Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
The Legal Aid Agency
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/legal-aid-agency
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
other publicly funded body
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
SQM Services from 1 October 2022
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Legal Aid Agency (“LAA”) invited Applicants to tender for a concession contract (“Contract”) to administer the LAA’s Specialist Quality Mark (“SQM”), from 1 October 2022.
The SQM is the LAA’s organisational quality standard designed to ensure that Legal Services Providers are well run and provide good client care. The SQM gives assurance regarding the quality of advice in several ways which, whilst not direct measures of quality are fundamental to reliable delivery of a quality service and
therefore are fundamentally important to the delivery of legal aid services. Compliance with the SQM, or equivalent standard (e.g. Lexcel), is a requirement for Legal Services Providers that have, or are seeking to have, a contract with the LAA.
The LAA intended to enter into contract with one (1) organisation to administer the LAA’s SQM under a licence. On the LAA’s behalf, the Licensee will provide the SQM Services, which include auditing and assessing Legal Services Providers that apply for SQM accreditation.
This notice confirms the outcome of that procurement.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This concession is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
England and Wales
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Legal Aid Agency (“LAA”) invited Applicants to tender for a concession contract (“Contract”) to administer the LAA’s Specialist Quality Mark (“SQM”), from 1 October 2022.
The SQM is the LAA’s organisational quality standard designed to ensure that Legal Services Providers are well run and provide good client care. The SQM gives assurance regarding the quality of advice in several ways which, whilst not direct measures of quality are fundamental to reliable delivery of a quality service and
therefore are fundamentally important to the delivery of legal aid services. Compliance with the SQM, or equivalent standard (e.g. Lexcel), is a requirement for Legal Services Providers that have, or are seeking to have, a contract with the LAA.
The LAA intended to enter into contract with one (1) organisation to administer the LAA’s SQM under a licence. On the LAA’s behalf, the Licensee will provide the SQM Services, which include auditing and assessing Legal Services Providers that apply for SQM accreditation.
This notice confirms the outcome of that procurement.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Concession is awarded on the basis of the criteria described below:
- Criterion: Delivering a Quality Service
- Criterion: Mobilisation
- Criterion: Applying your Skills and Experience
- Criterion: Staffing the Service
two.2.7) Duration of the concession
Start date
1 October 2022
End date
30 September 2025
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
Award procedure with prior publication of a concession notice
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2022/S 000-002477
Section five. Award of concession
Lot No
1
Title
SQM Services from 1 October 2022
A concession/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of concession
five.2.1) Date of concession award decision
1 July 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
The concession has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the concessionaire
Recognising Excellence
Unit 3, Twigworth Court Business Centre, Tewkesbury Road,
Gloucester
GL2 9PG
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKK13 - Gloucestershire
The concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of concession and main financing terms (excluding VAT)
Total value of the concession/lot: £2,500,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Legal Aid Agency
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Centre for Dispute Resolution
70 Fleet Street
London
EC4Y1EU
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Legal Aid Agency
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
Country
United Kingdom