Procurement of Housing and Debt and HPCDS services in England and Wales from 1 March 2019

The Legal Aid Agency ("LAA") has identified an issue with access to legal aid Housing and Debt Services covering specific Housing and Debt Procurement Areas and Housing Possession Court Duty Schemes ("HPCDS") in England and Wales. It is inviting Applicants to submit a Tender to deliver the following services:

Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme (HPCDS)

The LAA is inviting Applicants to submit a Tender for an Exclusive Schedule under a 2013 Standard Civil Contract (as amended) ("HPCDS Contract or Contract") to deliver HPCDS services in specific courts for an initial period from 1 March 2019 to 30 September 2019 with the right for the LAA to extend the contract from 1 October 2019 for a maximum further 12 months.

The LAA is offering up to four contracts in each of the following HPCDS Schemes:

The LAA is also inviting responses to its Invitations to Tender ("ITTs") for the delivery of publicly funded civil legal aid services from 1 March 2019 under a 2018 Standard Civil Contract (also referred to in this document as a "Face to Face Contract") in the Housing and Debt Categories of Law in the following Procurement Areas:

The LAA is seeking to award Housing and Debt Face to Face Contracts to Applicants who meet the generic minimum requirements

Additional information: Please note that he LAA is inviting Applicants to submit a Tender for an Exclusive Schedule under a 2013 Standard Civil Contract (as amended) ("HPCDS Contract or Contract") to deliver HPCDS services in specific courts for an initial period from 1 March 2019 to 30 September 2019 with the right for the LAA to extend the contract from 1 October 2019 for a maximum further 12 months.

The LAA is also tendering for Housing and Debt Contract which will also start on 1 March 2019 (the "Contract Start Date") but unlike the HPCDS contracts will run until 31 August 2021 (subject to the LAA's rights of early termination and LAA's right to extend the Contract for up to a further 2 years i.e. 31 August 2023).