New ticketing system tender

Executive summary
12 New Ticketing System Tender
RESPONSE provided by the Chairman, Transport Ticketing Authority -
continued
Audit found that the NTS probity plans and related protocols were examples of
good practice. Audit raises the issue of changes to the NTS Probity Plan. It was
appropriate that changes were made to the Probity Plans (there was more than
one Probity Plan, i.e. a pre-procurement and procurement phase Plan). It was
always expected that changes to the Probity Plans would be required when the
number of tenderers and the number of offers from each tenderer was confirmed.
In the event the Board only made relatively minor changes to the plans after
being satisfied that it was appropriate and desirable to do so.
The Board assessed the extent of probity risk in relation to perception issues
against the cost of a continuum of preventative measures. It was agreed that
irrespective of the measures in place, the Authority would not be able to
completely eliminate perception issues.
In conjunction with the Probity Auditor, the Authority developed an alternative
framework that complied with Government requirements and provided a realistic
platform for monitoring meetings, which included provision for recording meetings
and in nearly all cases, ensuring that meetings occurred at the TTA in group
situations. Further, the Probity Auditor had full access to all meetings and the
prerogative to attend meetings as considered necessary.
The Authority implemented a range of mechanisms to identify and manage real
and perceived conflicts of interest, requiring all individuals associated with the
project to review their conflict of interest position on at least five occasions during
the NTS tender process. Conflict of interest was addressed in the Probity
Auditor’s detailed monthly reports to the TTA Board and in discussions as
required.
The rigorous and extensive arrangements for the identification and management
of conflict of interest in the NTS tender process successfully accommodated the
question of the perceived conflict of interest of the Authority’s Chief Executive
Officer, with swift and transparent management of this matter by the Board. The
Authority welcomes audit’s finding that “the Authority identified the conflicts of
interest in a timely way … [and] found no evidence of corruption in the NTS
tender and no evidence that the conflicts of interest led to the unfair or biased
treatment of particular tenderers or groups of tenderers.”
The Authority considers that this finding is a robust response to the questions
raised in one newspaper regarding the probity of the NTS tender process and the
ethics of those who worked on the project.
On that basis, the Authority acknowledges the commitment and efforts of all TTA
staff, representatives of Government departments, public transport operators and
external advisors, to ensuring that the NTS tender process was properly
managed.