Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2024/S 000-017164/EN)
Nature of contract: Service contract
Procedure: Open procedure
Type of bid required: Global bid

Contract notice
Services

Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Ministry of Defence
Town: Gloucester
Country: United Kingdom
Email: DefComrcl-HOBP4Team@mod.gov.uk
Internet address(es):
Main address:

I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge,at:
Additional information can be obtained from:
the above mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted:
electronically via:
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.5) Main activity
Defence

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: Defence Business Services (DBS) Debt Management Legal Support and Tracing Services

Reference number: 711077450
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 79110000
II.1.3) Type of contract: Services
II.1.4) Short Description: The MOD’s Defence Business Services (DBS) require Legal Support to provide Debt Management and Tracing Services to recover Crown Debts from private individuals and commercial organisations located throughout the UK and in some cases internationally.
II.1.5) Estimated total value:
Value excluding VAT: 650000.00 Currency: GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots:
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
1. DBS require a complete debt recovery solution which maximises debt recovery potential from a broad customer base including: serving Military personnel; Veterans; Private Individuals and Commercial Entities who are based in the United Kingdom or Internationally and therefore the provider must be able to provide legal support in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is anticipated that there will be approximately 350 cases per annum.
Requirement
2. Provide advice on recovery of difficult, complex and disputed debt and support with debt management activity including the provision of legal defence representation for the MOD if required.
3. Provide support with pre-legal debt collections and recovery including Issuing a ‘Letter Before Action’
4. Assess a case and advise on the strength and legal cost to determine likelihood of recovery including obtaining Financial Statements from Debtor
5. Supplier to prepare and submit all relevant court forms as an example: Claim Form, Evidence Pack and Particulars of Claim.
6. Initiate the enforcement of judgements if payment is not received within 14 days of the County Court Judgement including the issue of:
a. A Charging order
b. An Order for sale
c. A Warrant of control
d. An Attachment of earnings
e. A High Court Enforcement (for debt over £600 not regulated by Consumer Credit)
f. Provide advice and support with Insolvency or Bankruptcy proceedings including:
i. Serve a statutory demand on the individual that owes a debt
ii. Prepare and submit a bankruptcy petition.
g. Advice and Support with Winding up proceedings for companies including:
i. Issue statutory / letters of demand
ii. Prepare and submit a winding–up petition
h. Advise and support with Defended actions
i. Advise and support with Mediation and debt compromise
j. Advise and support with Debt Collection Arbitration
k. Advise and support on legal cases to cover all jurisdictions subject to debtors’ place of residence and where laws might differ.
l. Advise and support on legal cases that require representation in court
m. Advise and support on the DBS position where the subject has entered a debt management scheme/trust deed.
n. Advice and support on the implementation of a Second Charge on a property and the lifting of the Charge on settlement of debt.
7. Provide a full and comprehensive tracing service with a report to include:
a. Listing of assets
b. Any liabilities such as CCJ or charging orders etc
c. Current employment status
d. Current contact details e.g. Email, telephone number and confirmation of address.
8. Assessment of existing cases that are currently in recovery.
9. The services will require the supplier to handle and store Personal Data and therefore there are a number of Security and Protecting Personal Data requirements, details can be found in the Statement of Requirements.
II.2.5) Award criteria

II.2.7) Duration of the contract,framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 24
This contract is subject to renewalyes Description of renewals:This is a re-occurring requirement

II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: no
II.2.11) Information about options
Options yes
Description of options: The contract duration will be 24 months with options to extend this by a further 2 periods of 12 months (2+1+1) giving a potential total duration of 48 months.

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: All documents associated with this procurement can be accessed free of charge on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) using Project number 711077450 Details of how to register on the DSP can be found at Suppliers wishing to Tender for this requirement should submit their Tender on the DSP in accordance with the instructions contai

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity,including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:Suitably qualified legal professionals.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents

III.2.2) Contract performance conditions: As detailed in the Statement of Requirement

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) Type of procedure:
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

Framework agreement with a single operator
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date: 2024-07-09 Local time: 10:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tender must maintain the tender
Duration in months:3(from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening tenders
Date: 2024-07-09 Local time: 10:00

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence:
This is a recurrent procurement: yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:12, 24 or 36 months
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information:
All documents associated with this procurement can be accessed free of charge on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) using Project number 711077450 () Details of how to register on the DSP can be found at Suppliers wishing to Tender for this requirement should submit their Tender on the DSP in accordance with the instructions contained within Invitation to Tender documentation (DEFFORM 47).
Suppliers should also complete the Suitability Assessment Questions (SAQ) which is contained in the Qualification Envelope of project 711077450 on the DSP. These questions contain all the mandatory economic and financial grounds for rejection and the minimum levels of capacity and capability that are required to perform the contract. The SAQ is a pass/fail test for suitability and minimum levels of capability and capacity and suppliers who do not meet these minimum capability and capacity criteria will not pass to the Tender evaluation stage. Any tender Clarification Questions should be submitted through the DSP. Suppliers who wish to submit a tender should complete all questions and submit their tender documents via the DSP in accordance with the instructions in the DEFFORM 47 – ITT documents.
It is a condition of contract that MOD suppliers trade electronically via the MODs CP&F tool and Exostar.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: HOCS
Town: Gloucester
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: DefComrcl-HOBP4Team@mod.gov.uk
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:2024-06-03