DFEE ready to appoint after free-pitch row

The Department for Education and Employment is due to appoint a consultancy tomorrow (Friday) to design its new corporate identity after a free-pitch condemned by the design industry.

The free creative pitch – labelled “bad and unprofessional” by Lab- our co-chairman of the All Party Group on Design Mark Fisher

(DW 18 August) – was initially offered to eight consultancies.

At least two, Pentagram and Lloyd Northover Citigate, immediately refused to take part. A third, Nucleus Design, is believed to have withdrawn after discussions with the DFEE.

The Jenkins Group, also invited to tender, declines to comment on the pitch or whether it has supplied the range of free creative work requested by the DFEE.

A DFEE spokeswoman declines to say which groups or how many have complied with the tender requirements. But six groups are believed to be presenting their designs to a DFEE minister today.

The number taking part may have been boosted by some consultancies which are believed to have approached the DFEE after DW revealed the free-pitch.