Applying for Civil Contracts from 2018Standard contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contractsLegal aid contractsStandard contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contractsLegal aid contractsStandard contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contracts:timetableLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contractsLegal aid contractsStandard contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contracts:Housing Possession Court Duty SchemesLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contractsLegal aid contractsHousing Possession Court Duty SchemeStandard contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contracts:flexibilityLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contractsLegal aid contractsStandard contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contracts:flexibilityLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contractsLegal aid contractsStandard contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contracts:telephone contractsLegal aid contracts:applying for civil contractsLegal aid contracts
18.33As we went to press, the LAA announced its intentions for tendering for 2018 civil contracts. Tenders are expected to open in May 2017 for most work. They will follow a one-stage process incorporating a selection questionnaire (previously known as a pre-qualification questionnaire – PQQ), and an invitation to tender (ITT) for the following categories:
•family;
•housing, debt and welfare benefits;
•immigration/asylum (including IRCs);
•claims against public authorities (currently known as actions against the police etc);
•community care;
•clinical negligence;
•mental health; and
•public law.
18.34The LAA stresses that the tender in relation to the above will simply test organisations’ ability to meet minimum tender requirements and all organisations which can do so will be awarded contracts. However, organisations seeking higher numbers of matter starts may need advanced panel accreditation. Family practitioners will be able to apply for licensed work only contracts if they wish.
Timetable
18.35
•SQ and ITT open – May 2017;
•Verification process – January – March 2018;
•Contract starts – 1 April 2018.
Housing Possession Court Duty Schemes (HPCDS)
18.36The LAA announced that it was considering an element of price competition in relation to HPCDS work. At first sight, it is difficult to see how economies of scale could result by simply grouping courts together as proposed. The consultation opened ran from January 2017 to March 2017. We will report the outcome of the consultation on
www.legaidhandbook.com when it is announced.
More flexibility
18.37The LAA says that the new contracts are likely to be more flexible in a number of ways which practitioners may find helpful:
•allowing remote working arrangements such as delivery of advice by email, telephone or video conferencing where appropriate;
•ability to self grant up to an additional 50 per cent of matter starts over those awarded;
•ability to reallocate up to 50 per cent of matter starts between your own offices (subject to LAA consent); and
•all organisations will receive five miscellaneous matter starts in addition to their category matter starts.
18.38However, it is also making the following changes to some of the minimum requirements:
•stricter definition of ‘employ’ in relation to supervisers;
•changes to the mental health supervisor standard;
•limits to representation by counsel/agents in mental health;
•new mental health capacity (welfare) accreditation will become mandatory for that work when appropriate;
•the immigration/asylum contract will reflect changes to the IAAS scheme;
•Immigration/asylum bidders in higher lot sizes will also be able to bid for IRC work.
Telephone contracts
18.39The LAA will also be tendering for specialist telephone work, including an element of price competition in the following areas of law:
•family;
•housing and debt;
•discrimination; and
•special educational needs.