RFP for the establishment of Multiple Long-Term Agreement(s) for Legal Services in Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Services

New clarification added: Q113: We are a German partnership with limited professional liability (PartG mbB) with our main office in Germany. We have offices abroad (e.g. Austria, UAE) too. If we opt for the auditor's statement about the financial limit (EUR 100,000 p.a.), do we need an auditor from Germany, or can it be one from abroad, where we are active too?A113: The auditor can be from a different country where the firm has presence.

New clarification added: Q112: Could you please clarify whether the evaluation and scoring will be carried out separately for each lot or at the level of the overall bid? Additionally, would an economic operator be disadvantaged in any way if it chooses to submit an offer for only two out of the three lots?A112: The evaluation will be carried out separately for each lot. Bidders are not disadvantaged by submitting to 1, 2 or all 3 lots. 

New clarification added: Q111: Dear UNOPS we sent our bid proposal on November 14, 2025, we noted that a minor amendment has been made to the financial form. We request further instructions from UNOPS if is required that we adjust our original proposal based on the change to the volume discounts table.A111: Though the changes in the financial form are more clarifications, we recommend that you update your offer and resubmit it with the new forms. Our apologies for the additional work but we prefer to make sure that we have a correct offer.

New clarification added: Q110: In relation to the required signatures on the tender forms, could you please confirm whether the leader of the joint venture (as indicated in Form E) may authorise a third party (who is not part of the law firm) to sign the bid documents on its behalf (regardless of who this persons is).  The authorisation would apply solely to the documents required for the bid submission and not to the LTA.A110: No. Bidding documents may only be signed by the legal representative of the firm.

New clarification added: Q109: The technical proposal evaluation criteria states that acceptance of UNOPS General Conditions of Contract, as specified in Section VI of the bidding forms, is a pass/fail criteria. However, both on the prebid call and in clarifications, UNOPS has advised that reservations or proposed amendments to contract terms may be submitted as part of the proposal, in the Proposal Submission Form field. Can you please clarify the process for potential contract reservations? If not included as part of the proposal, does the bidder waive the right to propose reservations or amendments at the call-off stage? Or can these later be discussed in the event that a bidder wins a lot?A109: As stated during the prebid meeting (slide 15) and under the Tender Information / Particulars / Additional Information section, Contract terms negotiation:UNOPS strongly prefers to use its own legal form templates (GCC, LTA) without any modification. However, if deemed absolutely necessary by the offeror, they may suggest amendments as part of their offer. UNOPS reserves the right to reject any amendment to its contract forms suggested by the Offeror. No further changes to the contract terms will be accepted after the tender has closed. UNOPS will negotiate contract terms (if applicable) with the highest-ranked bidder, as part of the evaluation process and before the award is issued. UNOPS will award the LTA to the highest ranked offeror with whom a satisfactory agreement on contract terms has been reached within a reasonable period of time (max. 2 weeks). Any modification to UNOPS standard term will required UNOPS Legal team approval. If no agreement can be reached within the specified period, the Offer will be disqualified and the procurement process will move on to the second highest ranked offeror, and so on. This means that UNOPS strongly prefers to use its own legal forms without any modification. However, in the case where a bidder has a specific issue with some of the clauses of the UNOPS legal forms, they may propose amendments as part of their bid. No amendment to legal forms can be accepted later in the process, so yes bidders waive their right to propose amendments later in the process, such as during the pre-award negotiation or the call-off order stage. UNOPS will review and decide if the amendment(s) proposed are acceptable or not. If the bidder ends up being the winning bidder, there may or may not be a negotiation regarding the proposed amendment(s). If no agreement is found within 2 weeks, the bid will be rejected and UNOPS will move on to the next ranked bidder. UNOPS reserves the right to reject any amendment proposed by bidders. Bidders may add a document with their proposal for amendment to the legal form and upload it as an addendum to their Form E: Proposal Submission Form. Our recommendation is that bidders restrict their proposal of amendment(s) to the legal forms to the clauses that would prevent them from being able to sign the UNOPS legal forms or operate properly under the LTA. 

New clarification added: Q108: We plan to submit before the updated deadline. If UNOPS issues another amendment prior to the 2 December 2025 deadline, will we be able to amend our submission?A108: It is possible to amend your bid and resubmit until the updated deadline. See page 35 of the eSourcing vendor guide.

New amendment added #4: Amendment 4 to:Extend the tender deadline until December 2ndCorrect a typo in the financial form: one Table 2 per phase and not per lot.Correct the volume discount brackets in the financial form. Please refer to "RFP_2025_58154 - LTA for Legal Services in Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Services - V3.docx" in the document section.

New clarification added: Q106: Would domestic litigation in the courts of the United States on behalf of Permanent Missions to the UN (e.g. involving sovereign immunities) count as Public International Law experience?A106: YesQ107: In response to Q67 you said youy would amend the Financial Proposal Form to reflect that each table os for a Phase and not a Lot. We have not seen a new Financial Proposal Form since then. When do you expect to publish it? Will there be any further amendments based on recent clarification requests?A107: An amendment will be published shortly.

New clarification added: Q105: We wonder please whether a short extension to the tender deadline may be possible, given the fact that many of the clarifications issued have only recently allowed us to start to gather the information required.A105: An extension until December 2nd will be granted. We are in the process of setting it up in the system.

New clarification added: Q104: We understand that as the LTA holder progresses with the services, it will issue monthly invoices with corresponding timesheets, and UNOPS will make payments against those invoices. For a specific COO, do discounts apply progressively for each amount interval? Or does the discount corresponding to the total amount of the COO apply to all intervals? For example, if a COO has been issued for an amount of USD 500,000 (as a cap), and the discount table establishes that the applicable discount percentage for the total amount is 5%, does the discount for 500,000 apply to the whole amount? If during the course of the assignment invoices are issued for smaller amounts (for example, USD 50,000 in the first month, USD 100,000 in the second month, and so on), should the 5% discount be applied to those partial amounts, even if the total amount of USD 500,000 has not yet been reached? Or should the applicable discount be determined only once the final amount invested and invoiced by the LTA holder is known?A104: The discount should be applied on each invoice. In your example, a 5% discount applies for a COO of 500,000 USD, when you present an invoice for 50,000 USD the first month, you would apply the 5% discount to it, the total to be paid for that month would be 47,500 USD.  

New clarification added: Q102: What would be made public of the winning bid ?  How much of the information and which information submitted would be made public? Is the only information that is public the identity of the firm selected/engaged? Would any of the financial or technical proposal details be made public?A102: The name of the winning bidder will be made public. The rest of the technical and financial proposal details will not be made public.Q103: Would we be able to incorporate our firm's standard terms to the long term agreement if our firm is selected, with the express provision that where there is a conflict between our firm's standard terms and UNOPS's agreement, the latter controls?A103: Rather than incorporate the whole standard terms, we recommend that you include only the specific amendments that are required for you to be able to operate under the LTA contract.  

