DOJ Northern Ireland Policing Board - Appointment of Pension Advisor

Tender description

The Northern Ireland Policing Board (the Board) has various statutory responsibilities conferred on it in relation to police pensions, injury on duty (IOD) benefits and ill health retirement (IHR) pensions. These statutory responsibilities are conferred on the Board further to the Royal Ulster Constabulary Pensions Regulations 1988, the PSNI and PSNI Reserve (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006, the Police Pension (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2009 and the Police Pension Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (collectively, the Regulations). Pursuant to the Regulations, the Board is the designated pension Scheme Manager. Day to day operations in respect of the pension schemes are delegated to the PSNI in its role as Scheme Administrator. The Department of Justice is the responsible authority for setting pension policy by way of legislation. In its role as Scheme Manager the Board undertakes a wide range of functions to include (but not limited to) managing and administering the IOD and IHR process to include appeals to the Department of Justice, managing and administering the Police Pension Board, attendance and contributions to the Scheme Advisory Board, acting as the ultimate arbiter in scheme disputes/complaints to include liaising with the Pensions Ombudsman and assisting PSNI in the day to day administration of the Scheme. In order to assist it in discharging its statutory obligations under the Regulations the Board is seeking to appoint a police pension scheme advisor (the Service Provider).The role of the Service Provider is to provide specialist and bespoke assistance, guidance and support to the Board in respect of generic police pension and public sector pension matters as well as case specific queries and issues. It is important to note that this is a call-off contract and, as such, the Board will request advice from the Service Provider on an ad-hoc basis, as and when it is required. Accordingly, the Board is not in a position to guarantee a minimum level of business under the contract.