Legal Aid Procurement 2010

Latest

19 March 2010

ASA Analysis Updated Procurement Plans in Social Welfare Law

ASA have finally published on their website their analysis of the LSC procurement plans for 2010. The link is given below:

http://www.asauk.org.uk/fileLibrary/pdf/Updated_Procurement_Plans.pdf

Adam Griffith has also written an article for the April edition of Legal Action. If you want the information in a spreadsheet in Excel please request this from ASA.

22 February 2010

The Social Welfare Law tender process begins

The LSC has announced that the tender process for Social Welfare Law (SWL) will begin on Friday 26 February 2010. The deadline for receiving applications is Wednesday 12 noon on 21 April 2010. For the latest information on civil tenders, visit the tendering section of the LSC website. This includes a vital update, linked below, for those considering applying as members of a consortium.

Tendering section:

http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/civil/tendering/civil_contracts_for_2010.asp

Consortia update:

http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/docs/civil_contracting/Consortiaprocess_furtherclarification_Feb10.pdf

Q&A in 2010 bid round

LSC have stated:

"The Q&A is due to close on 31 March - this is 3 weeks before the tender close and means the final FAQ document will go out a week later. It is fine for you to share this with your members given it's the same approach as on the Mental Health tender and will hopefully encourage applicants to get their questions in sooner rather than later."

Sample PQQ Questionnaire - Law Centres Federation have put together a questionnaire for their members to help them gather the information from Trustees/Staff etc. It can easily be adapted for other nfp contractors. (6 pages)

TUPE briefing - A Citizens Advice briefing regarding TUPE for information. (9 pages)

28 January 2010

City law firms and Ministry of Justice to aid specialist legal advice agencies

Legal Aid Minister Willy Bach today launched a new initiative to strengthen the voluntary legal advice sector piloting new ways of working at South West London Law Centre, the largest law centre in the UK. Tools, templates and research findings from the pilot will be made available to all voluntary legal advice agencies and their funders to roll out changes throughout the sector. The pilot has been developed by the City Law firms and independent charities working together with the Ministry of Justice. Law firms have pledged over £80,000 to the pilot project and now the Government have pledged £235,000. The independent charities will help with funding the research and roll out. Click here for further information…

15 January 2010

AdviceUK wrote to Legal Services Commission Chief Exec Carolyn Regan to express our concerns about progress with civil legal aid procurement.

Further delays to the timetable for releasing procurement plans and invitations to tender, coupled with unresolved issues about selection criteria have undermined any confidence we had about the process and are creating considerable uncertainty for our members that current hold contracts.

We have a had a response indicating that revised procurement plans will be released in the week of 25 January and the bidding window will open in the week of 22 February.

Download our letter and the response below.

The Law Society have had similar correspondence. Click here to read it.