New clarification added: Q101: Does the client reference letter have to come from a representative of the client company itself, or would it be acceptable to have a reference letter from the client's local counsel (who worked on the matter together with our firm) who would be able to attest to the work done?A101: The client reference letter needs to come from the client.

New clarification added: Q100: Regarding Form J and the "Value of the legal services provided" information, can you confirm that this process is comptelety confidential and that no information submitted will be shared? A100: We confirm that the process is completely confidential and no information submitted will be shared. Only the evaluation committee will have access to the offers and UNOPS auditors. 

New clarification added: Q99: Do employment references for the individual CVs also have to be in letter-from for as for the client reference letters or do the former employers only have to be listed in the CVs with their contact details to be contacted by UNOPS?A99: As indicated in the CV form, we are only asking for the personnel references contact details (previous employer or client). We are not asking for reference letters for the CV references. 

New clarification added: Q99: We would like to seek further guidance in light of the Indian regulatory framework. Law firms in India are constituted either as partnership firms under the Indian Partnership Act, 1932 or as Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008.In our case, as a partnership firm, our registration is evidenced by the Partnership Deed and the MSME (Udyam) Certificate, both of which are officially government-recognized documents confirming the firm’s legal status and organizational structure.Given this distinction, we would like to confirm whether submission of the following documents would be acceptable to satisfy the “Company Registration Certificate” requirement for Indian partnership firms:* The Firm’s PAN (Permanent Account Number) Card* The MSME (Udyam) Registration CertificateWe would like to provide additional context regarding the legal structure of law firms in India. Under Indian regulations, law firms cannot be incorporated as companies under the Companies Act, 2013, and therefore cannot obtain a Corporate Identification Number (CIN). This restriction arises from the Bar Council of India Rules, which prohibit advocates from engaging in any other form of business or operating through a company structure.A99: Please submit the firm's PAN card, the MSME and the partnership deed, if it is not possible to submit a CIN.

New clarification added: Q98: In reference to the qualification criteria requiring "at least 5 years of continuous business in providing similar services," we kindly ask for confirmation regarding Joint Venture (JV) structures: If one of the JV members is a law firm that has been legally registered and operating for only 3 years, but the other JV member(s) have more than 5 years of relevant experience, would this JV still be considered eligible, as long as the consortium jointly meets the 5-year minimum requirement?A98: As long as the leading bidder has at least 5 years of experience, it is acceptable.

New clarification added: Q95: We have a question re the client reference letters:  According to the qualification criteria an offeror should be in continuous business of supplying similar services as specified in the Schedule of requirements during the last five (5) years prior to proposal opening. The Bidder must submit at least two (2) client reference letters for legal services in international arbitration within the last five (5) years in the respective LOT. It was already clarified that a) there is no prescribed format for client reference letters and a letter or email issued by the client confirming the services provided, period of engagement, and overall performance will be acceptable; and b) Bidders are encouraged to provide references that substantiate experience relevant to arbitration or dispute resolution. However, what is unclear to us is the relation between client reference letters and the case descriptions in Form J: do the client reference letters have to relate to cases as submitted in Form J showcasing the Bidder's experience (international commercial arbitration / public international law), i.e. do the client reference letters to be submitted have to confirm the firm's work ONLY with respect to the case descriptions submitted or and are they only relevant if provided by clients that can confirm the firm's work in the past 5 years (and no longer back)?A95: UNOPS will be evaluating the firm's experience through 2 criteria:1) A qualification criteria which objective is to determine whether or not the firm is able to provide international dispute and arbitration services in general terms.2) A technical criteria (1.2) which looks at the specific case descriptions of the firm's experience to evaluate the specific experience in more depth. 1) The qualification criteria reads "Offeror should be in continuous business of supplying similar services as specified in the Schedule of requirements during the last five(5) years prior to proposal opening. The Bidder must submit at least two (2) client reference letters for legal services in international arbitration within the last five (5) years in the REGION of the LOT." In this qualification criteria, it is very clearly stated what we ask for: 2 client reference letters for international arbitration work done in the past 5 years in the region of the lot. There is no specific format for the client reference letters (it may an email) as long as it supplies the information required for UNOPS to be able to evaluate whether or not the reference qualifies the bidder. In line with this, the client reference must contain as a minimum the type of services, the client name and contact details (so we may contact them to verify the information), the date or period in which the services were rendered, the location and whether or not the services were rendered satisfactorily. 2) The technical criteria 1.2 reads "Bidders shall submit a list of relevant international commercial arbitration cases handled in the past ten (10) years. Each case must be presented using the Case Description Form provided in the solicitation documents. Each case must be distinct; the same case may not be submitted more than once. " In this technical criteria, it is very clearly stated what we ask for: 10 case description forms for the international commercial arbitration sub-criteria (1.2.1) and 5 case description forms for the international public law sub-criteria (1.2.2). The cases should be distinct, and presented using the required template provided. The cases must be from the past 10 years. The client reference letters are to be submitted for the qualification criteria while the Case Description Forms (Form J) are to be submitted for the technical criteria 1.2. The client reference letters DO NOT have to relate to the cases submitted in Form J.Q96: Would it be acceptable to submit a client reference letter for work that was performed longer than 5 years ago if it relates to one of the cases described in Form J?A96: No, it would not be acceptable. Client reference letters must be for work performed in the past 5 years as clearly stated in the criteria. Q97: Is it necessary that the letters for LOT 2 be submitted only in relation to French speaking countries and work performed for clients from those countries? Please define in more detail what would be acceptable and what not.A97: As clearly stated in the qualification criteria, the client reference letters MUST be for work performed in the region of the lot.  

New clarification added: Q93: Is it permissable to include a reference in Lot 2 (French-speaking countries) in relation to work in Cambodia, where we understand French is a working language for Administrative purposes, and used in the country's judiciary system?A93: While French is accepted in Cambodia as a working language in the judiciary system, we would also look at the primary language used in the case. If for example, your firm represented a client in Cambodia in French, then this would be an acceptable reference for Lot 2. Q94: If a client reference refers to work in several countries, covered by different Lots, is it possible to use that reference for more than one Lot? A94: We would prefer distinct client references whenever possible to be able to evaluate the breadth and range of the firm's experience. If not possible, then it is possible to submit the same reference for the different lots.

New clarification added: Q92: Regarding the requirement that the law firm have 5 years continuous business supplying similar services as specified in the Schedule of Requirements: must this experience be attributable to the firm itself (i.e. the firm being counsel of record) or may this include the experience of the key personnel we intend to propose prior to them having joined the firm which is now submitting the proposal? For context, our firm has been providing legal services for over 5 years, however, the firm’s specialised dispute resolution team has grown through lateral hires within the past five years. We would like to nominate these more recently hired individuals (who have more than 15 years’ experience in dispute resolution, albeit not at the firm now submitting the proposal) as key personnel. Would this be acceptable?A92: Please see our answer to Q91.

