26 February 2021
45 Pipitea Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
PO Box 805, Wellington 6140
Phone +64 4 495 7200
Andrew Chen
Fax +64 4 382 3589
fyi-request-14605-
Em
ail [email address]
[email address]
Websi
te www.dia.govt.nz
Tēnā koe Andrew
Your Official Information Act request OIA2021-0426, dated 4 February 2021
I write regarding your Official Information Act request, which was received by the
Department of Internal Affairs (the Department) on 4 February 2021.
You have requested:
“I would like to make a request for a list of vendors that have provided data science
services to DIA in the last three years.”
The term ‘data science’ does not have a universally understood definition. As such, the
Department has used the following explanation of ‘data science’, prepared in consultation
with you, as the scope for the Department’s response to your request:
‘Data Science involves building mathematical models, developing algorithms for analytical or
operational use – including through the use of statistical methods or machine learning –
from data held by the Department, and may include data cleansing/cleaning and analysis.’
You have requested a list of vendors used in the last three years. The Department has
reviewed vendors that we have engaged to provide data science services in the last three
calendar years from 1 January 2018 to 31 January 2021.
Based on the scope of ‘data science’ described above, the Department has engaged the
following vendors to provide data science services to the Department between 1 January
2018 and 31 January 2021:
▪ Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL)
▪ Deloitte
▪ Dot Loves Data
▪ Ernst & Young
▪ KPMG
▪ Metataxis
▪ Morrison Low
▪ Transkribus
▪ Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS)
If you have any feedback or questions about the Department’s response, please let us know
at
[email address]
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Sharyn Mitchell
Chief Financial Officer
Finance
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