Published date: 27 January 2022
This notice was replaced on 1 July 2022
This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:
Awarded contract (published 1 July 2022)
Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.
Contract summary
Industry
Accounting, auditing and fiscal services - 79200000
Location of contract
North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West, Wales
Value of contract
£2,500,000
Procurement reference
tender_278369/996636
Published date
27 January 2022
Closing date
10 March 2022
Closing time
5pm
Contract start date
1 October 2022
Contract end date
30 September 2025
Contract type
Service contract
Procedure type
Open procedure (below threshold)
Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.
This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.
Contract is suitable for SMEs?
Yes
Contract is suitable for VCSEs?
Yes
Description
The Legal Aid Agency ("LAA") is inviting Applicants to tender for a concession contract ("Contract") to administer the LAA's Specialist Quality Mark ("SQM"), from 1 October 2022.
The SQM is the LAA's organisational quality standard designed to ensure that Legal Services Providers are well run and provide good client care. The SQM gives assurance regarding the quality of advice in several ways which, whilst not direct measures of quality are fundamental to reliable delivery of a quality service and therefore are fundamentally important to the delivery of legal aid services. Compliance with the SQM, or equivalent standard (e.g. Lexcel), is a requirement for Legal Services Providers that have, or are seeking to have, a contract with the LAA.
The LAA intends to enter into contract with one (1) organisation to administer the LAA's SQM under a licence. On the LAA's behalf, the Licensee will provide the SQM Services, which include auditing and assessing Legal Services Providers that apply for SQM accreditation.
This is an opportunity to administer the SQM on the LAA's behalf directly to the legal services market. There may also be opportunities for the Licensee to grow market share through delivering excellent value for money to Legal Services Providers, effective marketing or further developing the reputation of the SQM. The Licensee will be paid for the Services they provide directly by the Legal Services Providers in line with the prices submitted in this concession contract award procedure (referred to hereafter as "this procurement process"). For the avoidance of doubt, the Licensee will not be entitled to any payment from the LAA under any circumstances.
More information
Previous notice about this procurement
Legal Aid Agency's Specialist Quality Mark (SQM)
- Early engagement
- Published 23 June 2021
Links
-
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/specialist-quality-mark-services-from-april-2022
- Tender Information
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