New clarification added: Q91: Can the “client reference letters for legal services in international arbitration” be references from clients for key personnel who represented those clients whilst at their previous firms (within the last five years) rather than for the firm which is now submitting the proposal?A91: The client references have to be references of the bidding firm. References from clients for key personnel who represented those clients whilst at their previous firm cannot be accepted as a reference for the bidder. However, you may use that reference for the client or employment references required for the CV of that personnel.

New clarification added: Q90: In the "Financial Offer Details" Section, we are required to submit a "Total financial offer." This concept does not appear in Form F, but instead the form has several sections that read "total financial proposal". From the content of Form F and the clarification meeting, we understand that the firm will only be binded by the unit rate (the hour rate), and the volume discounts. The rest of the data is filled based on our objective assessment of how the "fictional scenario" would be priced. We are seeking clarification that the "Total financial offer" is the same as the "total financial proposal" on Form F (equivalent to the sum of all phases of the fictional scenario), and will not become a fixed lump sum rate for all future call-off orders.A90: The amount to be entered in the Financial Offer Details tab in eSourcing should be the same as the total amount for the fictionnal scenario entered in the financial proposal form (Form F). We confirm that this total will not become a fixed lump sum rate for all future call-off orders. 

New clarification added: Q89: Is one Form J enough for both International Commercial Arbitration experience and Public International Law experience? Can we add the relevant subtitles to differentiate both types in the form?A89: As stated in Form G: Technical Proposal Form, in section 1.2, "Each case must be distinct; the same case may not be submitted more than once. ​" Each case must be presented using Form J: Case Description Form provided in the solicitation documents. This means that 1 Case = 1 Form J. So, one form J cannot be used for both International Commercial Arbitration experience and Public International Law experience. The cases must be submitted in the appropriate location under Document checklist, there are 2 distinct locations for International Commercial Arbitration experience and Public International Law experience, the cases are not to be mixed together.

New clarification added: Q88: Regarding the technical proposal form, Section 2 on the proposed methodology, approach and implementation is presented as a table and contains placeholders. In light of the table and the fact that this does not facilitate a clear presentation of the requested information, do this section needs to be inserted in the table contained in Form G ? A88: We are not sure we understand the question. That being said, it is mandatory to provide your offer in the required bidding forms without modifying their formatting. Thank you

New clarification added: Q85: Our firm does not have paralegals as such, but only interns, who are involved in all stages of an arbitration proceeding and provide key support to the work of our associates. Would it be acceptable to include our interns under the paralegal category?A85: No, interns cannot be considered paralegals. If you don't have paralegals yet, please enter a rate for them in the financial form so that in the event you become a LTA holder, the rate will already exist if you decide to have paralegals later.Q86: Based on what is indicated on page 9 of the Pre-Bid Meeting Minutes, we understand that the amount stated in the COO functions as a cap for the total amount of services. However, there could be, for instance, a scenario in which UNOPS issues a COO for an amount of USD 300,000 corresponding to Phase 3 related to an arbitration (we use this amount for illustrative purposes only), but the services finally requested are reduced because the parties decide to settle the dispute earlier, and as of that date, only services amounting to USD 100,000 have been performed. In such case, since the COO has already been issued, would the Contractor be entitled to payment of the USD 300,000, or only to payment for the services actually performed amounting to USD 100,000?A86: The COO amount is a cap. Payment is based on the monthly invoices and timesheets submitted by the LTA holder. If the total costs for the legal services ends up at 100,000 USD, then 100,000 USD will be paid. Q87: We understand, based on what is indicated on page 9 of the Pre-Bid Meeting Minutes, that the binding factors for the execution of the LTA are only the hourly rate and the volume discounts ("Manel ZOUARI confirmed that the percentage breakdown for the fictional scenario is not fixed for future LTA call-offs, but the hourly rate per profile and volume discount are fixed as part of the LTA's financial framework."). In this regard, we understand that the overall amounts proposed in Table 2 for each Phase are not fixed. Accordingly, we would like to understand whether the amounts reflected in the COOs are determined solely at UNOPS’ discretion, or whether the amount proposed per phase by the Bidder (Table 1 and Table 2) is also taken into account to some extent.A87: We are not sure we understand the question. That being said, if you become LTA holder, UNOPS will share Terms of Reference (TORs) for a specific case with you, you will make a distinct offer for those TORs (completely unrelated to the fictional scenario). UNOPS will review that offer and decide whether or not it meets its criteria (technical and financial). If the offer is deemed the cheapest most technically compliant offer, then the COO will be awarded for the amount agreed between UNOPS and the LTA holder (which is the LTA holder offer amount, after negotiation). The total amount of the COO is the cap for the services, meaning it is a ceiling amount for the services to be provided under the specific scope of those TORs. The LTA holder will render the services and submit monthly invoices with timesheets, UNOPS will pay these invoices based on the agreed payment terms, up until the ceiling amount of the COO is reached or the services are deemed satisfactorily completed by UNOPS, whichever happens first.

New clarification added: Q84:  There is no field to upload the financial proposal form (Form F)  in the Financial Submission tab in eSourcing. The tab is blank and reads "0/0." Will this be updated so that Financial Submissions can be uploaded?A84: The Financial form needs to be uploaded in the space dedicated to it in the Documents checklist. In addition to the form, bidders are required to fill the tab Financial Offer Information (see page 29 of the eSourcing vendor guide for more details).

New clarification added: Q83: In your answer to question 56 of the clarifications, you stated "If you have reservations on the legal documents (and not on the bidding forms), please indicate them in your proposal as it will not be possible to offer any reservations once the tender has closed. UNOPS will review your reservations and make the final decision." Can you confirm where on the portal or in the bidding documents we should we state any reservations?A83: In the space reserved for the "Form E: Proposal Submission Form", you can add several documents. After you have uploaded your Form E, you may upload an additional document with your comments about the contract forms.

New clarification added: Q81: Should each member of the joint venture individually meet the USD 100k turnover requirement, or can this threshold be satisfied based on the combined average turnover of all joint venture members?A81: As indicated in the criteria, "In case of Joint ventures (JVs), all the partners must jointly comply with this criteria." This means that the combined turnover of all joint venture members will calculated to determine whether the bid meets the criteria or not. In case of Joint Venture, all Joint Venture members must present their financial statements.Q82: Furthermore, as our national legislation does not require law firms to prepare consolidated financial statements (with each partner maintaining individual financial statements instead), would it be acceptable to submit the partners’ individual financial statements accompanied by an explanatory note clarifying this arrangement, or alternatively, a statement from the firm’s accountant confirming the relevant financial figures?A82: If the partners are submitting individual financial statements, does this means that the company doesn't have legal existence? If the company has a legal existence, then it must submit its financial statements. If the company doesn't have a legal existence, then you do not meet the formal and eligibility criteria that states "The Bidder is legally registered as a law firm in their country of incorporation. Joint ventures (JVs) are accepted, provided that all members of the JV are legally registered as law firms. The Bidder (or all JV members) must present a valid company registration certificate."

