PERA hired for broker service

Technology and business consultancy PERA International is to run design in the Government’s Consultancy Brokerage Service. appointed by the Department of Trade and Industry, PERA is one of nine contractors running individual CBS disciplines.

PERA is talking to a number of design organisations to help with vetting and listing of consultancies, says Philip Sowden, manager of PERA’s enterprise division, which will handle the CBS design workload.

Sowden declines to name the organisations. “We are still in negotiation,” he says.

The Design Business Association chief executive Ian Rowland-Hill says the DBA will be “as helpful as possible” in confirming consultancy membership and awards information.

The CBS matchmaking service, already under fire over its listing fees for consultancies (DW 17 February), aims to bring together clients and consultants.

Sowden says: “PERA will receive applications from consultants, check out their references and decide if they are appropriate [for listing]. We will then identify consultants for clients, giving them a selection of three.”