---
title: "DoJ - Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0493fd"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0493fd"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0493fd.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0493fd.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE"
published: "2024-10-21"
---

# DoJ - Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme

Buyer: DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0493fd

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## Summary

The Northern Ireland Department of Justice (DoJ) has awarded the "Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme" (NIAAS) contract, an initiative aimed at providing trained and independent Appropriate Adults to support vulnerable juveniles and adults during police detentions. The procurement falls under the services category related to the detention or rehabilitation of criminals (CPV Code 75231200) and is valued at approximately £2.6 million. The contract, effective from 18th October 2024, will cover a period of up to five years with initial coverage for three years and two subsequent one-year extension options. This tender aimed to ensure the statutory requirement under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 is met when juveniles or vulnerable adults are detained in police custody. The procurement was conducted via an open procedure and attracted one bid.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in social services, particularly those experienced in providing support to vulnerable groups. Companies with expertise in juvenile care, mental health services, and legal assistance for vulnerable populations would be well-suited to compete in similar future tenders. The NIAAS contract underscores the importance placed on safeguarding and supporting vulnerable individuals, thus creating avenues for businesses striving to deliver high standards in social value and community support. Engaging in such procurement processes not only fosters business growth but also contributes to broader social, economic, and environmental objectives outlined by the government.

## Notice

The Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme (NIAAS) is a Department of Justice (DoJ) sponsored Scheme. It does not replace parent/guardian/carer responsibility, or the statutory responsibility for people within the care and control of one of the Health and Social Care Trusts. Rather the NIAAS provides the service of a trained and independent Appropriate Adult to support and advise a young person or vulnerable adult during detention in police custody when their relative, guardian or carer cannot or will not attend the police station to perform the role of an Appropriate Adult. The statutory Codes of Practice, issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (commonly referred to as PACE), require an 'appropriate adult' to be called when a juvenile or vulnerable adult is detained in police custody. The role of the Appropriate Adult is to support, advise and assist individuals within these vulnerable groups to ensure they fully understand the detention process and their rights, particularly during police interviews. A juvenile is defined within PACE as a person under 18 years of age. PACE also extensively defines the term 'vulnerable' as applying to any person affected and impaired by a mental disorder.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme (NIAAS) is a Department of Justice (DoJ) sponsored Scheme. It does not replace parent/guardian/carer responsibility, or the statutory responsibility for people within the care and control of one of the Health and Social Care Trusts. Rather the NIAAS provides the service of a trained and independent Appropriate Adult to support and advise a young person or vulnerable adult during detention in police custody when their relative, guardian or carer cannot or will not attend the police station to perform the role of an Appropriate Adult. The statutory Codes of Practice, issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (commonly referred to as PACE), require an 'appropriate adult' to be called when a juvenile or vulnerable adult is detained in police custody. The role of the Appropriate Adult is to support, advise and assist individuals within these vulnerable groups to ensure they fully understand the detention process and their rights, particularly during police interviews. A juvenile is defined within PACE as a person under 18 years of age. PACE also extensively defines the term 'vulnerable' as applying to any person affected and impaired by a mental disorder.

Options: Total Contract Period - five 5 yearsInitial Period - three 3 yearsExtensions - two one 1 year options

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034004-2024 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Oct 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 27 Sep 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 17 Oct 2024 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £2,600,000 |
| Lots value | £2,600,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £2,600,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT3 9ED |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Sydenham |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast East |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | INFORMATION WITHHELD FOR SECURITY REASONS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services

### Codes

- 75231200 - Services related to the detention or rehabilitation of criminals

## Release History

- 21 Oct 2024 at 15:15 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034004-2024
- 27 Aug 2024 at 09:20 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027229-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
- https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/procurement
- https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0493fd. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0493fd.json.