Provision of Patent Attorney Service on behalf of Loughborough University and the University of Birmingham

Background to Tender Exercise

Loughborough University and the University of Birmingham have decided to review their present arrangements for the provision of Patent Attorney services based on criteria as detailed in this Invitation to Tender document. The purpose and primary objective of this Tender process is therefore to appoint providers of these Patent Attorney services for drafting, filing and prosecution of new patent applications. Existing patent cases will stay with those patent attorney firms currently handling the work.

The University of Birmingham are acting as the lead University ('The University') during this tender process. Reference to the Universities in this document will mean University of Birmingham and Loughborough University. On award of Contracts each University will be responsible for the management of its own Contract, however Contract management reviews may be done as a collaborative process.University of Birmingham Enterprise Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Birmingham and undertakes all of the University's technology transfer activities. University of Birmingham Enterprise Ltd will be the party issuing purchase orders and all instructions relating to University of Birmingham work placed under the tender and the

University of Birmingham is undertaking this tender process on behalf of University of Birmingham Enterprise Ltd. Each University shall award separate Contracts under the Framework. However, the Universities do wish to benefit from economies of scale (discounts) therefore combined values of expenditure may be referred to in the final contracts. Subject to the provisions of the Framework Agreements, the Universities will place an Agreement for an initial period of 4 years, with the option to extend for a further three 4one-year periods. Extensions will be subject to annual reviews and performance monitoring of the service provided.

The universities reserve the right to evaluate the tender responses individually or together and to award separate scores if appropriate based on individual assessment requirements. As a result of their assessment of the tender documents each of the universities reserves the right to appoint the same attorney firm(s) or different attorney firm(s). Where scores diverge between the Universities, this will be made clear in the tender evaluation feedback at the award stage.

This project may be funded by the - European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) or; - European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) or; - Research Councils UK (RCUK), the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils.