Single Party Framework Agreement for Legal Services

Dear Service Provider,

Microfinance Ireland intends to establish a single-party framework agreement for the provision of legal services. The associated documentation contains full instructions regarding the preparation and submission of expressions of interest.

Your attention is directed to the following additional information:

1) This is the sole call for competition for this service.

2) The contracting authority will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers.

3) Establishment of the framework agreement will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities.

4) It will be a condition of establishment that candidates and all sub-contractors produce a valid Tax Clearance Certificate from the Irish Revenue Commissioners.

6) If for any reason it is not possible to admit to the framework agreement the tenderer invited following the conclusion of this competitive process, the contracting authority reserves the right to invite the next highest scoring tenderer to join the framework agreement as appropriate. If, having established the framework agreement, the contracting authority considers that the successful tenderer has not met its obligations, the contracting authority reserves the right to award membership of the framework to the tenderer with the next highest score on the basis of the original competition. This shall be without prejudice to the right of the contracting authority to cancel this competitive process and/or initiate a new contract award procedure at its sole discretion.

7) At its absolute discretion, the contracting authority may elect to terminate this procurement process, the framework agreement or any contract awarded under the framework agreement at any time.

8) Please note in relation to all documents, that where reference is made to a particular standard, make, source, process, trademark, type or patent, that this is not to be regarded as a de facto requirement. In all such cases it should be understood that such indications are to be treated strictly and solely for reference purposes only, to which the words "or equivalent" will always be appended.

9) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting authority is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in respect of questionnaires with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, candidates are advised to ensure that they return FULLY COMPLETED questionnaires in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition.

Yours sincerely,

Microfinance Ireland