The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is currently inviting Tenders for the delivery of publicly funded criminal legal aid services from 1 October 2022 under a 2022 Standard Crime Contract. The deadline for submission of a Tender is 5pm on 30 November 2021. Further information is available on their website https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crime-contract-2022-tender
Successful providers will be required to demonstrate accreditation against an appropriate Quality Standard, (the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) or Lexcel).
SQM Accreditation – New Applicants:
The application process for SQM accreditation allows for a period of 28 days for completion of the desktop audit. As part of the Crime tender requirements, all desktop audits must be completed and passed prior to 27th March 2022 (the Verification Deadline), with successful completion of the desktop audit exercise verified to the LAA by this date. In recognition of the high volume of new applications envisaged during this period, we would encourage you to submit any application for a desktop audit in a timely manner, to ensure that we are able to meet the verification deadline of 27th March 2022. Please contact our offices to request a copy of our application pack.
The audit process for new applicants requires both a desktop audit and a follow up Pre-Audit before accreditation against the SQM Standard is confirmed. The application process requires that these take place within 6 months of each other. In recognition of the specific requirements of the LAA Crime Tender which states that the SQM Pre-Audit should take place within 6 months of the contract start date, the service level timelines identified within our application documentation will be superseded by the specific requirements of the Crime tender. Pre-Audits for new entrants will therefore take place during the period October 2022 and April 2023. Note: It will not be possible to proceed with the Pre-Audit until there are a sufficient sample of public funded files available for audit.
SQM Accreditation – Existing Holders
Tender Applicants who already hold SQM – Must hold either
i. a valid accreditation that will be in force until at least 1 October 2022; or
ii. where the Applicant’s current Quality Standard certificate expires between 28 March and 30 September 2022, a copy of their current Quality Standard certification and written confirmation from the LAA’s auditing body (Recognising Excellence) of the date on which their next audit will be carried out (ensuring that there is no lapse in time between the end of their current certificate and the audit taking place).
Lexcel Accreditation – New Applicants
For Tender applicants who have chosen Lexcel as their preferred Quality Standard, full Lexcel accreditation should be achieved by the LAA verification deadline of 27th March 2022. Please contact our Lexcel department to request a copy of our application pack.
Lexcel Accreditation – Existing Holders
Applicants who already hold Lexcel – Must hold either
i. a valid accreditation that will be in force until at least 1 October 2022; or
ii. where the Applicant’s current Quality Standard certificate expires between 28 March and 30 September 2022, a copy of their current Quality Standard certification and written confirmation from the Lexcel auditing body of the date on which their next audit will be carried out (ensuring that there is no lapse in time between the end of their current certificate and the audit taking place).