Planning

Support to Claimants - Post Office Horizon redress

DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

17 Feb 2025 at 14:25

Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has announced a planning phase for a tender titled "Support to Claimants - Post Office Horizon redress". This procurement falls under the adult and other education services industry, with additional classifications in training services and community, social and personal services. The contract's primary goal is to provide information and support to claimants, specifically for the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) within the broader Post Office Horizon scandal redress framework. Interested suppliers should note the engagement end date is set for 14 March 2025, with the Contract Notice to be published in late Spring/early Summer 2025. The services are expected to cover multiple regions including the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, Channel Islands, Europe, Isle of Man, and other global locations.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses with expertise in claimant support services, especially those acquainted with the Post Office Horizon scandal. The contract, anticipated to be valued at £4,750,000 excluding VAT and to last approximately 30 months, is particularly suited to SMEs. Businesses offering skilled teams capable of helping claimants build, submit, and support their claims throughout the process, including understanding the scheme's principles and the types of evidence required, are well-positioned to benefit. Organisations capable of providing non-legal advisory support and facilitating claimants in navigating the redress scheme's complexities are encouraged to express their interest and take part in the pre-market engagement session following the 14 March 2025 deadline.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Support to Claimants - Post Office Horizon redress

Notice Description

The Department for Business and Trade ("DBT") has a potential requirement for the provision of information and support to claimants to help them produce well-formulated claims in the context of a redress scheme. The first instance of the services being required would be for the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) for redress arising from the Post Office Horizon scandal. There are four main Horizon redress schemes currently in progress and HSS is the one with most claimants. Eligible claimants in the HSS may choose to apply for a PS75,000 fixed sum offer or to have their claims fully assessed (in which case, if an award is made, they may receive more or less than the fixed sum). The requirement would be to provide information and support to claimants after they have chosen the full assessment option. Claimants to the HSS are not entitled to support with legal costs until after an Offer is made to them. The great majority of applications to the scheme are made by postmasters themselves. The Post Office's external legal advisors put considerable effort into developing the claims with claimants so that they are complete and fully evidenced to ensure that claimants obtain the best possible outcome. This also includes information and support to help them set out the details of their case, and to understand the guidance and principles of the scheme that are set out by Post Office. Ministers have asked officials to consider the case for DBT taking over the Post Office's responsibility for delivering individually assessed offers under the HSS. DBT may decide to let a contract for this requirement whether or not delivery transfers to DBT. DBT would want this requirement to be performed by someone other than the law firm responding to the claim. The Secretary of State for DBT is the contracting authority responsible for meeting this anticipated requirement. DBT intends to publish the Contract Notice in late Spring/early Summer 2025. The full specification will be provided with the contract documents but it is expected to incorporate the following requirements: - To provide a skilled team with knowledge of HSS to generally support the claimant in building their claim, submitting it to the Department, and then support the claimant through the process; - To describe the heads of loss which could be included within the claim and provide help in completing the application form; - To work with the claimant to help them to understand how the redressed topic/issue affected them and to then set out the full information relating to their claim; - To explain the sorts of information or evidence that they may be able to provide to support the claim (bearing in mind that the events leading to the claim may have happened decades ago, and that many of the claimants are now vulnerable); - To explain the role of expert evidence, such as from a medical specialist or a forensic accountant, to assist claimants to decide whether this should be requested. Additional information: For clarity, the provider would not be contracted to provide legal advice to claimants. The provider should not therefore provide claimants with advice, for example relating to how much they may be entitled to or whether to apply for the fixed sum offer. It is anticipated the contract will be for a period of 30 months, including any available contract option(s). The requirement has an estimated total value of PS4,750,000 ex VAT and this value includes any available contract option(s). Suitable suppliers are invited to contact DBT, should their service offer match the outlined requirements, by 14 March 2025. After this date, DBT may contact interested suppliers and may organise a pre-market engagement session to further discuss the requirements.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-83fd2aad-16cc-4fcb-8764-9e1b6c95e658
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/50bfc8a9-75fb-458e-82b0-8763e666b691
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Not specified
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

80400000 - Adult and other education services

80500000 - Training services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Feb 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
14 Mar 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
solene.ledigabel@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2DY
Post Town
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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