2024 Civil Re-Opening

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is inviting Tenders for contracts to deliver civil legal aid services under the 2024 Standard Civil Contract ("2024 Civil Contract") which runs from 1 September 2024 to 30 June 2026 (subject to rights of early termination and the LAA’s right to extend by up to 26 months).

The LAA intends to award contracts under this process to commence as soon as possible after the Verification process as described in this Application Guide is complete. Depending on the circumstances, the date on which an individual Applicant, where its Tender is successful, may commence work under the 2024 Standard Civil Contract ("Service Commencement Date") may be several months from the date of Tender submission and relies on the provision of timely and accurate information by Applicants. Inaccurate or incomplete evidence may delay the issuing of a contract.

The "Application Guide", sets out the process and rules for applying for a 2024 Standard Civil Contract under the procurement process opening on 4 December 2024. Applicants must read this Application Guide and the additional information provided in the linked documents in full before submitting a Tender.

There are an unlimited number of 2024 Standard Civil Contracts available.

Application Period

The LAA intends that the Application Period will remain open until, or around, 31 December 2025 and organisations may tender at any point within this period. The LAA reserves the right to amend the Application Period, including closing the procurement opportunity, at its sole discretion.

Where Applicants are rejected from the procurement process, they will generally be able to submit a new Tender at any point whilst the Application Period remains open.

This exercise will cover the following Categories of Law:

• Family.
• Housing and Debt and Welfare Benefits.
• Immigration and Asylum (including work at Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs).
• Mental Health.
• Community Care.
• Claims Against Public Authorities.
• Clinical Negligence.
• Public Law.
• Family Mediation.
• Education; and
• Discrimination.

All organisations that meet the minimum contract requirements can tender to deliver services under a 2024 contract. You do not need to be a current legal aid provider to tender for this opportunity.

All organisations that successfully tender will be awarded a 2024 contract and there is no limit to the number of 2024 contracts that may be awarded under this process.

Applicants must review the following documents which set out the complete rules of the additional 2024 procurement process and should be read in the following order:

• Selection Questionnaire Invitation to Tender (SQ ITT);
• 2024 Standard Civil Contract Application Guide
• Category Specific Information;
• 2024 Standard Civil Contract;
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - published periodically

All Tenders must be completed and submitted using the eTendering system, accessed through: https://legalaid.bravosolution.co.uk

It is the Applicant’s sole responsibility to ensure it submits a Complete Tender before the Tender Deadline and ensure its Tender has been correctly completed to fully and properly represent its tender for the 2024 Contract.