Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
General Optical Council
10 Old Bailey
London
EC4M 7NG
Contact
Vineeta Desai
Telephone
+44 2078710411
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.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://optical.org/en/about-us/get-involved/tenders/
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
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 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.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
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.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 April 2025
End date
31 March 2028
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Three year contract from 1 April 2025 with an option to extend for one year
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged minimum number: 5
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
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
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
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
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.1) Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision
The service is a legal service.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they (or their organisation/team) possess the appropriate legal qualifications/authorisation to permit them to provide legal services.
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
The service is governed by the Opticians Act 1989 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/44/contents) and by the Legal Services Act
2007 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/29/contents)
three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
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: 2022/S 164-164710
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
2 September 2024
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
13 September 2024
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Future recurrence of this procurement is unlikely to happen before October 2027
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
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the myTenders Web Site at https://www.mytenders.co.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=232450.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.mytenders.co.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
(MT Ref:232450)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Service
Cabinet Office
London
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
Cabinet Office
London
publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom