Services - 72059-2016

03/03/2016    S44

United Kingdom-Liverpool: Legal services

2016/S 044-072059

Social and other specific services – public contracts

Prior information notice - This notice is a call for competition

Services

Legal Basis:
Directive 2014/24/EU

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name and addresses
Official name: The Minister for The Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service (CCS)
Postal address: 9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Town: Liverpool
NUTS code: UKD52 Liverpool
Postal code: L3 9PP
Country: United Kingdom
Contact person: Stephen Simpson
E-mail: rm3787b3@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 3454102222
Internet address(es):
Main address: http://ccs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
I.2)Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3)Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the following address:
Official name: Crown Commercial Service
Postal address: 9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Town: Liverpool
Postal code: L3 9PP
Country: United Kingdom
Contact person: Stephen Simpson
Telephone: +44 3454102222
E-mail: rm3787b3@crowncommercial.gov.uk
NUTS code: UKD52 Liverpool
Internet address(es):
Main address: http://ccs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
I.4)Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5)Main activity
General public services

Section II: Object

II.1)Scope of the procurement
II.1.1)Title:

Finance and Highly Complex Transactions Legal Advice Services for Central Government.

Reference number: RM 3787
II.1.2)Main CPV code
79100000 Legal services
II.1.3)Type of contract
Services
II.1.4)Short description:

CCS wishes to establish a Panel of law firms to provide specialist legal services to ‘Permitted Users’ (as defined in section VI.3 below) in connection with complex finance matters, capital markets, regulation, highly complex transactions, innovative and/or strategically important transformational change, including major or complex projects, and mergers and acquisitions. Bidders must be able to demonstrate in depth expertise and capacity to deliver comprehensive specialist legal services to Permitted Users on a range of projects typically characterised by exceptional innovation and/or complexity, potential impact on national financial stability, issues of national importance, involve the management of major risks to exchequer/taxpayer interests, and/or the need for extreme urgency or confidentiality.

II.1.5)Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: 90 000 000.00 GBP
II.1.6)Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.2)Description
II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)
79110000 Legal advisory and representation services
79111000 Legal advisory services
79140000 Legal advisory and information services
II.2.3)Place of performance
NUTS code: UK UNITED KINGDOM
NUTS code: UKD52 Liverpool
II.2.4)Description of the procurement:

This procurement relates to legal services within the meaning of Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015). Given that this procurement process relates to ‘social and other specific services’ only, it is subject to limited regulation and accordingly will be conducted in accordance with regulations 74 to 76 of the PCR 2015. Any references to fully regulated processes or requirements are for ease of reference only and should not be taken as recognition nor acceptance that the same apply in this instance.

The anticipated start date of the Panel is 28.11.2016.

The anticipated maximum number of providers to be appointed to the Panel is TEN (10).

II.2.6)Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: 90 000 000.00 GBP
II.2.7)Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months: 48
II.2.13)Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
II.2.14)Additional information

The total duration in II.2.7 is defined as 48 months. That total duration may be split into shorter time periods for example 24+12+12 months. The estimated value in sections II.1.5 and II.2.6 is the projected maximum spend over the life of the Panel. The actual spend may be less and no commitment is given as to the actual volume of spend, if any, under the Panel.

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)Conditions for participation
III.1.4)Objective rules and criteria for participation
List and brief description of rules and criteria:

All bidders must be law firms who are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, possess suitable professional indemnity insurance cover and are able to provide specialist legal services (as described in section II.1.4 above).

This notice is a call for competition and there will be no further notices published in OJEU relating to this opportunity. Interested providers who meet all of the conditions for participation detailed herein must express an interest via email to rm3787b3@crowncommercial.gov.uk by no later than 17:00 hrs on 27.5.2016 The expression of interest must contain all of the following information:- 1. Name of potential provider; 2. Principal contact name; 3. Principal contact telephone number; 4. Principal contact e-mail address.

For the avoidance of doubt only those providers who express an interest in accordance with these instructions and who demonstrate compliance with all of the conditions for participation will be invited to tender.

III.2)Conditions related to the contract
III.2.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:

All bidders must be authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. All individual solicitors providing services must hold current and valid practising certificates issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

III.2.2)Contract performance conditions:

Potential providers will be required to demonstrate expertise in the following mandatory areas of law:

Market interventions by guarantees, derivative products, other means.

Financial stability inc. liquidity / solvency of institutions / resolution processes.

Sovereign debt restructuring inc. international / EU structures / processes.

Financial services, market and competition regulation, inc. Financial Services and Markets Act, rules of UK Listing Authority, Takeovers / Mergers and state aid.

Investment / commercial banking.

Insurance and reinsurance.

Investment / asset management inc. analysis / intervention and divestment strategies.

Equity capital markets inc. privatisations by sales, initial public offerings (IPOs) and equity derivative products.

Debt capital markets inc. listed bond issues / commercial paper programmes, listed debt re-scheduling, monocline credit wraps, credit derivative products.

Asset finance.

International development / aid / financial organisations.

III.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 IV: Procedure

IV.1)Description
IV.1.1)Form of procedure
Procedure involving negotiations
IV.1.3)Information about framework agreement
IV.1.10)Identification of the national rules applicable to the procedure:
IV.1.11)Main features of the award procedure:
IV.2)Administrative information
IV.2.2)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate / Time limit for receipt of expressions of interest
Date: 27/05/2016
Local time: 17:00
IV.2.4)Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:
English
IV.2.5)Scheduled date for start of award procedures:
12/06/2016

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.3)Additional information:

CCS shall host a small number of bidder engagement events. Dates / locations of these events are not yet confirmed, but are anticipated to be before the expression of interest deadline. Bidders wishing to attend should express an interest asap, and no later than 15.3.2016, otherwise they may not receive details, which will be sent direct to registered bidders only. Any bidders not attending an event will be given access to written materials shared with attendees.

The Permitted Users able to award contracts via the Panel are: all UK Ministerial and non-Ministerial Departments, their associated Executive Agencies and NDPBs, including any successor bodies. Access, — https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations which may be subject to redaction. A list of Permitted Users is available via request from rm3787b3@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Block 2: CCS is also establishing a panel of law firms to provide General Legal Advice Services to Permitted Users, refer to separate PIN RM3786.

VI.4)Procedures for review
VI.4.1)Review body
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
29/02/2016