Future opportunity

Legal Aid Agency’s Specialist Quality Mark (SQM)

  • The Legal Aid Agency

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-014364

Published 23 June 2021, 10:45pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

The Legal Aid Agency

102 Petty France

London

SW1H 9AJ

Email

civiltenders@justice.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKI32 - Westminster

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/legal-aid-agency

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

Other publicly funded services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Legal Aid Agency’s Specialist Quality Mark (SQM)

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). It works with providers of legal services to ensure fair, prompt and effective access to civil and criminal legal aid and advice in England and Wales. LAA would like to engage the service of a provider to administer its Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) scheme. The SQM is the organisational quality standard owned by the LAA but delivered under licence and services delivered under contract will be directly chargeable from legal services providers. The purpose of the SQM is to ensure providers of legal services are well managed, provide good levels of client care and have appropriate systems in place to ensure delivery of good quality advice. Compliance with the SQM, or the Law Society’s equivalent standard Lexcel, is a requirement for legal services providers that have, or are seeking to have, a contract with the LAA. The service, which involves auditing and assessing legal services providers who apply for SQM accreditation, will be delivered across England and Wales. We anticipate that services under contract are likely to be required for a maximum of 5 years from 1 April 2022.

To register to attend an on-line market engagement session, interested organisations should email civil.tenders@justice.gov.uk by no later than 7 July 2021.

Full detail of the procurement process will be detailed in the invitation to tender.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

England and Wales only

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) would like to engage the service of a provider to deliver the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) scheme. The SQM is the organisational quality standard owned by the LAA but delivered under licence. Its purpose is to ensure providers of legal services are well managed, provide good levels of client care and have appropriate systems in place to ensure delivery of good quality advice. Compliance with the SQM, or the Law Society’s equivalent standard Lexcel, is a requirement for legal services providers that have, or are seeking to have, a contract with the LAA. The service, which involves auditing and assessing legal services providers who apply for SQM accreditation, will be delivered across England and Wales. The purpose of this Prior Information Notice is to engage with possible providers to discuss various arrangements for the service.

Organisations interested in this procurement opportunity are asked to email LAA (civil.tenders@justice.gov.uk) to register to attend an on-line market engagement event. Organisations should register by no later than 7 July 2021. The market engagement session is expected to take place in July 2021.

Full detail of the procurement process will be detailed in the invitation to tender.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

23 June 2021


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes