Beta This is a new service – your feedback will help us to improve it.

Ministry Of Justice

Very High Cost Crime Case Management System built on Microsoft Technologies

16

Applications submitted

Two stage

Call-off procedure

Value

Outside scope

Off-payroll (IR35) status

10 September 2025

Application closing date

1. Context and requirements

• Pre-market engagement:

  No pre-market engagement has taken place

• Work done so far:

  We have completed an options analysis to explore potential new solutions for the VHCC Team. Following this assessment, the approach is to enable ongoing VHCC operations with a new solution, preferably working more closely with wider CCU operations and functions e.g. integration with CCU's ROC system.

• Which phase the project is in:

  Discovery

• Existing team:

  The VHCC Team are part of the CCU and they manage the Criminal VHCC scheme. Within the VHCC team, there are 3 key user roles Notifications Officers, Senior Case Managers and Case Managers contract. There are 11 VHCC case managers who mainly do VHCCs, 2 who partially cover VHCCs amongst other things. There are 2 senior caseworkers with overall responsibility for VHCCs. There is 1 Head of CCU with overall accountability. Day to day management of a VHCC involves the ongoing negotiation of work required on a contract case. All contracted cases are Crown Court trials listed for 61 days or more. Case Managers will review, discuss and approve task lists from providers which are submitted every 12 weeks. Case Managers will audit the work every 12 weeks and make a payment

• Address where the work will be done:

  The VHCC team is primarily based at Legal Aid Agency, Level 6, The Capital, New Hall Place, Liverpool, L3 9PP, however, work can also be completed virtually within the UK only.

• Working arrangements:

  The supplier’s staff will be expected to be available during the typical working hours of the VHCC team (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm) in order to maximise knowledge transfer. We require the supplier to hold agile ceremonies as well as regular update/‘show and tell’ sessions for VHCC and LAA Digital which will take place over MS Teams.

• Provide more information about your security requirements:

  Security Check (SC)

• Provide more information about your security requirements:

  All must have Security Check (SC) vetting as a minimum.

• Latest start date:

  2025-10-20

• Enter the expected contract length:

  2 years

• Extension period:

  1 year

• Special terms and conditions:

  No expenses will be paid in this contract.

• Write the term or acronym:

  LAA:

• Write the term or acronym:

  LAA Digital:

• Write the term or acronym:

  CCU:

• Write the term or acronym:

  VHCC:

• Write the term or acronym:

  ROC:

• Write the term or acronym:

  System:

• Write the term or acronym:

  Service Hours:

• Write the term or acronym:

  Legal Aid Fund:

• Write the term or acronym:

  Central Funds:

• Are you prepared to show your budget details?:

  Yes

• Indicative maximum:

  376000

• Provide further information:

  Breakdown: Support - £ 163,000.00 Development work - £ 150,000.00 Contingency - £63,000.00 Total £ 376,000.00

• Confirm if you require a contracted out service or supply of resource:

  Contracted out service: the off-payroll rules do not apply

• Summary of work:

  Project Overview The LAA is seeking suppliers to support the development of a replacement solution for part of its legacy CIS case management system used by the LAA's VHCC Team. The project’s primary goal is to provide a modern solution that replaces functionality used by the VHCC Team (a team within CCU) in the LAA's legacy CIS application. The project will include transitioning VHCC operations and data out of CIS and onto the new VHCC solution. Ideally the new VHCC solution would align with CCU’s existing and more widely used system, known as the ROC, a customised Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform. This new VHCC solution should streamline how VHCC cases are managed, how claims are processed, and how payments are triggered. It should also improve consistency across CCU operations and reduce reliance on manual processes. Key Objectives >Project services to develop, implement, and transition to a new VHCC solution for the VHCC Team, providing case management and claim capabilities, and integrated with necessary LAA Digital APIs. >Annual Maintenance & Support services for the new VHCC solution. >Continuation of Annual Maintenance & Support services for the ongoing operation of the LAA’s ROC system utilised by the CCU.

• Where the supplied staff will work:

  No specific location (for example they can work remotely)

• Who is the organisation using the products or services:

  The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is buying services on behalf of the Legal Aid Agency. The LAA is an executive agency of the MOJ.

• Why the work is being done:

  The LAA is initiating this work to deliver on its decision to formally sunset the legacy CIS application, which is currently used in part by the VHCC Team. VHCC’s use of CIS includes managing cases, processing claims, and triggering payments from the Legal Aid Fund. CIS as a legacy solution is no longer considered fit for purpose, and does not meet the future operational needs of the VHCC Team or the wider organisation. Its limitations have led to inefficiencies, manual workarounds, and a lack of integration with other systems used by the CCU. To address this, the LAA has completed an options analysis and selected a solution that will need to deliver a new solution to support the VHCC Team's operation, and enable the LAA to decommission the relevant parts of CIS.

