Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation
Queens House, 14 Queen Street
BELFAST
BT1 6ED
SSDAdmin.CPD@finance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/procurement
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
ID4435678 UREGNI - Legal Services Framework 2023
Reference number
ID4435678
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79100000 - Legal services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (Utility Regulator, also referred to as UR) is seeking to put in place a framework for legal advice to support the in-house team. The framework will comprise of two lots. • Lot 1 (UK wide): Energy/Water/Utilities Specialist Legal Expertise. General utilities law expertise (covers covering major utilities law specialisms – covering finance/regulatory law, European law, public law, and competition law as key examples) • Lot 2 (Northern Ireland): Northern Ireland specific related areas of law to include but not limited to property law, employment law, litigation (to include pre action protocol matters). Tenderers may bid for admission to one or both of the lots depending on their own specialism. It is currently the intention that a maximum of three Contractors will be appointed under each lot on a ranked basis. Tenderers should refer to the document titled “ID 4435678 Specification” for more details on the services required.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £300,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for maximum number of lots
2
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 1 - UK Wide
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services
- 79112000 - Legal representation services
- 79140000 - Legal advisory and information services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (Utility Regulator, also referred to as UR) is seeking to put in place a framework for legal advice to support the in-house team. The framework will comprise of two lots. • Lot 1 (UK wide): Energy/Water/Utilities Specialist Legal Expertise. General utilities law expertise (covers covering major utilities law specialisms – covering finance/regulatory law, European law, public law, and competition law as key examples) • Lot 2 (Northern Ireland): Northern Ireland specific related areas of law to include but not limited to property law, employment law, litigation (to include pre action protocol matters). Tenderers may bid for admission to one or both of the lots depending on their own specialism. It is currently the intention that a maximum of three Contractors will be appointed under each lot on a ranked basis. Tenderers should refer to the document titled “ID 4435678 Specification” for more details on the services required.
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,400,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months
36
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 - Northern Ireland
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services
- 79112000 - Legal representation services
- 79140000 - Legal advisory and information services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (Utility Regulator, also referred to as UR) is seeking to put in place a framework for legal advice to support the in-house team. The framework will comprise of two lots. • Lot 1 (UK wide): Energy/Water/Utilities Specialist Legal Expertise. General utilities law expertise (covers covering major utilities law specialisms – covering finance/regulatory law, European law, public law, and competition law as key examples) • Lot 2 (Northern Ireland): Northern Ireland specific related areas of law to include but not limited to property law, employment law, litigation (to include pre action protocol matters). Tenderers may bid for admission to one or both of the lots depending on their own specialism. It is currently the intention that a maximum of three Contractors will be appointed under each lot on a ranked basis. Tenderers should refer to the document titled “ID 4435678 Specification” for more details on the services required.
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £600,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months
36
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Form of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
7 March 2023
Local time
3:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
Contract monitoring: the successful contractor’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored. Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a contractor fails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in construction and procurement delivery (CPD) for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, this may be considered grounds for termination of the contract at your expense as provided for in the Conditions of Contract. In lieu of termination, CPD may issue a Notice of Written Warning or a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance. A supplier in receipt of multiple Notices of Written Warning or a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance may, in accordance with The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended), be excluded from future public procurement competitions for a period of. up to three years..
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 (as amended).
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
CPD will comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) and, where appropriate, will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of framework agreement is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. This provides time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the framework agreement is entered into.