FOI
Acronym for Freedom of Information; the statutory right to request information from UK public bodies including procurement data.
Definition
FOI is the acronym for Freedom of Information. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives any person the right to request information held by UK public bodies. In procurement, FOI is used by suppliers to obtain evaluation scores, award rationale, contract values, contract performance data, and (less commonly) the redacted bid documents of winning suppliers. Used systematically, FOI requests after a lost tender can substantially improve future bids.
How it works in practice
See the detailed FOI in Procurement glossary entry for substantive coverage. The short version: a typical post-tender FOI asks for the requester's own scores against each evaluation criterion, the winning bidder's scores against the same criteria, and the panel commentary that justified the scoring. Public bodies must respond within 20 working days. Common refusal grounds include commercial confidentiality (s43) and personal data (s40), but ICO guidance has consistently held that supplier names, contract values, and headline scores are generally not confidential once the contract is awarded. The Procurement Act 2023 transparency regime expands the volume of award data published proactively, reducing the need for FOI for headline information. FOI is most valuable for systematic learning across many lost tenders: patterns in scoring point at specific gaps in the supplier's bid library or methodology. Suppliers should treat the Award Notice as the first source of feedback and FOI as the second tier.
For suppliers, FOI is most valuable when used as part of a systematic lessons-learned process across multiple lost tenders. Single FOI responses tell you about one bid; patterns across many FOI responses tell you about consistent gaps in your bid library, methodology, or social value approach that can be addressed before the next opportunity in the sector. KimonBids tracks FOI requests submitted, response timelines, and the patterns surfaced across multiple lost bids.
Common questions
How do I submit an FOI request?
Email the public body's FOI inbox with a clear written request stating you are requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Specify what you want (your scores, winning scores, panel commentary, contract value, KPIs). The body must respond within 20 working days.
Can my FOI request be refused?
Yes, but only on specific statutory grounds. Common ones are commercial confidentiality (s43), personal data (s40), and information held for less than fully public reasons. ICO guidance is that post-award supplier names, contract values, and headline scores are usually disclosable.
Does PA 2023 reduce FOI need?
Partly. PA 2023 mandates publication of transparency notices including award rationale, contract performance data, and KPI outcomes. Headline information will increasingly be available without FOI. Detailed scoring breakdowns and panel commentary will still need an FOI request in most cases.