Tender

HR and Employment Legal services and advice

  • OFCOM

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-034499

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-038b10

Published 6 December 2022, 2:25pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

OFCOM

Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road

London

SE1 9HA

Contact

Mark Lundy, senior procurement manager

Email

mark.lundy@ofcom.org.uk

Telephone

+44 2079813000

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKI - London

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://ofcom.bravosolution.co.uk

Buyer's address

https://ofcom.bravosolution.co.uk

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://ofcom.bravosolution.co.uk

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://ofcom.bravosolution.co.uk

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

UK Independent Communications Regulator


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

HR and Employment Legal services and advice

Reference number

C20221266

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79100000 - Legal services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Ofcom is tendering for UK Employment Law advice and legal services for up to the next five years. The duration of the contract is 3 years, subject to the right of Ofcom (at its sole discretion) to exercise its right to extend the Contract by up to 2 periods of twelve months each. The maximum length of the contract is therefore 5 years.

It is expected that the contract will commence around April / May 2023.

The requirement is for a framework agreement for legal services to support Ofcom’s People & Transformation team with a variety of activities, which will require specialist employment and immigration law knowledge and advice. We intend to enter a framework agreement with up to three providers.

The requirements are likely to cover the following services:

A. Simple to complex ER cases, including possible tribunal and/or settlement agreement support. This is likely to cover legal advice, on an on-call and adhoc basis to support with employment law issues, sensitive, complex and, on occasion, rapidly escalating ER cases, up to possible Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal.

B. Strategic advice to Ofcom People and Transformation Director and senior HR team.

C. Policy development, ad hoc basis, employment law advice on policy review and development, including possibly on occasion the drafting from scratch, or reviewing prior drafts of polies covering an array of employee relations topics.

D. General sharing of legal updates, best practice and opportunity for development of Ofcom’s P&T department.

E. Support for our ESG / Diversity & Inclusion work. Ofcom will, from time to time, require advice

on best practice for a range of activities.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £40,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 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
  • UKI - London
Main site or place of performance

London, also Birmingham, Baldock (Herts), Cardiff, Warrington, Belfast, Edinburgh.

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The requirement is for a framework agreement for legal services to support Ofcom’s People & Transformation team with a variety of activities, which will require specialist employment and immigration law knowledge and advice. We intend to enter a framework agreement with up to three providers.

The requirements are likely to cover the following services:

A. Simple to complex ER cases, including possible tribunal and/or settlement agreement support. This is likely to cover legal advice, on an on-call and adhoc basis to support with employment law issues, sensitive, complex and, on occasion, rapidly escalating ER cases, up to possible Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal.

B. Strategic advice to Ofcom People and Transformation Director and senior HR team.

C. Policy development, ad hoc basis, employment law advice on policy review and development, including possibly on occasion the drafting from scratch, or reviewing prior drafts of polies covering an array of employee relations topics.

D. General sharing of legal updates, best practice and opportunity for development of Ofcom’s P&T department.

E. Support for our ESG / Diversity & Inclusion work. Ofcom will, from time to time, require advice on best practice for a range of activities.

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: £400,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

36

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Ofcom has the sole discretion to extend the Contract by up to 2 periods of twelve months each. The maximum length of the contract is therefore 5 years.

two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited

Envisaged number of candidates: 10

Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:

Around 10 candidates will be invited to tender using the selection criteria detailed in the procurement documents.

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The contract will include options to extend the contract period for up to two additional periods of 12 months each, up to a maximum contract period of five years.

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.1.2) 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.2.2) Contract performance conditions

Agreement will contain service levels and key performance indicators, as stated in the procurement documents.


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Restricted 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

Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 3

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

24 January 2023

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

13 February 2023

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: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Court of Appeal of England and Wales

London

Country

United Kingdom