(a) The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) recently undertook a tender exercise for new Mental Health Contracts to start on 1 August 2014. Applicants were invited to bid for a volume of new matter starts within one of three lot sizes for each Procurement Area in which they wished to deliver work. Applicants meeting the tender criteria were guaranteed a certain volume of new matter starts as follows:

In the event that there were additional new matter starts left over against advertised volumes once guaranteed volumes had been allocated, applicants would be awarded additional matter starts up to the volume bid for until the volume of advertised matters starts were awarded. Those bidding for a higher number of new matter starts (i.e. in Lots 2 and 3) were required to meet additional criteria.

(b) There are provisions within the Mental Health contract to award up to an additional 50% supplementary new matter starts if demand increases during the life of the contract. Those awarded a contract in Lot 1 will be able to self-grant an additional 50% of matter starts. Providers who have been awarded a higher volume of work (i.e. in Lots 2 and 3) will be able to apply to their LAA Contract Manager for an additional 50% new matter starts and these requests will be considered on a case by case basis in accordance with the contract provisions.