Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
General Optical Council
10 Old Bailey
London
EC4M 7NG
Contact
Tabinda Kiani
Telephone
+44 02073073472
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI31 - Camden and City of London
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA14321
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Healthcare Regulator
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Legal Support Services (Fitness to Practise)
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79100000 - Legal services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The requirements of the service are:
- conduct of investigative work on the General Optical Council's behalf in relation to fitness to practise allegations relating to registered opticians and optical businesses
- preparation for, and presentation of, the GOC's case at substantive Fitness to Practise Committee hearings
- occasional preparation for, and presentation of the GOC's case at non-substantive hearings (interim order applications/reviews/extensions, substantive order reviews) and Registration Appeal Committee hearings
- provision of advice relating to the conduct of individual investigations into the fitness to practise of GOC registrants, and relating to interpretation of GOC legislation and rules
- provision of training to Committee members, Case Examiners and GOC staff.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £611,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI31 - Camden and City of London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The full description document (including expression of interest assessment criteria) is available at: https://www.optical.org/en/about_us/working_for_us/goc-tenders-.cfm
The value of this contract as stated is its total value - please note that we anticipate appointing up to two suppliers to provide the service (meaning that the value of the contract would be approximately half its stated total value if two providers are appointed).
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct amongst opticians. We currently register around 30,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.
A brief description of our four core regulatory functions is:
- Setting standards for optical education and training, performance and conduct.
- Approving qualifications leading to registration.
- Maintaining a register of individuals who are qualified and fit to practise, train or carry on business as optometrists and dispensing opticians.
-Investigating and acting where registrants' fitness to practise, train or carry on business is impaired.
Our website is at: www.optical.org
We are seeking to procure legal support services for our Fitness to Practise (FTP) directorate, with effect from 1 April 2022.
This year (2021-22) it is forecast that we will open approximately 120 fitness to practice investigations. Currently, approximately 45 per cent of investigation cases are being referred to our Fitness to Practise Committee. We expect to instruct up to half of these referred cases out to the appointed provider(s), either for advocacy only, or for investigation and advocacy (for the sake of clarity, we expect to manage the other half in-house). We also expect to instruct appointed providers to undertake initial-stages investigations in a (total) maximum of 10 cases per annum. We expect these current case numbers to broadly continue through the period of the contract.
The provision of legal services will be governed by an agreement commencing 1 April 2022 and concluding 31 March 2024, but with an option for the GOC to extend for 12 months to 31 March 2025.
The requirements of the service are:
- conduct of investigative work on the GOC's behalf in relation to fitness to practise allegations relating to registered opticians and optical businesses
- preparation for, and presentation of, the GOC's case at substantive Fitness to Practise Committee hearings
- occasional preparation for, and presentation of the GOC's case at non-substantive hearings (interim order applications/reviews/extensions, substantive order reviews) and Registration Appeal Committee hearings
- provision of advice relating to the conduct of individual investigations into the fitness to practise of GOC registrants, and relating to interpretation of GOC legislation and rules
- provision of training to Committee members, Case Examiners and GOC staff.
Note: Fitness to Practise Committee in-person hearings are held in London.
This procurement process is being undertaken as a two-stage restricted tender procedure, pursuant to section 6.2 (ii) of the GOC Contracts and Procurement Policy: https://www.optical.org/download.cfm?docid=4E059864-DC2B-4A6C-A0F5350B72A6AF34
Before applying, please ensure you are familiar with the fitness to practise function of the General Optical Council:
https://www.optical.org/en/Investigating_complaints/index.cfm
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Case management: ability to prioritise cases and progress them to service standards, and ability to provide regular and accurate financial information and cost estimates / Weighting: 25%
Quality criterion - Name: Credibility: Track record in delivering similar legal services including delivery to agreed targets, and credibility of staff t to be engaged in delivery of legal services / Weighting: 25%
Quality criterion - Name: Understanding of the GOC’s needs and requirements; ability to exercise good judgement and apply critical reasoning and questioning skills / Weighting: 10%
Quality criterion - Name: Quality and range of legal services that the Respondent is able to provide / Weighting: 5%
Price - Weighting: 35%
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
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted procedure
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: 2021/S 000-029339
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 July 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 5
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 5
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 5
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Kingsley Napley
20 Bonhill St, London
London
EC2A 4DN
Telephone
+44 02078141200
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKI - London
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
CMS Cameron McKenna LLP
Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6HL
Telephone
+44 01413046095
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Ward Hadaway Solicitors
Sandgate House, 102 Quayside
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3DX
Telephone
+44 01912044056
Fax
+44 01912044098
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKC - North East (England)
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £611,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
(MT Ref:226723)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Service
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS
publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Public Procurement Review Service
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS
publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit