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Agency Legal Services
Panel Contract D11-0230 | Request for Tender | Disposal Schedule
The Northern Territory Government obtains its legal services in civil matters in part through the statutory office of the Solicitor for the Northern Territory (SFNT), including legal officers based in agencies, and in part through outsourcing matters to local and interstate legal service providers under the supervision of a case manager from the SFNT.
The SFNT (through Agency Legal Services) initiates and oversees certain aspects of the outsourcing of legal services by facilitating, coordinating and managing a transparent, accountable and defensible tendering process.
Agency Legal Services takes an active role in managing the process by which legal services are provided to government by:
- Issuing and assessing tenders;
- Issuing the originating instructions for new matters;
- Providing case management;
- Scrutinising billing;
- Monitoring service quality through the conduct of performance reviews; and
- Collecting and reporting on statistical information.
New Outsourcing Arrangements
The gradual expansion of the SFNT and resultant increase in capacity has impacted the number and type of matters outsourced to the private profession. This led the SFNT to undertake a review of its outsourcing model in July 2008.
The review included consideration of the structure of the old model and an examination of the expenditure, volume and type of work outsourced, as well as consultation with client agencies and private law firms.
The SFNT developed a new outsourcing model based on achieving the following outcomes:
- the provision of quality advice, representation and documentation to client agencies in a timely manner;
- value for money;
- servicing of regional centres;
- development of the local profession;
- efficiency in the tender process and contract management of tender components;
- regular reporting to client agencies; and
- innovation in service delivery and / or costing.
The new outsourcing model adopted by the SFNT, has the following key features:
- One tender is called for all legal services to government in all regions for a period of three years.
- The tender is comprised of six components sorted by type of work as follows:
- Property Law
- Commercial Law
- Intellectual Property and Technology Law
- General Litigation
- Health and Families
- Work Health
Department of Justice - Request for Tender, Tender Form and Brief Approval
Current Panel Contract (Term 1 Oct 2011 to 30 Sep 2014)
Tender Advertisements
The Department of Business and Employment advertises tenders on behalf of all agencies in the Northern Territory News and / or selected regional newspapers. Details providing a brief outline of the services required are also available on their web site www.nt.gov.au/tenders where the Requests for Tender can be downloaded.
Disposal Schedule
Pursuant to the requirements of the Information Act 2003, law firms providing legal service to the Northern Territory Government are required to comply with the authorised Disposal Schedule for Records of the Attorney-General’s Department No. 2000/7 (AG) for Legal Services. If you have any questions in relation to the Disposal Schedule, please contact the Records Manager on 8935 7624.