New clarification added: Q80: We note that you have asked for the value of the legal services provided to previous clients in Form J: Case Description Form. Clients may not want this information disclosed to third parties owing to confidentiality. Is it mandatory to disclose this information for all the cases?A80: If it is requested in the form, it means the information is mandatory. We are asking for this information to assess the importance of the case and the involvement of the firm. 

New clarification added: Q80: Regarding the team’s CVs and the corresponding references, you have clarified that these may be provided either by a member of the firm or by a client. Given the limited time remaining and the already extensive information requested from clients, would it be acceptable if both references for the CVs were provided by two individuals within the firm - in particular, by colleagues from our network firms (other offices) who are not directly participating in the bid but can confirm our experience ? A80: Unfortunately, we cannot accept 2 references from the same source. We will need 2 independant distinct references for the CVs. 

New clarification added: Q76: Should the CVs of the Other Personnel also follow the format provided by UNOPS? Additionally, are we required to include two previous employment references in the CVs of these other team members as well? A76: No, it is not necessary for the Other Personnel to folllow the format provided by UNOPS for the CVs. You are not required to include references in the CVs of the Other Personnel. Q77: Criteria 3.1 of Form G (Technical Proposal) requests an organigram showing the firm's overall structure. Would it be possible to supply the organigram as a separate document or addendum, instead of inline on the Form? Given the page limitations of the question, it will be difficult to preserve legibility otherwise.A77: Yes you may provide the organigram as an attachment.Q78: In Section 1.2.2 of Form G: Technical Proposal Form, regarding "Public International Law Experience", are treaty-based and contract-based investment arbitrations considered?A78: Yes. Both treaty-based and contract-based investment arbitrations may be included under “Public International Law Experience,” provided that the cases involved the application or interpretation of public international law principles.Q79: For Team Members who have only ever worked at our firm, would one employer reference (our firm) suffice? Or would you require a second reference, which would have to be a client, even if it would be for the same time period as the firm reference?A79: In the case you are describing, you may include an employment reference from the current employer and a client reference for the second required reference. Both references can be for the same time period.

New clarification added: Q75: I write to request clarification for the purpose of complying with the "Company Registration Certificate" requirement-As an Indian firm, we do not possess a "Certificate of Incorporation." We will instead provide our MSME (Udyam) Certificate. This is an official Indian Government registration that confirms our firm's status and our "Partnership" organization type.Will the following set of documents be accepted in lieu of the "Company Registration Certificate"?The Firm's PAN (Permanent Account Number) CardMSME (Udyam) CertificateIf this does not suffice, please advise what additional documentation can be added.A75: Previously Indian companies have submitted a Certificate of Incorporation issued by the Registrar of Companies, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), that acts as a Proof of legal registration and existence of a company in India. As a minimum, the document to prove the legal existence of your company should include the following:  The company nameThe CIN (Corporate Identification Number)The date of incorporationThe type of company (Private Limited, Public Limited, LLP, etc.)The registered office address

New clarification added: Q74: Could you please confirm that the Financial Statements will be treated as confidential and not shared with other bidders / anyone else within the UN other than the evaluation team?A74: Our eSourcing system allows access to the bids only to the evaluation team, our contract review committee and our auditors. Nobody else in UNOPS can see the bids. Other bidders DO NOT have access to your bid. Other UN agencies DO NOT have access to your bid. LTA contracts (and only the LTA contract, not the whole bid) may however be shared with other UN agencies, but only after the supplier has agreed to it.

New clarification added: Q72: We reviewed the pre-bid meeting PPT and udnerstand that the minimum requirements listed at page 21 include:"5 years supplying the same services for similar organizations, including at least 2 client references(client references will be contacted as part of our background check procedures, so selectreferences that are not confidential)• Same services = Arbitration and Dispute Resolution for an international organization similar to UNOPS"Please elaborate on the meaning of this. Do we take it to mean that even firms which are experienced with providing arbitration and DR services to private clients / government entities are not eligible unless they've represented an international organisation?A72: The technical qualification criteria has not changed. The complete criteria reads: Technical Capacity: Offeror should be in continuous business of supplying similar services as specified in the Schedule of requirements during the last five(5) years prior to proposal opening. The Bidder must submit at least two (2) client reference letters for legal services in international arbitration within the last five (5) years in LATIN AMERICA. In case of Joint ventures (JVs), all the partners must jointly comply with this criteria.During the prebid meeting, we clarified the meaning of similar services. Similar services means arbitration and dispute resolution services for international organizations. Examples from private clients that have a global footprint are considered similar services. Examples from gouvernments could be accepted, though international companies or institutions would be preferred. 

New clarification added: Q71: For the volume discount, if the Call-Off Order amount is $50,000 and the volume discount is: Call-Off Orders amount                                                  % discountBetween 0 and 50k$                                                      1%Between 50 and 100k$                                                  2% Is the volume discount applied 1% or 2%?A71: In the example you are describing, the volume discount applied would be 2%. We will clarify the table in the next tender amendment.

New clarification added: Q70: Further to our ongoing preparations for the panel tender submission, we have consulted with our statutory auditor regarding the financial attestation requirements outlined in the tender documentation.In response, our auditor has advised that rather than issuing a simple declaration, the appropriate format for such confirmation would be an Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP) Report conducted under NAS 920 / ISRS 4400.This type of engagement involves the definition of specific procedures to be performed on selected financial information, with the objective of reporting factual findings. It does not constitute an audit or review, and no assurance or audit opinion is expressed. The report is intended solely for the use of the parties who have agreed to the procedures.In this context, our auditor has proposed the following procedures to address the three financial criteria:Stable Balance SheetCalculation and comparison of selected financial ratios over the past three financial years (e.g., liquidity ratio, debt-to-equity ratio, equity-to-total-assets ratio).Presentation of the resulting trends.Financial SolvencyVerification that the company is not over-indebted under the Swiss Code of Obligations.Confirmation that there is no requirement to notify a judge of over-indebtedness.Minimum Turnover RequirementVerification that turnover has exceeded USD 100,000 (or equivalent) in each of the last three financial years.We would be grateful if you could kindly confirm whether this format and approach would be acceptable to UNOPS for the purposes of the tender submission. Upon your confirmation, we will proceed with finalising the engagement and the report accordingly.Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information or clarification.A70: Please submit the documentation suggested by your auditors, UNOPS will review it and if we require more information, we will let you know through clarifications during the evaluation period. 

New clarification added: Q69: For each person's CV, can both employment references be from their current employer? There are some people in our proposed team that for example that have been in the same company for over 20 years therefore it wouldn't be possible to get references from a previous employmentA69: It would be preferable to have different sources for references. As per the last amendment, for CVs in similar cases as you are describing, we are allowing individuals to indicate both employment references or client references. 

