CR21044 - Acas Early Conciliation Data Assessment and Analysis Feasibility Study 2021

The final date and time for the submission of bids is Friday 9th April 2021 at 11:00.

**Do not apply directly to the buyer**

All tender information MUST be submitted through the Delta eSourcing Portal.

UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) on behalf of Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), wishes to establish a Contract for the provision of Acas Early Conciliation Data Assessment and Analysis Feasibility Study 2021.

Overview:

Acas has a longstanding statutory duty to promote the resolution of claims to the Employment Tribunal (ET) in order to avoid recourse to a full tribunal hearing. Under current arrangements this duty is provided in two parts - Early Conciliation (EC) and conciliation in Employment Tribunal applications, which occurs after an ET1 claim form is submitted ('post-ET1 conciliation').

In the vast majority of cases, prospective ET claimants are now required to contact Acas before a claim can be submitted to the ET, which gives Acas the opportunity to talk to claimants about the benefits of conciliation (although it is not mandatory to take up this offer). Early Conciliation is the service offered at this point, with the conciliation offered after a claim has been submitted to the ET known as 'post-ET1 conciliation'. In between these two stages, Acas can continue to work with parties in dispute, offer conciliation, and resolve matters so that the application to the Employment Tribunal might still be avoided (this is sometimes referred to as the "power period" since Acas have a "power" to offer conciliation as opposed to a statutory duty).

Overarching aims and objectives

The aim of this project is to improve the individual dispute resolution service in Acas. To do this the project has three components:

Phase 1: Understand Service Goals and Priorities

Phase 2: Understand the data

Phase 3: Propose a costed programme of analysis

Please ensure you review all attached information to ensure a full understanding of this requirement. All attachments can be found within the Stage One: Overview Section within the Delta eSourcing Portal.

This contract will be awarded based on the evaluation criteria set out in the ITQ document.

How to apply

UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) will be using the Delta eSourcing Portal for this procurement.

To register on the Delta eSourcing portal, please use the link https://deltaesourcing.com and follow the instructions to register.

If you are already registered on the Delta eSourcing Portal and wish to participate in this procurement, please use the link https://delta-esourcing.com and then follow the instructions to 'Login'.

Once you are logged into the system you will be able to link yourself into this procurement Reference: CR21044 using the Access Code: U6383XT4S5

Additional information: DO NOT APPLY DIRECTLY TO BUYER

All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for procurement values that exceed Regulation 5 (Threshold amounts)

Responses must be received by the date in the tender documentation; responses received outside of the deadline or not sent via the Delta eSourcing portal will not be accepted or considered further for this opportunity.

As a user of the Delta eSourcing Portal you will have access to the Delta messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific tender event. Please note it is your responsibility to access these messages on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information applicable to this opportunity.

The contracting authority expressly reserves the right:

i. not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice;and

ii. to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the procurement; and in no circumstances will the contracting authority be liable for any costs incurred by any supplier. If the contracting authority decides to enter into a contract with the successful supplier, this does not mean that there is any guarantee of subsequent contracts being awarded. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of bidders.

About UK Shared Business Services

UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) brings a commercial attitude to the public sector; helping our contracting authorities to improve efficiency, generate savings and modernise.

Where UK SBS is not named as the Contracting Authority within the documentation, UK SBS will be acting as an agent on behalf of the Contracting Authority.

Our broad range of expert services is shared by our customers. This allows our customers the freedom to focus resources on core activities; innovating and transforming their own organisations.

For full details of our partner base please review the following link: http://www.uksbs.co.uk/services/procure/contracts/Pages/default.aspx