• The business problem you need to solve:

  The LAA needs to retire its legacy CIS application, which is no longer fit for purpose. One part of this system is still used by the VHCC Team to manage cases, process claims, and trigger payments from the Legal Aid Fund. However, the system is outdated, inefficient, and operates in isolation from the rest of the CCU, which uses a separate Microsoft Dynamics 365 system known as ROC to manage similar processes. This disjointed setup leads to duplicated effort, manual workarounds, and inconsistent workflows across teams. The problem we need to solve is that we need to transition VHCC operations off CIS and into a modern environment that supports efficient case management and claims processing—without disrupting ongoing services. Suppliers should be aware that this work involves delivering a new solution for the VHCC team. Integration with CCU's ROC system would be preferable if possible. Risks include ensuring continuity of service during the transition and managing integration with existing LAA Digital APIs. In addition, the LAA needs a supplier to provide ongoing maintenance and support for the new VHCC solution, as well as CCU's existing ROC system.

• First user type:

  Within the VHCC team, there are 3 key user roles:

• First user type:

  Notifications Officers

• First user type:

  Senior Case Managers

• First user type:

  Case Managers

---

• Select your pricing model:

  Fixed price

• Additional assessment methods:

  Presentation

• Create your scoring criteria:

  3

• How many suppliers to evaluate:

  5

• Technical competence:

  65

• Cultural fit:

  5

• Social value:

  10

• Price:

  20

• Essential skills and experience:

  20

• Nice-to-have skills and experience:

  5

• Technical questions:

  75

• Describe the essential skill or experience:

  1. At least 2 years’ experience in the agile delivery of development projects for live, BAU information/workflow management systems that meet the Government Service Standard and Technical Code of Practice, including successful completion of GDS assessments. Please provide examples. (25%)

• Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30:

  25

• Describe the essential skill or experience:

  2. At least 2 years’ experience in delivering the architecture, implementation, and live deployment of case management systems (CMS) using Microsoft Power Platform or Microsoft Dynamics technologies in a client-facing setting. Include examples of post-delivery support and licence optimisation recommendations. (25%)

• Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30:

  25

• Describe the essential skill or experience:

  3. Demonstrate how you will deliver Project Management and applying appropriate levels of governance when operating as a supplier for a digital transformation project, with reference to previous experience. (25%)

• Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30:

  25

• Describe the essential skill or experience:

  4.Demonstrate experience of further developing a live, in use system where the Discovery/ Alpha/Beta phases have been delivered by another contractor

• Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30:

  25

• Describe the nice-to-have skill or experience:

  1.Demonstrate how you will apply or integrate MS Power Platform and or Dynamics components and systems to enhance stakeholder experience and increase business process efficiency, with reference to previous experience.

• Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30:

  50

• Describe the nice-to-have skill or experience:

  2.Demonstrate how you would follow the CDDO and GDS Government Service Standards and Technology Code of Practice, and demonstrate meeting a service assessment, with reference to previous experience.

• Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30:

  50

• Explain the technical question:

  1. Describe how you will capture stakeholder requirements to ensure the solution meets all user needs.

• Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30:

  20

• Explain the technical question:

  2. Describe how you will identify risks and dependencies and outline approaches to managing them while developing a digital service.

• Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30:

  10

• Explain the technical question:

  3. Describe your approach to change management throughout the project - e.g. what activities take place when, and why.

• Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30:

  10

• Explain the technical question:

  4. Describe the structure of the team and how their technical skills and experience will be used to deliver the need, including estimated resource dedicated to the project.

• Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30:

  10

• Explain the technical question:

  5.Based on the business problem to be solved please provide a technical recommendation in terms of the deployment of Microsoft Power Platform and/ or Microsoft Dynamics, supported by rationale considering (for example): architecture, experience, number type of licences.

• Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30:

  30

• Explain the technical question:

  6. Describe how you will set up test, development and live environments for the future system, at which point and with rationale. Describe how you will engage with LAA Digital and the VHCC team to ensure environments are ready for each stage of the project.

• Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30:

  10

• Explain the technical question:

  7. Describe your approach to developing a Data Migration Plan and at which point this would be completed.

• Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30:

  10

• Your question:

  1. Describe how you will ensure you build a cohesive team with stakeholders in order to deliver successful outcomes.

• Enter a weighting for this question:

  25

• Your question:

  2. Describe how you approach problem solving, learning from past failures, and decision making when working with clients.

• Enter a weighting for this question:

  25

• Your question:

  3. Describe how you ensure collaboration and transparency when working with clients.

• Enter a weighting for this question:

  25

• Your question:

  4. Describe how you work with client staff with low technical understanding to ensure that they fully understand.

• Enter a weighting for this question:

  25

• Explain the social value question:

  1. Please detail how your organisation creates employment opportunities through Digital apprentices and T Levels.

• Enter a weighting for this question:

  100

---

• Publication of stage 1:

  August 20, 2025, 3:00 PM

• Clarification period closes:

  August 27, 2025, 3:00 PM

• Deadline for suppliers to submit their stage 1 responses:

  September 4, 2025, 3:00 PM

---

Clarification questions and responses

There are no questions and clarifications relating to this opportunity.

---

Help

You can contact us by email, phone or using the enquiry form (opens in a new tab) .

Email:

info@gca.gov.uk

Telephone:

0345 410 2222

GCA customer services team is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.