New clarification added: Q68: It seems like the new Financial Proposal (V2) has removed the non-personnel costs line items. Where would we include these costs, since the lump sum is supposed to be all-inclusive, and the work will likely incur non-personnel costs, such as travel, printing, and other?A68: As the country of the fictional scenario is not specified, it would be impossible to calculate reliable travel costs. Therefore, we have decided not to include them in the financial evaluation. They will be reimbursed as per UNOPS travel policy (please refer to the Terms of Reference for details). This will allow us to evaluate financial bids on a more equal footing, 

New clarification added: Q67: In the updated Financial Proposal Document, where three tables have now been included, should the headings for these be "Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3*, rather than "Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3"?A67: You are correct, this is an error that we will correct in the next amendment. One table for each Phase. Thank you for pointing it out.   

New clarification added: Q66: Is there a page limit for the key personnel CVs? ThanksA66: There is no page limit, but we would like to remind bidders that clarity, quality and relevance are to be prioritzed over quantity. 

New clarification added: Q65: Clarification Request – Section 5.2 Geographical Coverage (Page 21)Could you please clarify the interpretation of Section 5.2 (“Geographical Coverage”)?Does Lot 3 (“All other countries in Asia, Oceania, and English-speaking countries in … Europe …”) include non-French-speaking European countries where English is used as a working language (e.g. Austria, Germany, etc.), or does it refer strictly to countries where English is an official language, such as the United Kingdom and Ireland?Further, will each lot be awared as a whole or will there be separate awards for each country?A65: Lot 3 include all the countries not included in lot 1 and 2. Each lot will be awarded as a whole. 

New clarification added: Q64: We would like to inquire whether, under the sections “International Commercial Arbitration Experience” and “Public International Law Experience,” it is acceptable to include arbitration cases (while maintaining the necessary confidentiality) in which members of the firm have participated as party-appointed arbitrators or presiding arbitrators, or whether the relevant experience should instead focus exclusively on cases in which the firm has acted as counsel for a party.A64: The tender evaluates experience on two distinct tracks: the firm's corporate experience and the individual key personnel's experiences. While experience serving as an arbitrator is highly relevant and should be included as part of the key personnel's CVs, it cannot be used to fulfill the separate requirements for the law firm's experience.  

New clarification added: Q63: we would like to ask if you would be willing to change the requirement that firms provide a copy of their financial statements (whether audited or not audited). Unfortunately, we and many other international law firms will not be able to provide such financial statements as we cannot obtain approval from the partnership to disclose such private financial details. However, in lieu of financial statements, we can provide a letter from our auditors stating that we have a stable balance sheet and are financially solvent.Please clarify if this requirement can be waived if we provide a letter and no financial statements.A63: Following the latest amendment (number 3), we have update the financial capacity criteria to allow firms to provide a statement from auditors (see the specific requirements of the criteria on eSourcing under Evaluation Criteria). 

New clarification added: Q62: Clarification Request - Table 1 Pricing Percentages in Financial Proposal (Form F)Dear UNOPS Procurement Team, We wish to raise a concern once again regarding the “Percentage of Total Price (Weight for payment)” assigned to each phase in Table 1 of the Financial Proposal Form. As clarified in your initial responses to our clarification requests (Q34, Q35, and Q36), the percentages (40% for Phase 1, 35% for Phase 2, and 25% for Phase 3) are fixed and represent both the payment schedule and the cap for each phase. However, this structure presents a significant challenge for our firm and likely will for any other firm. The current allocation does not reflect the actual cost distribution for such work and would make it impossible for us to submit a realistic and sustainable proposal under the terms of the RFP. We therefore respectfully request that UNOPS reconsider the requirement to fix these percentages, or alternatively, remove them in their entirety. A62: In the last amendment (number 3), we have updated the financial form, and removed the column with the weighting for each phase.

New clarification added: Q60: Dear all, please could you send the minutes of the meeting that was held on the 30th October?Q61: We attended the pre-bid clarificatory meeting held last week and want to ask whether the minutes of that meeting have been generated. If so, can we please request you to point them out.A60 & A61: Prebid meeting presentation and minutes have been uploaded to the Documents tab on eSourcing. 

New amendment added #3: Amendment 3 to: Add the prebid meeting presentation and minutes to the Documents tab.Modify the financial capacity qualification criteria, which now reads: Financial capacity: The Bidder has an annual turnover of at least 100,000 USD or equivalent in the last 3 years. The Bidder (or all JV members) must present their audited annual financial statements for the last 3 years. If audited financial statements are not available, unaudited financial statements may be presented with an explanation statement for the firm. If firms are not able to provide financial statements, they may submit an independent auditor statement confirming that the firm has a stable balance sheet, is financially solvent and has a minimum turnover of at least 100,000 USD or equivalent in each of the last 3 years. In case of Joint ventures (JVs), all the partners must jointly comply with this criteria. The criteria has also been modified in Section III: Evaluation Criteria.Publish updated document RFP_2025_58154 - LTA for Legal Services in Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Services - Sections I, II, III, IV, V and VI, in the Documents tab called RFP_2025_58154 - LTA for Legal Services in Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Services - V2 (includes the bidding forms). Changes include: Small change to Form I: Format for Resume of Proposed Key Personnel to specify that references from employers or clients may be accepted for the individuals references. Changes to Form F: Financial Proposal Form to facilitate the submission of financial offers for the bidders. All changes are highlighted in green.

New clarification added: Q54: At what level of granularity are Bidders expected to provide line-item costs in the Financial Proposal?A54: Please follow the instructions in the financial form: one line per profile for the personnel costs, one line per typology of cost for the other costs.Q55: Is the Bidder expected to submit one Financial and Technical Proposal for each lot?A55: One financial Proposal for each lot. For the technical proposal, some criteria are specific to each lot while others are common for the whole tender. To see the details, please consult the tab "Evaluation criteria" under the tab "Tender Information".Q56: Is it acceptable to propose reservations to the Bidding documents, such as to UNOPS General Conditions of Contract?A56: If you have reservations on the legal documents (and not on the bidding forms), please indicate them in your proposal as it will not be possible to offer any reservations once the tender has closed. UNOPS will review your reservations and make the final decision. Q57: Is it acceptable to provide, for example, a hybrid pricing model within each lot?A57: We are not sure what you mean by hybrid pricing model, please clarify your question.Q58: The Evaluation Criteria requests two client reference letters for each lot attesting to work in the lot’s primary language. Is the reference contact sufficient and is it required to be submitted with the Bidding forms? If so, where on eSourcing?A58: You need to submit 2 reference letters per lot. There is no prescribed format for client reference letters. A letter or email issued by the client confirming the services provided, period of engagement, and overall performance will be acceptable. Bidders are encouraged to provide references that substantiate experience relevant to arbitration or dispute resolution. The client reference letters need to be uploaded in the checklist under the spaces labelled:- "At least 2 Client reference letters for LOT 1 (client country in the lot region)", or /and- "At least 2 Client reference letters for LOT 2 (client country in the lot region)", or/ and- "At least 2 Client reference letters for LOT 3 (client country in the lot region)"depending on the lots you wish to bid for. Q59: On eSourcing, there is no field to upload the Financial Proposal, where should the Bidder submit?A59: Please see pages 30-31 of the eSourcing guide on how to submit your financial offer.  

