UK SBS - PS150006 - Online Dispute Resolution Contact Point

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is the department for economic growth. The department invests in skills and education to promote trade, boost innovation and help people to start and grow a business. BIS also protects consumers and reduces the impact of regulation.

BIS is a ministerial department, supported by 45 agencies and public bodies.

Further information may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills.

Clarification of Abbreviations

ODR – Online Dispute Resolution

ADR – Alternative Dispute Resolution

1. Introduction

The successful contractor will be required to provide a telephone and online information and support service consisting of at least two advisers (the ‘ODR Contact Point’) to assist parties involved in disputes about online purchases and which have been submitted via a Europe-wide online dispute resolution platform (the ‘ODR Platform’).

The parties involved in disputes may include UK or European consumers, UK businesses and UK ADR providers.

2. Aims

To improve access to redress for consumers with a dispute about a purchase made online from a trader based outside the UK.

3. Objectives

We require the successful contractor to provide a telephone and online information and support service that will fulfil the requirements of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No. 524/2013 on online dispute resolution for consumer disputes (the ‘ODR Regulation’).

Additional information: UK Shared Business Services eSourcing

As part of the strategic alliance between UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) and Crown Commercial Service (CCS), UK SBS can use the CCS eSourcing Suite for future procurements.

If you have not yet registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link ‘Register for CCS eSourcing’. Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so.

Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing ExpressionOfInterest@ccs.gsi.gov.uk.

Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for; the name of the registered Bidder; and the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email.

Crown Commercial Service will process the email and then enable the Bidder to access the procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done.

The Sourcing documents can then be accessed on the eSourcing Suite at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in the Specification documents within Contracts Finder.

As a user of the e-Sourcing Suite you will have access to Emptoris email messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event. Please note it is your responsibility to access these emails on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information.

For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service Helpdesk : Telephone: 0345 010 3503

Training documents to support Bidders utilise Emptoris CCS eSourcing are available in the Contracts Finder Tender documents section.