Legal services

Tender description

Aston University are seeking a single provider with demonstrable experience in the HE sector who will: • service all of Aston’s legal needs in the UK and overseas (as required); • deliver cost certainty through clearly articulated pricing menus that draw on automation as required; • provide a secure platform for all information including matters, documents and financials that delivers dashboard reporting; • deliver a service provider who will provide good project management; and • deliver added value services over the duration of the contract. Bidders will need to demonstrate that it can deliver legal advice services in the following areas: • corporate; • commercial; • projects and Infrastructure; • tax; • real estate; • construction; • planning; • employment; • pensions; • immigration; and • dispute Resolution. Aston will be holding a supplier briefing on the 29 April 10.00 - 11.00 via Microsoft Teams. Please confirm your wish to attend by contacting Jason Goodwin J.Goodwin@Aston.AC.UK who will issue invitations. 1.1 This procurement will: 1.1.1 Deliver a service provider for Aston who will be able service all of Aston’s legal needs in the UK and overseas (as required); 1.1.2 Deliver cost certainty for Aston through clearly articulated pricing menus that draw on automation as required; 1.1.3 Provide a secure platform for all information including matters, documents and financials that delivers dashboard reporting; 1.1.4 Deliver a Service Provider who will provide good project management; and 1.1.5 deliver added value services over the duration of the contract. 1.2 Definitions in this specification have the meanings given to them in the ITT unless otherwise stated. 1.3 This Specification is split into five categories which will be assessed in the evaluation model and award criteria: 1.3.1 Expertise; 1.3.2 Cost; 1.3.3 Platform; 1.3.4 Project management; and 1.3.5 Added value services. 2. Expertise 2.1 Aston requires the bidder to demonstrate that it can deliver legal advice services in the following areas of expertise: 2.1.1 Corporate; 2.1.2 Commercial; 2.1.3 Projects and infrastructure; 2.1.4 Tax; 2.1.5 Real estate; 2.1.6 Construction; 2.1.7 Planning; 2.1.8 Employment; 2.1.9 Pensions; 2.1.10 Immigration; and 2.1.11 Dispute resolution. 2.2 A bidder must demonstrate that it can deliver this expertise in the UK and evidence this with two case studies (preferably higher education sector specific) from within the last 12 months. 2.3 The bidder must demonstrate its ability to deliver the required expertise in the UK by supplying a structure chart for each area. 2.4 Aston operates overseas and is active in China, India, Nigeria and Oman as at 1 April 2020 in addition to maintaining a branch in Hong Kong (Relevant Jurisdictions). Aston will need to be satisfied that the bidder will be in a position to provide legal advice services overseas and particularly in the relevant jurisdictions. Therefore, the Bidder must demonstrate that it can deliver this expertise overseas and particularly in the relevant jurisdictions and evidence this with two case studies (preferably higher education sector specific) from within the last 12 months. 2.5 This is a pass/fail requirement which means that if a bidder does not receive a category score of 8 or above, the bidder will be disqualified. A response that would obtain a score of 8 is a response that is ‘relevant and good’ and ‘is sufficiently detailed to demonstrate a good understanding and provides details on how the requirements will be fulfilled’. Please refer to the evaluation model and award criteria for the full scoring information. 3. Cost 3.1 Of course, the cost of the services is an important factor for Aston. However, Aston is focussed on receiving value for money and is keen to pay ‘the right price for the right amount’ in the context of its obligations as a contracting authority (as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015). 3.2 Aston requires each bidder to address the following in their tender: 3.2.1 Provide details of the Bidder's hourly and day rates at all levels and the discounts that will be available on those rates; 3.2.2 Provide details of the alternative fee structures including fixed pricing menus and capped fees; 3.2.3 Provide details of volume discounts; 3.2.4 Provide details of the Bidder’s approach to disbursements and evidence that the Bidder cost conscious for clients; 3.2.5 Set out the technology and process capabilities that the Bidder’s has in place to improve efficiency in how legal work is delivered; 3.2.6 Provide best percentage estimates of how much efficiency will be improved over the duration of the contract; 3.2.7 Provide information of how any net efficiency benefit will be shared (taking into account the investment in the technology and particularly with reference to the platform); 3.2.8 Provide at least two case studies from within the last 12 months’ that efficiency models have been successfully deployed to benefit clients; and 3.2.9 Provide the platform at no cost to Aston. 4. Platform 4.1 Aston requires the bidder to demonstrate that it will be able to provide a secure platform for all information relating to the contract including matters, documents and financials. The bidder will need to demonstrate that the platform meets the criteria of the headline features, specific functionality and delivery requirements all of which are assessed in the evaluation model and award criteria. 4.2 Headline features: 4.2.1 Cloud based; 4.2.2 Multiplatform accessibility irrespective of operating system – including PC, Macs, Tablets and Smartphones. Specific App functionality would be helpful; 4.2.3 Interoperable/integrated with Aston’s Office 365 system; 4.2.4 Available to up to 20 full users (at no cost) together with other associated administrators and other business users; 4.2.5 Demonstrably high security levels and virus protection with 24 by 7 threat monitoring; 4.2.6 Hosted in the UK and compliant with Data Protection laws; 4.2.7 No/low code; 4.2.8 User friendly with strong UI; 4.2.9 No/low training required with on prem, video and documented training guides; 4.2.10 24 by 7 helpdesk access; 4.2.11 A range of admin and access levels; 4.2.12 Ability to extend access internally and externally on key projects with restricted views; 4.2.13 Ability to swiftly remove access and data from lost devices with no local storage; 4.2.14 Ability to check in and out documents; 4.2.15 Ability to work offline where there is no connectivity; 4.2.16 Strong audit trail capability to show who has accessed what when and what changes have been made; 4.2.17 Version control; 4.2.18 Strong search capability; 4.2.19 Admin light for Aston with no internal support requirements; 4.2.20 Strong data segregation capability – i.e. including pessimistic data strategies; 4.2.21 Document and data retention and destruction policy enforcement capability with historical information being stored and viewable in this system unless and until removed under this policy; 4.2.22 reasonable notice of upgrades; 4.2.23 a system account manager and contact; and 4.2.24 regular back ups which are replicated in mirrored data centres or as Aston shall reasonably require.