Guidance

Family mediation tender 2015

Information for legal aid providers interested in applying to deliver family mediation from February 2015.

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Family mediation frequently asked questions

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Information for applicants: mediation services

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Existing provider additional outreach pro-forma

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Family mediation contracts from February 2015 advert

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Details

This information supports the tender process for

  • new organisations wanting to deliver family mediation from February 2015
  • current providers seeking to undertake work at extra outreach locations

Latest updates

Sign up for updates in the Legal Aid Bulletin.

25 June 2015 - Outcomes of the family mediation tender process published

You can now download the Family mediation tender 2015 outcomes which can be found at the top of the page.

Previous updates

28 January 2015 - Mediation contracts for signature to be issued to successfully verified applicants

We have begun sending contracts for signature to those applicants who have successfully passed verification (including passing the MQM desktop audit and obtaining a legal aid account number).

Contracts for signature, schedules and where relevant outreach authority forms, will be sent through the relevant Bravo eTendering messageboard (Mediation services from February 2015).

Upon receipt, applicants should sign and return their contracts for signature in accordance with the instructions in the accompanying cover letter/message.

Applicants who do not receive contracts for signature have not yet completed the verification process. Please see paragraph 8.10 of the information for applicants document for further information.

23 October 2014 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document published

We have today published the final Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that applies to the Tender for Mediation Services from February 2015.

The FAQ document can be found at the top of this page.

The deadline for questions about the IFA or tender process was 12 noon on 16 October 2014.

If you have technical queries on how to use the eTendering system, please contact Technical Support on 0800 368 4850 or by email at: help@bravosolution.co.uk.

The deadline for submitting tenders is 12 noon on 31 October 2014

1 October 2014 - Tender for mediation services from February 2015 opens

The tender process for new organisations wishing to deliver family mediation from February 2015 opened today. The deadline for responses to the Tender is 12 noon on 31 October 2014.

Further information can be found in the Information For Applicants (IFA) that governs this Tender process which can be found at the top of the page.

Existing mediation providers who already hold a ‘2010 Standard Civil Contract’ to deliver mediation services do not need to respond to this invitation. However, there is a separate process for existing mediation providers wishing to open additional outreach locations. Applications must be received by 31 October 2014.

Further information on this registration process, including how to apply, is available in the existing provider additional outreach pro forma above.

Responses to this Tender must be made online through the eTendering system. A helpline (0800 368 4850) or email helpdesk is available if you are having any technical problems using the eTendering system.

Please note that the eTendering system will be unavailable overnight on 29 October due to system upgrades,

If you have any questions about the Tender or the content of the IFA these should be raised through the eTendering system and must be asked by 12 noon on 16 October 2014.

Questions of wider interest will be collated and answered through Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents which will be published on this page. A final FAQ document will be published on 23 October 2014.

The closing date for responses to this Tender is 12 noon on 31 October 2014.

5 September 2014 - Family mediation tender process to open 1 October 2014

We have today published an advert for the forthcoming tender process for new providers of Family Mediation Services from February 2015.

These services will be in addition to those currently delivered by existing contracted providers and therefore existing family mediation providers will not need to tender.

The procurement process will open on 1 October and close at 12 noon on 31 October 2014.

Further information including the criteria and how to tender will be available on this page and in the eTendering system on 1 October.

28 August 2014: Family mediation headline intentions published

We’ve published a headline intentions document setting out our plans for family mediation in light of the recent recommendations made by the Family Mediation Taskforce.

In October the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) will:

  • invite expressions of interest from existing providers for new outreach locations
  • open a tender process to give new organisations the opportunity to provide publicly funded family mediation services

These services will start from February 2015.

Published 28 August 2014
Last updated 25 June 2015 + show all updates
  1. Updated to include family mediation-tender 2015 outcomes.

  2. Mediation contracts for signature to be issued to successfully verified applicants update

  3. New FAQ published

  4. New FAQ published

  5. Initial Frequently Asked Questions document that applies to the Tender for Mediation Services from 1 February 2015 published.

  6. Tender for mediation services from February 2015 opens

  7. Invitation to respond to the tender to deliver face-to-face legal aid services in family mediation in England and Wales from February 2015.

  8. First published.