Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
Contact
+44 3150103503
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3150103503
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://crowncommercialservice.bravosolution.co.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://crowncommercialservice.bravosolution.co.uk
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
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Rail Legal Services Framework
Reference number
RM6204
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79100000 - Legal services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) as the Authority intends to put in place an agreement for the provision of rail legal services to be utilised by UK Central Government Departments, and other public sector bodies. The principal Buyer will be the Department for Transport (DfT), who intends to use this Framework Contract wherever possible. Other Contracting Authorities, as detailed in VI.3 may also use it from time to time.
The policy drivers supporting the development and procurement of this Framework Contract are to:
● provide Buyers with a route to market compliant with UK Law
● offer an improved agreement for both Buyers and Suppliers
● provide Buyers with access to high quality legal services
● achieve value for money
Rail Legal Services (RM6204) has been designed as a suitable replacement for Rail Legal Services (RM3756) due to expire in 2022.
This procurement is being conducted under the Light Touch Regime (‘LTR’) and is therefore subject to limited regulation. It will be conducted in accordance with regulations 74 to 76 of PCR 2015, and relates to the legal services which are listed in Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) 2015 as a specific service.
The Framework Agreement will be established for 36 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months at the discretion of CCS.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £80,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79100000 - Legal services
- 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services
- 79111000 - Legal advisory services
- 79112000 - Legal representation services
- 79130000 - Legal documentation and certification services
- 79140000 - Legal advisory and information services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Suppliers appointed to this framework shall provide all of the following Core Specialisms:
1. Regulatory law
2. Rail commercial law
3. Public procurement law
4. Subsidy law
Suppliers will also be able to provide one of more of the following Non-Core Specialisms. The Non-Core Specialisms may only be provided to a Buyer in connection with a Rail Related Matter.
1. EU law
2. International law
3. Competition law
4. Dispute resolution and litigation law
5. Employment law
6. Environmental law
7. Health and Safety law
8. Information law including data protection law
9. Information technology law
10. Intellectual property law
11. Pensions law
12. Planning law
13. Real estates law
14. Restructuring/insolvency law
15. Tax law
16. Insurance law
The Deliverables a Supplier is required to deliver are set out in Framework Schedule 1 (Specification).
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The procurement will be conducted in two stages which will be run consecutively. Full details are available in the ITT.
II.2.7 - is the maximum duration of the Framework Agreement. The Framework Agreement will be established for 36 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months at the discretion of CCS.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues
Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue
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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
Candidates will be assessed in accordance with the information provided in response to the invitation to tender (ITT)
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
14 September 2021
Local time
1:00pm
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: 12 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
14 September 2021
Local time
1:01pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
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
As part of this contract notice the following documents can be accessed at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Start/f80ffa5c-f21f-454c-a137-3f5a8d604ba0
1) Contract notice transparency information for the agreement; and
2) Contract notice Authorised Buyer list; and
3) Contract notice reserved rights.
Following market and customer engagement, the Framework will comprise of a single lot, due to market size and capacity to provide the required specialisms in scope.
________________________________________
The value provided in Section II.1.5 is only an estimate. We cannot guarantee to suppliers any business through this agreement.
Please be advised that CCS does not consider the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (‘TUPE’) to be an issue in respect of this procurement as services are not provided at the framework level. At Call-Off contract stage, CCS takes the view that TUPE is unlikely to apply. It is the responsibility of bidders to take their own advice and consider whether TUPE is likely to apply at Call-Off Contract stage, and to act accordingly.
Cyber Essentials is a mandatory requirement for Central Government contracts which involve handling personal information or provide certain ICT products/services. Government is taking steps to reduce the levels of cyber security risk in its supply chain through the Cyber Essentials scheme. The scheme defines a set of controls which, when implemented, will provide organisations with basic protection from the most prevalent forms of threat coming from the internet. To participate in this procurement, bidders must be able to demonstrate they comply with the technical requirements Cyber Essentials Plus , for services under and in connection with this procurement.
Refer to https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/cyber-essentials-faqs for more information.
CCS reserve the right to award a framework to any bidder whose final score is within 1% of the last position.
Registering for access:
This procurement will be managed electronically via the eSourcing suite. This will be the route for sharing all information and communicating with bidders. If you have recently registered on the eSourcing suite for another CCS procurement you can use the same account for this new procurement. If not, you will first need to register your organisation on the portal.
Use the following link for information on how register and use the eSourcing tool: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esourcing-tool-guidance-for-suppliers
For assistance please contact the eSourcing Help desk operated by email at eEnablement@crowncommercial.gov.uk or call 0345 410 2222.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom