Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2020-07-06
Buyer: Crown Commercial Service
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 79100000 | 79110000 | 79111000 | 79112000 | 79130000
Estimated value: 115000000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2020-08-03
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Crown Commercial Service (CCS) intends to put in place a framework contract for the provision of specialist legal services for International Trade Law, to be utilised by UK Central Government Departments and associated bodies (Buyers) identified at VI.3.
This framework will be the recommended vehicle for all International Trade Law services required by buyers. Its purpose is to complement existing government legal frameworks and specifically assist with international trade disputes and negotiations.
Appointed Suppliers will provide legal services in respect of all the mandatory specialisms detailed in the specification and optional specialisms (if qualified to do so). Suppliers will provide services relating to domestic law of different jurisdictions. The full specification is set out in framework schedule 1 (Specification).
Lot 1 covers advice and services in relation to the mitigation and conduct of disputes under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and trade agreement dispute settlement mechanisms, as well as compliance with and enforcement of international law relating to trade, including but not limited to the law of WTO and trade agreements.
Lot 1 is predominantly for the provision of services in the law of the WTO and trade agreement disputes as well as both international and foreign domestic law in respect of the framework’s subject matter.
Suppliers appointed to this lot must provide advice and services in relation to the areas of mandatory specialism detailed in the specification for Lot 1.
At part 1 CCS will invite the top 17 scoring bidders in lot 1 to participate in part 2 of the Award Stage. At part 2 CCS will award a place in lot 1 to the top-scoring 13 bidders. CCS reserves the right to award to any bidder within 1 % of the final placed.
Lot 2 covers the provision of legal advice and services in relation to the negotiation and implementation of trade agreements and trading relationships and compliance with and enforcement of international law relating to trade. This includes the law of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and trade agreements.
Suppliers appointed to this lot must provide advice and services in relation to the areas of Mandatory Specialism detailed in the specification for Lot 2.
Suppliers will also be required to provide subcontracting arrangements rapidly and advise on, or provide ready access to, the whole range of chapters within a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
At part 1 CCS will invite the top 14 scoring bidders in lot 2 to participate in part 2 of the Award Stage. At part 2 CCS will award a place in lot 2 to the top-scoring 10 bidders. CCS reserves the right to award to any bidder within 1 % of the final placed.
Candidates will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of the 2015 Public Contract Regulations (implementing the directive) on the basis of information provided in response to an invitation to tender (ITT) registering for access.
Supplier personnel hold a current practicing certificate or are otherwise registered in compliance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Handbook, or equivalent in the supplier’s jurisdiction as amended from time to time.
This procurement is being conducted under the Light Touch Regime (‘LTR’) and is therefore subject to limited regulation. It will be conducted in accordance with Regulations 74 to 76 of PCR 2015 and relates to the legal services which are listed in Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) 2015 as a specific service.
As part of this contract notice the following documents can be accessed at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1a6e923b-9f87-4465-8a2a-59bd1689fdf9

Eligibility requirements: Candidates will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of the 2015 Public Contract Regulations (implementing the directive) on the basis of information provided in response to an invitation to tender (ITT) registering for access. Supplier personnel hold a current practicing certificate or are otherwise registered in compliance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Handbook, or equivalent in the supplier’s jurisdiction as amended from time to time.

Award value: 115000000