Tender

Provision of Legal Accounting Services

  • Scottish Police Authority

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-040966

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04c990

Published 19 December 2024, 12:57pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Scottish Police Authority

1 Pacific Quay, 2nd Floor

Glasgow

G51 1DZ

Contact

Laura McKenna

Email

ProcurementTenders@scotland.police.uk

Telephone

+44 1786895668

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM - Scotland

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.spa.police.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA19762

one.3) Communication

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

www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Public order and safety


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Provision of Legal Accounting Services

Reference number

PROC-24-2767

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79212100 - Financial auditing services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Authority is seeking services of a Legal Accountant on an ongoing basis to independently review fee notes and itemised invoices received by the Authority / Police Scotland from Legal agents involved in relevant existing legal proceedings or new cases. The appointed Contractor will be required to carry out a review of invoices to ensure the Authority for Police Scotland and themselves are paying a fair and reasonable amount for services to the relevant officers/ staff which are in line with agreed industry rates.

Police Scotland Officers, in certain circumstances, may receive financial support for legal fees and legal expenses if legal proceedings are initiated against them. If officers have acted in good faith to execute their lawful duties, they may apply for such funding via the Scottish Police Federation. This covers:-

- Applications in connection with criminal proceedings taken against a police officer for matters alleged to have occurred in the execution of the officer’s duty;

- Civil proceedings taken against an officer arising out of some matter said to have occurred in the execution of the officer’s duty; and

- A Fatal Accident Inquiry into a death which is in some way connected with the officer’s execution of their duty.

- Any other proceedings where officers may require legal advice

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £240,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
  • 79212000 - Auditing services
  • 79100000 - Legal services
  • 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Open Procedure - Please see ITT docs for full details

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60

Price - Weighting: 40

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £240,000

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

The duration of the contract shall be for one (1) year with the option to extend the contract for a further two (2) periods of up to twelve (12) months in duration, to be taken at the sole discretion of the Authority

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

SPD Question 4A1a

It is a requirement of this tender that if the Tenderer is UK based they must hold a valid registration with Companies House. Where the Tenderer is UK based but not registered at Companies House they must be able to verify to the SPA’s satisfaction that they are trading from the address provided in the tender and under the company name given.

Tenderers within the UK must confirm if they are registered under Companies House within this question.

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

List and brief description of selection criteria

SPD Question 4B5 - Insurance

Insurance:

Tenderers are required to hold, or commit to obtaining prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below. Where a Tenderer does not hold or commit to obtaining the types and levels of insurance indicated, the SPA will exclude the Tenderer from the competition.

SPD Question 4B6 - Financial Standing

Credit Safe:

The Authority will access a Credit safe report for a Tenderers organisation and use the information contained within to assist with the assessment of the Tenderer’s economic and financial standing. Tenders are asked to provide their company number within the SPD to allow the Authority to access a Credit Safe Report.

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required

Insurance Requirements:

a. Public Liability Insurance - 5,000,000 GBP in respect of each claim without limit to the number of claims. Tenderers may be required to provide a copy of their current Public Liability Insurance certificate.

b. Professional Indemnity Insurance - 5,000,000 GBP in respect of each claim without limit to the number of claims. Tenderers may be required to provide a copy of their current Professional Indemnity Insurance certificate.

c. Employers (Compulsory) Liability Insurance - 10,000,000 GBP in respect of each claim without limit to the number of claims. Tenderers may be required to provide their current Employers Liability Insurance certificate which should include name of the insurers, policy numbers, expiry date and limits for any one incident and annual aggregate caps and the excesses under the policies.

Credit Safe Check:

Within such reports, the risk of business failure is expressed as a score of below 30 (high risk of business failure). In the event that a company is determined to have a risk failure rating of below 30 i.e. that the company is considered to have a high risk of business failure, the submission will not be considered further.

If you are successful in the award of this contract and your risk failure rating falls below 30 then the SPA reserve the right to remove you from this contract. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that the information held by Credit Safe is accurate and up to date.

