The Northern Ireland Housing Executive

2 Adelaide Street, BelfastBT2 8PB

Invitation to Tender

Procurement SOLICITORs PANEL

Tender ref: T1165

Introduction

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (the Housing Executive) is a non-departmental public body established by the Housing Executive Act 1971, and is Northern Ireland’s single comprehensive regional housing authority. Further details are available on our website

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (The Housing Executive) invites tenders for the provision of a two member Procurement Solicitors Panel.

Requirement

Applications are invited from solicitor Firms who wish to tender for one of the two positions available on the Procurement SolicitorsPanel (the “Panel”).The Panelwill cover the whole of N. Ireland.

The Panel members will be responsible for carrying out all the requirements of the Corporate Procurement Unit for the services of external solicitors (“Panel work”). This includes but is not limited to –

  • A comprehensive advisory service in relation to the application of Public Procurement Regulations and Policy for various procurement exercises to be carried out by the Housing Executive
  • Detailed and specific legal advice (and representation where necessary) in the event of any challenge or dispute arising out of those procurements exercises.
  • Any other legal advice connected with public procurement exercises undertaken by the Housing Executive.

Full details of the required services are available in the Procurement Solicitors Panel Document (including Specification of Requirements, Tender Evaluation Information, Applicant Firm Response Form and Fee Offer Applicant Firm Response Form) accessible on the e-sourcingni Site.

The evaluation process will be in two stages, selection and award. Details of the selection and award process are also available in the Procurement Solicitors Panel Document accessible on the e-sourcingni Site.

Membership of a Panel will be for a period of three years from the date of appointment.

An applicant Firm will have to provide one designated solicitor and one nominated solicitor to provide the Panel work. The designated solicitor is the solicitor in the firm who would be primarily responsible for actually carrying out the Panel work. The nominated solicitor will assist the designated solicitor when required by the demands or nature of the panel work.

Tender submission

The Housing Executive is using an eTendering system e-sourcingni for this procurement exercise.

There will be no hard copy documents issued and it is intended that all communications with the Housing Executive for this procurement shall be conducted via

Suppliers Instructions - How to Express Interest in this Tender:

  1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once) - Browse to the eSourcing Portal: click the link to register - Accept the terms and conditions and click “continue” - Enter your correct business and user details - Note the username you chose and click “Save” when complete - You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keepthis secure)
  1. Express an Interest in the tender
  • Login to the portal with the username/password
  • Click the “PQQs / ITTs Open To All Suppliers” link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires or Invitations to Tender open to any registered supplier)
  • Click on the relevant PQQ/ ITT to access the content
  • Click the “Express Interest” button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page - This will move the PQQ /ITT into your “My PQQs/ My ITTs” page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only)
  • You can now access any attachments by clicking the “Settings and Buyer Attachments” in the “Actions” box
  1. Responding to the tender
  • You can now choose to “Reply” or “Reject” (please give a reason if rejecting)
  • You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification - Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ/ ITT
  • There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available) You must then publish your reply using the publish button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page.

If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk.

Closing date and time

Applicant firms should note the closing date and time for this procurement is:

3.00pm Thursday 26 July 2012

  • Tenders must be submitted via the e-sourcingni website detailed above
  • Tenders received after this date and time will not be accepted
  • The Housing Executive is not bound to accept the lowest or any tender

The Housing Executive’s Supplies and Services Procurement Manager, Corporate Procurement Unit, 6th Floor, The Housing Centre, 2 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8PB. Tel 02890318987.