When the government planned the CIDC in 2004, Osterhaus was officially consulted regarding these plans and asked to stand as candidate director. Alarmed by the fact that the government would set up the centre without proper consultation with the Health Council, Osterhaus informed them of this and suggested a consulting committee. The next step was the selection of a director. Osterhaus turned the offer down, as he had had his share of the RIVM in the past. In his view, the only other person capable of the job was Coutinho, and Osterhaus personally phoned him (Osterhaus 29 July 2008); Coutinho accepted. Again, Osterhaus was tying a policy process and its outcome together by using formal and informal relations and his credibility in policy; this, again, took place in the back region.