Planning

Specialist Quality Mark Auditing Services Agreement

LEGAL AID AGENCY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

23 May 2025 at 17:22

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA), a central government public authority in the United Kingdom, is in the planning phase of a tender process for the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) Auditing Services Agreement. This procurement aims to secure a licensee to administer SQM on behalf of the LAA, ensuring that Legal Services Providers maintain high organisational quality standards. The contract is set to commence on 1 October 2027 and conclude on 30 September 2031, covering the legal services industry across the UK. Interested parties should note the future notice date for this tender is 31 August 2026, and the total contract value is £2,375,000. This process is classified under the 'services' procurement category, specifically targeting legal services, and follows a light-touch regime.

Businesses specialising in auditing and quality assurance within the legal sector could significantly benefit from tendering for this opportunity. The contract offers a unique chance to directly influence the quality standards of legal services providers, thereby potentially expanding the market share and enhancing the reputation of the SQM through strategic delivery and marketing efforts. The suitability criteria encourage participation by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as voluntary and community sector enterprises (VCSEs), making it a valuable prospect for organisations in these categories aiming to grow within the legal services market.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Specialist Quality Mark Auditing Services Agreement

Notice 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 2027.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 for the provision of legal advice funded through legal aid. 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 maximum prices submitted in thisconcession 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.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05251a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027139-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79100000 - Legal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,375,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 May 20259 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
31 Aug 20267 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Sep 2027 - 30 Sep 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LEGAL AID AGENCY
Contact Name
Andrew Hubbard
Contact Email
civil.tenders@justice.gov.uk
Contact Phone
077326427397

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1H 9AJ
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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