New amendment added #2: Amendment 2 to:Extend the tender deadline and the clarifications deadline by 2 weeksAdd a prebid meeting on October 30th at 2pm Copenhagen time (details under the Particulars section in eSourcing)Replace one of the designation "Senior Associate" under the checklist by "Junior Associate"Specify in the financial capacity qualification criteria that unaudited financial statements are allowed when audited ones are not available.Specify in the technical criteria for the team that bidders have the possibility to offer one team per lot (overlapping members allowed) and create designated spaces in the checklist to allow bidders to offer one team per lot. 

New clarification added: Q53. The chart on the first page of Form F states the following “percentages of total price” for each of the three phases:Phase 1, Case Assessment: 40%Phase 2, Preparation and Strategic Support for Negotiations: 35%Phase 3, Preparation for & participation in arbitration, mediation, conciliation proceedings: 25%Does this mean that the lump sum price in the next column of the chart for each phase must reflect that percentage of the overall price; e.g., Phase 1 must be 40% of the total price, and Phase 3 only 25% of the total price? Or are those percentages just weights that will be applied to whatever lump sum price the offeror proposes? If the former, and each phase must reflect that percentage of the overall price, is it possible to readjust the allocations?A53. The percentages must reflect the percentage of the total price. This means that Phase 1 must be 40% of the total price. It is not possible to change the percentages.

New clarification added: Q48. In the Document Checklist section it lists "Senior Associate - Form I: Format for Resume of Proposed Key Personnel" twice. We assume that one instance should be Junior Associate. Can be that be corrected on the system?A38. Yes, this will be corrected shortly.Q49. Under Financial Offer Details, there is nowhere to upload Form F - Financial Proposal Form. Will this become available?A49. It is already available. Please see pages 30-31 of the eSourcing guide on how to submit your financial offer. Q50. Under which section of the Document Checklist should we include the two requested client reference letters?A50. Under the spaces labelled- "At least 2 Client reference letters for LOT 1 (client country in the lot region)", or /and- "At least 2 Client reference letters for LOT 2 (client country in the lot region)", or/ and- "At least 2 Client reference letters for LOT 3 (client country in the lot region)"depending on the lots you wish to bid for. Q51. Will electronic signatures on the documents suffice or should they be hand signed?A51. Electronic signatures is sufficient. Q52. We wanted to clarify how the volume discount is intended to apply. For example, if the Volume Discount is the following: Call-Off Orders amount           discountBetween 0 and 50k$:               5%Between 50 and 100k$:           10%For a Call-Off order of $75,000, whether:the 10% discount would apply to the entire amount of $75,000; orThe discount is applied in tiers (i.e., 5% on the first $50,000 and 10% on the next $25,000)?A52. The discount will be applied to the entire amount of the call-off order. In your example, the 10% discount will apply to the entire amount of $75,000.

New clarification added: Q45. For the client reference letters for Lots 1, 2 and 3, is there a format you wish bidders to follow? Would an email from a client be acceptable? A45. There is no prescribed format for client reference letters. A letter or email issued by the client confirming the services provided, period of engagement, and overall performance will be acceptable. Bidders are encouraged to provide references that substantiate experience relevant to arbitration or dispute resolution.Q46. We notice in the portal that there are two boxes for “Senior Associate” CVs – can you confirm if one of these boxes should be for a Junior Associate?A46. If two upload boxes are labelled “Senior Associate” on the eSourcing platform, please consider one for the “Senior Associate” and the other for the “Junior Associate.” We will update the designations on eSourcing.Q47. The CV section of the portal has a section for “Other Personnel” CVs. Can you explain what category of personnel this relates to? Is there any scoring applied to this category? Are a specific number of CVs required for this?A47. The “Other Personnel” section allows bidders to include additional team members who may contribute to the services (for example, paralegals, case managers, or specialized counsel). CV submission under this category is optional and not scored. It is intended for information purposes only and will not affect the technical evaluation results. You are however required to propose the hourly rate of the additional personnel in your financial form, as it will be used during the life of the LTA.

New clarification added: Q44. Could you please confirm whether the percentages allocated to each phase in the third column of Table 1 in the Financial Proposal (Form F) are fixed, or whether bidders are permitted to amend them to reflect their assessment of the volume of work required for each phase?A44. Percentages are fixed, please do not modify them.

New clarification added: Q39. Bidder understands from the clarifications that it may add additional lines (rows) to Table 2 in Form F (Cost breakdown per component) for additional team member profiles. However, Table 2 also includes a column called “No. of Persons.” Please could the purpose of this column be clarified if additional team members are meant to have one line (row) per profile?A39. Number of persons is the number of personnel for that profile. Example: if you need 3 partners, you would indicate 3 in the number of persons for the Partner profile.Q40. Bidder understands from the clarifications that it can submit separate teams for each Lot to which it applies. Does this mean if the Bidder is submitting to all three Lots, it would also have to submit three separate financial proposals in Form F if the team members for each Lot have different hourly rates? Further, would the cap on rates as per Section 5.4 of Schedule IV be based on each Lot, or the highest rates of all the Lots?A40. Yes, one financial form is required per lot. The cap on rates will be based on each lot. If you become LTA holder, and we request services in Latin America, we will be expecting your offer to propose personnel which hourly rate is below or equal to the ceiling hourly rate for that profile for that region.Q41. Form G Section 1.2 requires that Bidders submit a list of relevant international commercial arbitration experience and public international law experience. To score the highest for the former, at least 10 highly relevant cases of high complexity must be identified while in the latter 5 highly relevant cases of high complexity must be identified. Is this the requirement per Lot (15 cases per Lot)? Or is this requirement total (15 cases for the firm)?A41. 15 cases per bidder total and not per lot.Q42. Form G Section 2 requires the Bidder to describe its proposed methodology, approach, and implementation plan for each phase of the fictitious scenario. Would the bidder submit a separate plan for each Lot? Or would the Bidder submit one implementation plan for each phase applicable to all of the Lots?A42. One Form G is required for the whole bid, not per lot. Q43. Can the bidder include assumptions in Form G? Particularly since the length of “Phase II” concerning negotiation with Country X has an uncertain time period?A43. If you need additional clarifications to make an offer, you should let us know, so that we can let all bidders know what the assumptions are. You cannot make your own assumptions, as that would lead to offers that are not comparable between the different bidders. So please check with us through the clarifications and we will respond for all bidders.  