For the avoidance of doubt, the SPA will request a report from Credit Safe following the closing date for the receipt of the Tenders to ensure that the most up to date information is used. Where you are not registered on credit safe e.g. charitable organisations or new start companies/ Sole Traders with less than 3 years trading history, discretionary powers are available to the Director of Finance to consider abbreviated accounts along with bankers references etc.

Tenderers should be aware that any outstanding County Court Judgements will have a detrimental effect on the rating held by Credit Safe and it is your responsibility to ensure that the information held by Credit Safe is accurate and up to date - failure to do so will result in rejection of your submission.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This requirement is not applicable to Sole Traders/ Charities. Sole Traders/ Charities may be required to provide a bankers reference if successful.

three.1.3) Technical and professional ability

List and brief description of selection criteria

SPD Question 4C.1.2 Technical Professional Ability

With reference to the nature and details of the supplies/services that are the subject matter of this tender, relevant examples are to be provided of the supplies/services undertaken by the Tenderer in the last 3 years.

You must describe in sufficient detail the required experience in terms of the specific supplies/services, the number of required examples, the minimum duration of experience e.g. 3 years and the value / scope of the previous projects e.g. must be of similar value to the contract being procured.

Tenderer`s will be required to provide evidence of having the necessary capacity and capability to deliver the requirements stated within the tender documents.

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required

With reference to the nature and details of the supplies/services that are the subject matter of this tender, relevant examples are to be provided of the supplies/services undertaken by the Tenderer in the last 3 years and must be similar value to the contract being procured.

Tenderer`s will be required to provide evidence of having the necessary capacity and capability to deliver the requirements for: Provision of Livestreaming of Committees, Meetings & Associated Services.

One (1) example of the provision of similar services will be requested and must be from within the last 3 years for services.

If Tenderers are unable to provide one (1) example the tenderer may be required to explain why examples cannot be provided.

If available, copies of completion certificates or customers' written declaration which validates the examples you have provided.

Guidance

If you cannot provide certificates or customer declarations the Authority may choose to contact customers cited directly in order to validate the experience examples you have provided without any further reference to you.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

During the period of the contract, the Provider shall monitor and measure their performance against the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) detailed below:

1. Quality - Quality Section Weight (70%)

KPI: Contract Outcome (100%)

2. Service - Quality Section Weight (15%)

KPI: Communication (100%)

3. Cost - Quality Section Weight (10%)

KPI: Invoice Accuracy (100%)

4. Sustainability - Quality Section Weight (5%)

KPI: Sustainable Processes (100%)

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

Open 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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

24 January 2025

Local time

12:00pm

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

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

24 January 2025

Local time

12:00pm


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

Economic Operators

Applicable to FTS Notices: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

Assessment of Employment Status

Tenderers may be asked to declare whether they intend to provide services through a Personal Service Company (PSC). From April 2017, the responsibility to pay employment taxes shifts from the PSC to public sector bodies and the Authority must be aware of any successful tenderer’s detailed employment status.

For further information on determining employment status the Government has published guidance on this IR35 Legislation

Living Wage

Tenderers will be asked to confirm if they pay all employees as a minimum the Real Living Wage as published by the Living Wage Foundation for statistical information gathering purposes only.

Equality and Diversity

Tenderers will be required to comply with the statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

Declaration of Non-Involvement in Serious Organised Crime

Tenderers must complete and sign a Declaration of Non-Involvement in Serious Organised Crime form.

Subcontractor Detail

Tenderers will be required to provide details of the subcontractors they intend to use in their supply chain. Tenderers are required to complete this section as part of the SPD.

Data Protection

Tenderers must be aware of their obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR as set out in the Contract.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=786382.

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.publiccontractsscotland.gov.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.

A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363

(SC Ref:786382)

Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=786382

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Glasgow Sheriff Court

Glasgow

Country

United Kingdom