet Accreditation Scheme(s) as part of your contract requirements in the future and if so, when?
 
Not applicable. 

4. If you are specifying a Fleet Accreditation Scheme(s), do your contracts allow for Alternative Schemes to be accepted, for example, TfL state 'FORS or a scheme, which in the reasonable opinion of the Authority, is an acceptable substitute to FORS (the 'Alternative Scheme')'?

The GLA uses the same standard terms and conditions as TfL where appropriate, under a shared service agreement. TfL specifies WRRR contractual clauses wherever trucks or vans are used at any level of the supply chain. These include FORS Silver accreditation or a suitable alternative as agreed by TfL. Current approved alternatives are DVSA Earned Recognition with the TfL module and Mission Zero with the WRRR module.

For more information, please visit the links provided in response to Q1.

5. If the answer to question 4. is ‘yes’ what is the process for accepting an Alternative Scheme(s), or do you take the position that if TfL recognises an 'Alternative Scheme', that this approach will also be accepted by your organisation?

Yes. TfL will conduct a review of the proposed standard and ensures it meets the minimum standard of FORS Silver. If so, then a formal accreditation agreement is signed between TfL and the accredited organisation or scheme.

6. Please provide us with details of each contract where a Fleet Accreditation Scheme(s) has been specified, including Contract Number, Contract Name, Award Date, Term of Contract (including any extension periods), Principal Contractor(s), Name and Fleet Accreditation Scheme and accreditation level specified (for example, FORS Silver)?
 
By default, Work Related Road Risk clauses are incorporated in our standard terms and conditions for contracts and purchase orders. 

It is not possible to provide a response to this question within the FOI time/cost limit, due to the number of contracts within our register and as every contract would need to be manually reviewed to discover whether Fleet Accreditation Scheme(s) requirements are applicable to each. 

• High-level information about contracts awarded (over £5,000) is available to view and download on the TfL website.

Here you can find a tab of contract register data. 

Every contract where trucks or vans are used specifies fleet accreditation in our WRRR clauses.

We have therefore refused this part of your request under the cost limit provisions of section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act and this letter therefore constitutes a refusal notice under section 17(1) of the Act.

To bring the cost of responding to your request to within the £450 limit, you may wish to consider narrowing the scope of your request so that we can more easily provide the information you are seeking. For example, by asking about a specific contract.

7. Please tell us if your organisation or staff undertake any other role for any Fleet Accreditation Scheme, including but not limited to:

• Your organisation is accredited to that scheme?
• Your organisation is an official ‘Champion’ or ‘Supporter’ to that scheme?
• Your organisation, or one of your staff, is a member of that scheme’s governance board (or any other committee or body associated with that scheme)?

The GLA does not hold information in scope of your request. If you wish to make a request about TfL you can email [email protected] 

8. Please tell us the name of your organisations department(s) that are responsible for determining whether Fleet Accreditation Scheme(s) are specified, and which schemes are specified within your contracts?

The majority of GLA contracts are procured and managed by TfL Procurement and Commercial under a shared service agreement between TfL and the GLA.

Enforcement of Fleet Accreditation Scheme(s) is the responsibility of the individual contract owner or manager (either at the GLA or TfL), with the professional support of TfL Compliance, Policing and Operation Security (CPOS) as appropriate.

If you have any further questions relating to this matter, please contact us, quoting reference MGLA041223-1389.