New clarification added: In reference to the solicitation document RFP/2025/58154 for establishing Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) concerning legal services in dispute resolution and arbitration, we seek clarification on specific aspects of the requirements and framework outlined. Below are the questions posed for further clarification: Q37. Could you please confirm whether the price quoted for each lot is intended to cover all cases anticipated over the three-year period, or if it is based on pricing for a single case per lot?A37. As indicated in the bidding forms, the scenario is fictional. The price quoted is therefore not intended to cover all cases anticipated over the three-year period, nor is it based on pricing for a single case per lot. Though the scenario is fictional (for evaluation purposes), it reflects the typical cases we would ask firms to execute. As such, we ask that you bid presenting a real offer as if it was bidding. The offer will be used as a comparator for future offers under the LTA if you become the LTA holder, so it has to be representative of a real offer. The personnel fees of your offer will be the ceiling personnel fees of the LTA, this means that if you become LTA holder and we ask you to submit an offer in the future, we expect you to make an offer where you indicate the number of hours for each personnel and the hourly fee for each personnel (it will have to be below or equal to the ceiling fee of your bid). If there are additional personnel (paralegal, ...etc) that you think you will require in the future, please add them to your financial offer as their hourly rate will also be used as a ceiling for the LTA.Q38. Additionally, could you please clarify if the percentages specified in the cost breakdown table (e.g. 40% for case assessment and 25% for arbitration) must be strictly applied from the total price for each lot, or whether there is any flexibility in their allocation.A38. The percentages represent the actual weight of each phase. They are not to be modified.

New clarification added: We are currently preparing our submission in response to RFP/2025/58154 and would appreciate clarification regarding the “Percentage of Total Price (Weight for payment)” assigned to each phase in Table 1 of the Financial Proposal Form. Specifically, we would like to understand the implications of the fixed allocation of:40% for Phase 1: (Case Assessment)35% for Phase 2: (Preparation and Strategic Support for Negotiations with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure of Country X)25% for Phase 3: (Preparation for and participation in arbitration, mediation, conciliation proceedings)Given that Phase 3 typically involves the most resource-intensive activities, we would be grateful if you could confirm:Q34. Whether the Table 1 structure is intended solely for evaluation purposes in this panel tender, or whether it will also be used as the pricing mechanism for future Call-Off Orders issued under the Long-Term Agreement.A34. As indicated in the Financial Bidding Form, the scenario is fictional (for evaluation purposes) but reflects the typical cases we would ask firms to execute. As such, we ask that you bid presenting a real offer as if it was binding. The offer will be used as a comparator for future offers under the LTA if you become the LTA holder, so it has to be representative of a real offer. The personnel fees of your offer will be the ceiling personnel fees of the LTA, this means that if you become LTA holder and we ask you to submit an offer in the future, we expect you to make an offer where you indicate the number of hours for each personnel and the hourly fee for each personnel (it will have to be below or equal to the ceiling fee of your bid). If there are additional personnel (paralegal, ...etc) that you think you will require in the future, please add them to your financial offer as their hourly rate will also be used as a ceiling for the LTA. It will not be possible to add personnel at a later stage. If you become LTA holder, you will be able to use only the type of profiles that you have defined in your initial bid. Q35. Whether the percentages listed under the “Percentage of Total Price (Weight for payment)” cell in Table 1 are intended only to define the payment schedule across Phases, or whether they also serve as a strict cap on the maximum percentage amount of the total quote that can be charged or reimbursed for each Phase, regardless of actual costs incurred.A35. The percentages represent the actual weight of each phase. If this were a binding offer, the amount for each phase would indeed be the cap. If you become LTA holder and we request your services, you will be expected to give us a capped offer. Then, present us with a timesheet on a monthly basis indicating how much of the call-off order has been used, that UNOPS would then pay as per our payment terms, until the full amount of the call-off order (cap) is reached. Q36. If the actual costs associated with Phase 3 (preparation for and participation in arbitration, mediation, conciliation proceedings) escalate significantly beyond 25% of the lump sum total in Table 1, would UNOPS permit a contract amendment or issue a new Call-Off Order to accommodate the additional cost, or is the 25% cap considered a strict and non-negotiable limit regardless of actual resource requirements?A36. If this were a real life scenario, there would be discussions between UNOPS and the LTA holder to decide whether an amendment to the initial call-off order is needed or not. The additional costs (beyond the lump sum amount of the initial call-off order) would need to be justified and cover an additional scope of work not defined in the initial Terms of Reference. A call-off order is a lump sum contract that covers the whole scope of the Terms of Reference. An amendment is possible only to cover an additional scope. 

New clarification added: Q32. In the event that we are bidding for two different lots/regions, must the proposed teams for each lot/region be entirely different, or can they include the same or overlapping members? Our international arbitration team has the required expertise and linguistic capabilities across all three regions. Nevertheless, we would like to confirm whether it is mandatory to propose distinct teams for each bid.A32. Bidders may propose the same or overlapping team members across different lots/regions, provided that the proposed personnel have the required qualifications and availability to perform the services in each lot/region. It is not mandatory to propose entirely distinct teams for each bid.Q33. Regarding client references, can the two clients providing the reference letters for a particular lot/region be the same as those listed as client references in the resumes of the proposed key personnel (Form I)? If so, may the same client references be used for all proposed key personnel?A33. The reference letters are references for the firm / company, it can be letters of reference from previous clients of the firm to demonstrate that the firm completed the work the firm says it completed for a specific client (previous recent similar experiences). The references in the CVs are for the personnel submitted (the individuals), it can be for example previous supervisors to demonstrate that the personnel has indeed completed the work history declared on the CV. It is possible to have the same references for different personnel as they may have had parallel work experiences.

New clarification added: Q31. We are currently preparing our submission for RFP/2025/58154 and would appreciate clarification regarding the requirement to submit audited financial statements for the past three years. As a private partnership, we do not produce formal audited financial statements in the same manner as incorporated entities. However, we would be pleased to provide a letter from our external auditors confirming that our firm meets the minimum financial requirements set out in the tender and that we are in robust financial health. Could you kindly confirm whether such a letter would be considered sufficient in place of full audited financial statements? A31. If available, please submit audited financial statements. If not available, please submit unaudited financial statements accompanied by an explanation from the bidder as to the reason why audited financial statements are not available. 

New clarification added: Q29. Several of the tender forms include the following statement "Stamp form of Proposal with official stamp of the Offeror". Please confirm if it would be sufficient for the legal representative of the firm to sign the form and stamp the firm's logo at the end of the signature.A29. If an official stamp is not available, you may provide the bidding forms signed by official electronic signatures.Q30. The "documents" section in the system requires uploading two references letters. The format for Form I (resume of key personnel), also requires at the end of the format to include two client references. We wanted to confirm: (i) if the two reference letters in the document section and the references required in Form I refer to different references, (ii) if the answer is "yes", then we ask for clarification if the clients need to be different on each section, (iii) if the answer to point (i) is "yes", then we ask for the following clarification: those the Form I requires that each key member of the team individually adds the client references and if those clients need to be different clients among the team members.A30. The reference letters required for the qualification criteria are references for the firm / company, it can be letters of reference from previous clients of the firm to demonstrate that the firm completed the work the firm says it completed for a specific client (previous recent similar experiences). The references in the CVs are for the personnel submitted (the individuals), it can be for example previous supervisors to demonstrate that the personnel has indeed completed the work history declared on the CV. 

