DOJ - Provision of Legal Services for the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland

Tender description

The Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (the Office) was established in November 2000 to investigate complaints about the conduct of police officers in Northern Ireland. The organisation is publicly funded and independent of the police. It is a Non-Departmental Public Body, also known as an “Arms-Length Body”, falling within the remit of the Department of Justice, but operationally independent of the Department. The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland employs its own teams of investigators and investigates complaints against the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Belfast Harbour Police, the Larne Harbour Police, the Belfast International Airport Police and Ministry of Defence Police in Northern Ireland. While most complaints dealt with by the Office refer to incidents within the previous 12 months, the Office also investigates grave or exceptional cases related to incidents during the conflict in Northern Ireland between 1968 and 1998 (commonly known as the “The Troubles”). Further information is available from the Office’s website: www.policeombudsman.org. By way of background a contract for the provision of legal services to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is currently in place and is due to expire on 2 September, 2014. The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) wishes to appoint legal service provider(s) (“Contractors”) to provide legal services in relation to the following areas of law with effect from 3 September 2014. Service Providers can bid for one or both Lots. 1. General Advices