Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
Telephone
+44 02033343555
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Public order and safety
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Court Appointed Intermediary Services - Framework Re-Opening April 2025
Reference number
2758
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 75231100 - Law-courts-related administrative services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This notice relates to the re-opening of framework agreements originally awarded following a procurement exercise conducted under the light tough regime, following a process similar to the open procedure.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is inviting tenders for the provision of Court Appointed Intermediary Services (CAIS), to support vulnerable defendants in the criminal jurisdiction and vulnerable parties and witnesses in the civil, family and tribunal jurisdictions. These services will be provided in courts and tribunals in England and Wales and tribunals in Scotland.
Intermediaries facilitate impartial communication to enable complete, coherent and accurate communication between vulnerable people and the courts/tribunals. Intermediaries may be instructed to provide an assessment of a person's communication needs, and provide recommendations on measures that could be put in place by the court to support vulnerable people, young people, children and other individuals who may need assistance during court proceedings. The intermediary may also be required to attend hearings to provide such assistance and support.
For the avoidance of doubt, the MoJ is only seeking tenders in relation to intermediary services that currently fall outside the remit of the MoJ Witness Intermediary Scheme (MoJ WIS). All requests for intermediary support for witnesses in criminal cases will continue to be managed via the MoJ WIS.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £20,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The MoJ invites tenders for Court Appointed Intermediary Services to support two existing framework agreements: the Managed & Approved Service Provider framework (MASP), and the Approved Service Provider framework (ASP).
The MASP framework seeks providers with the ability to manage multiple simultaneous bookings, and the capability to recruit, train and manage intermediaries to support a range of vulnerabilities, for deployment nationally.
The ASP framework seeks experienced and qualified intermediaries to support bookings on demand.
There is no limit to the number of service providers awarded a place on either framework, however a service provider may not hold a place on both the MASP and ASP frameworks simultaneously.
The MoJ is managing this procurement in accordance with its general obligations under UK law and specifically in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCRs) and the Light Touch Regime contained within Regulations 74 to 77.
The framework agreements are dynamic frameworks and a hybrid of a framework agreement and dynamic purchasing system. As such, the framework agreements will be reopened at six month intervals for the admission of new service providers who qualify against the selection and award criteria outlined in the procurement documents.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £20,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End date
31 March 2025
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Framework extension options include provision to extend the term by an additional 24 months.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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.2.14) Additional information
The MoJ uses an electronic sourcing (e-sourcing) system to facilitate procurement activity. Registration via the portal is free of charge and requires no specialist software to access. Registration can be undertaken at:
https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with several operators
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2020/S 138-340788
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
13 May 2025
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
13 May 2025
Local time
5:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Every six months
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
Nothing in this notice shall generate any contractual obligations prior to the signature or execution of agreement or contracts following completion of the tender process. The MoJ reserves the right to reject all or any of the bids for the competition and not to appoint any potential provider, without any liability on its part.
Transparency: HM Government requires that tender documentation issued by Government departments for contracts with a value exceeding GBP 10 000 over the life of the contract are published online (http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk) for the general public.
In the event a contract is awarded following a tendering exercise, the contract will be published on the contracts finder website, subject to the statutory grounds for redaction as set out in the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The MoJ may use its discretion to redact information to protect key commercial interests or on prescribed grounds. Therefore, bidders who wish information not to be published if successful should secure agreement with the MoJ prior to submission. Only documentation relating to awarded contracts will be published. Key commercial interests, trade secrets and commercial interests which would be prejudiced by publication, following the tests in section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 maybe redacted.
http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/docs/foi-exemption-s43.pdf
The prescribed grounds for redaction are:
(a) national security;
(b) personal data;
(c) information protected by intellectual property law;
(d) information which it is not in the public interest to disclose (following the tests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000);
(e) third party confidential information;
(f) IT security; or
(g) prevention of fraud.
Freedom of information (FOI)
The Freedom of Information Act came fully into force in 2005. If any organisation considers that any information supplied by them is either commercially sensitive or confidential in nature, this should be highlighted and the reasons for its sensitivities specified. In such cases the relevant material will in response to FOI requests be examined in the light of exemptions provided for in the Act.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Ministry of Justice
London
Country
United Kingdom