New clarification added: Q28. In the Qualification Criteria section, it is indicated that one of the requirements is to demonstrate that “the Bidder has an annual turnover of at least USD 100,000 or equivalent in the last 3 years.” To evidence this, the submission of financial statements for those years is required. In this regard, we would like to kindly inquire whether it is acceptable for the financial statements to be unaudited. In the jurisdiction where our law firm operates, it is not a legal requirement for all companies to have their financial statements externally audited. This obligation applies only to entities that (i) qualify as “public companies” (known as sociedades anónimas), (ii) exceed a certain annual income threshold, or (iii) are listed on the stock exchange. However, our firm does not fall under any of these categories. Would it therefore be acceptable for the firm to submit unaudited financial statements? Additionally, would UNOPS require a sworn statement from the firm’s representatives confirming the accuracy and legality of the financial statements?A28. If available, please submit audited financial statements. If not available, please submit unaudited financial statements accompanied by an explanation from the bidder as to the reason why audited financial statements are not available.

New clarification added: Q22. Please can you direct us to "Schedule I: RFP particulars". In the RFP document (page 1) it says: "This section is available directly on eSourcing" but we are unable to locate it, your direction in finding this would be much appreciated.A22. Schedule I (“RFP Particulars”) is available on the UNOPS eSourcing platform under the "Tender Information" / “Particulars” section. Please see page 23 -24 of the eSourcing guide for more details on how to access the Particulars section online. Q23. Please can you direct us to where to locate the "fictitious scenario" mentioned on page 34 of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services document, or alternatively send it to us directly as a matter of urgency.A23. The “Fictional Scenario” document referenced in Forms F and G has now been uploaded to both the UNOPS eSourcing and UNGM platforms, under the "Documents" section. Bidders are requested to prepare their technical and financial proposals in accordance with that document.Q24. For the client reference letters for Lots 1, 2 and 3, is there a format you wish bidders to follow? Would an email from a client be acceptable?A24. There is no prescribed format for client reference letters. A letter or email issued by the client confirming the services provided, period of engagement, and overall performance will be acceptable. Bidders are encouraged to provide references that substantiate experience relevant to arbitration or dispute resolution.Q25. In relation to section 3, please can you confirm if the requirement is to provide one CV for each of a) senior associate; b) junior associate; c) team lead/partner (i.e. that there are three team members in total)?  A25. Bidders are requested to provide one CV for each of the following roles:a) Partner or Team Lead;b) Senior Associate; andc) Junior Associate.These three CVs will be assessed as part of the technical evaluation.Bidders may present one team per lot if they wish or one team for all 3 lots. Team members can overlap between lots.Q26. We notice in the portal that there are two boxes for “Senior Associate” CVs – can you confirm if one of these boxes should be for a Junior Associate?A26. If two upload boxes are labelled “Senior Associate” on the eSourcing platform, please consider one for the “Senior Associate” and the other for the “Junior Associate.” We will update the designations on eSourcing.Q27. The CV section of the portal has a section for “Other Personnel” CVs. Can you explain what category of personnel this relates to? Is there any scoring applied to this category? Are a specific number of CVs required for this?A27. The “Other Personnel” section allows bidders to include additional team members who may contribute to the services (for example, paralegals, case managers, or specialized counsel). CV submission under this category is optional and not scored. It is intended for information purposes only and will not affect the technical evaluation results. 

New clarification added: Q19. Fictitious CaseAs indicated in Section 2 (Proposed Methodology, Approach and Implementation Plan) of Form G – Technical Proposal Form, and further referenced in Form F – Financial Proposal Form, the RFP provides that offerors must prepare their proposal in relation to a fictitious case scenario. However, after carefully reviewing all documentation available on the UNOPS eSourcing platform, we have not been able to locate the specific case description. Could you kindly confirm whether the fictitious case has already been published or whether it will be made available at a later stage? If the latter, we would greatly appreciate any indication as to the expected date and format of its release.A19. The “Fictional Case Scenario” document has now been uploaded to the UNOPS eSourcing and UNGM platforms, under the Documents section. Bidders are requested to base their technical (Form G) and financial (Form F) proposals on the tasks described in that document. All corresponding sections of Forms F and G should therefore be completed with reference to the fictional case.Q20. Labour StandardsSection 4.1 of the Technical Proposal Form (Sustainability Criteria) requires bidders to provide documentation demonstrating adherence to local labour laws and alignment with international labour standards, including, for instance, the ILO's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) and SA8000 certification.We kindly request, if possible, clarification on which types of documents will be primarily assessed to meet this requirement. Would UNOPS consider the requirement fulfilled through the submission of a statement prepared and signed by our own organization explaining our labour policies, with such policies attached as supporting documents? Or, alternatively, is it also necessary to provide documents issued by national labour authorities or an independent auditor’s report certifying our labour policies?A20. Bidders are required to demonstrate that their organization adheres to applicable national labour laws and is aligned with international labour standards, including the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. UNOPS will accept documentation such as a signed statement or declaration prepared by the bidder describing its labour standards and policies; and copies of relevant internal policies, codes of conduct, or procedures supporting the statement. If the bidder has third-party certifications (such as SA8000) or similar documents issued by national labour authorities, they should be submitted if available. The evaluation will focus on the clarity and credibility of the information provided in support of compliance with these standards.Q21. Diversity and Inclusion​Section 4.2 (Diversity and Inclusion) requests documentation evidencing the firm’s approach to promoting equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion, mentioning examples such as equal pay policies, parental leave policies, inclusion of persons with disabilities, and gender composition metrics.Similarly to the previous case, we kindly ask you to confirm which types of documents will be primarily assessed to verify compliance with this requirement. Would it be sufficient to submit a statement prepared by our own firm describing our diversity policies and attaching the relevant supporting documents? Or is it necessary to provide an independent audit to verify the adequacy of these diversity and inclusion policies?A21. Similarly, to demonstrate the firm’s approach to diversity and inclusion, bidders may submit: a written statement describing their diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion policies; and relevant supporting documents, such as internal policies, statistics, or programme descriptions. Independent audits or external certifications are welcome if available. UNOPS will assess the bidder’s demonstrated commitment and practical measures to promote diversity and inclusion within its organization.

New clarification added: Q17. We have two requests: (1) firstly, there is a reference in the RFP to a "fictitious scenario" (see, for example, Section 2 of the Technical Proposal Form at Form G) and our question is whether this is a scenario that the UNOPS provides or whether it is a scenario that individual law firms need to create themselvesA17. The fictitious scenario referenced in Forms F and G was unintentionally left out in the initial RFP publication. It has now been uploaded and is available on the UNOPS eSourcing and UNGM platforms for bidders to use.Q18. The RFP refers (through the RFP but, in particular, in the Tecnical Proposal Evaluation section) to the "qualifications" of the "team lead"; "senior associate"; and "junior associate".  The reference to these designations is in the signular which suggests that you only want one partner/lead, one senior associate and one junior associate: is that right, or is it OK for us to submit mutliple partners, senior associates, and junior associates as part of the overall team composition?  A18. The roles of Team Lead, