Insolvency Practitioner (IP) Panel

This tender aims to establish a panel of Insolvency Practitioner firms for the FCA, notably operating outside the Procurement Act 2023 and involving no direct payments from FCA funds. The complete absence of detailed documentation and evaluation criteria presents significant challenges for potential bidders.

The tender explicitly states it is not subject to the Procurement Act 2023, which explains the absence of standard mandatory exclusion grounds and detailed procurement procedures. However, even for below-threshold or non-regulated procurements, principles of transparency and equal treatment are generally expected. The lack of detailed documentation makes it difficult to fully assess compliance with internal FCA policies or general good practice.

The overall purpose of establishing an IP panel is clear. However, the specific expectations for firms, the selection process, and the criteria for IP suitability are not sufficiently detailed in the provided extract. The 'no payments from FCA funds' is clear but raises questions about the financial model for panel firms.

This is the weakest area. The tender information is severely lacking in detail. The complete absence of any attached documents (RFP, terms of reference, evaluation methodology, etc.) means critical information for bidders is missing.

The open competition type suggests an intent for fairness. However, the lack of detailed evaluation criteria and specific requirements could lead to an opaque selection process, potentially hindering fair competition. Without clear criteria, the FCA's discretion in selecting panel members or IPs could be perceived as subjective.

The use of an eProcurement system (Atamis) is practical for submission. However, the lack of comprehensive information makes it impractical for bidders to prepare a high-quality, compliant response. Firms are asked to demonstrate capability without clear benchmarks.

The provided information is internally consistent. The statement about not being subject to the Procurement Act 2023 aligns with the absence of certain standard procurement elements.

No sustainability (environmental, social, ethical) criteria are mentioned. This is common for service tenders of this nature but represents a missed opportunity for the FCA to integrate broader public value considerations.