The Central Office of Information is putting the finishing touches to its design and creative services for print roster, which will provide public sector design services for the next three-to-five years (DW 7 April). Having endured criticism from the industry that its previous roster was too large, the COI Publications team has sought this time to serve up a leaner, more organised list.

 

A great deal of consideration has been invested in the structure of the roster, which organises its 63 consultancies around eight categories of work, says COI Publications creative director Robert Bell.

 

'Perhaps the last roster was not as well structured and was overlong. This time we have been very careful with the categories and the structure should be more productive all round. It also lessens the chance of a consultancy not receiving any work, although we try to be upfront about the trends of work,' he says.

 

Fellow COI Publications creative director Fanny Sigler believes that carving up the roster into eight categories will allow the Government communications division to respond swiftly to all the needs of its clients, which span the breadth of Government departments.

 

Start Creative is one of the few groups selected for the new roster, after holding a place on the previous list. Consultancy managing director Mike Curtis agrees that there have been improvements this time around. 'This roster seems to be a bit more focused, across different areas of activity,' he says. 'For us, it could be a bit more significant than three years ago, when it was perhaps more unwieldy and less focused.'

 

COI Publications' turnover for 2003/2004 was £25.7m.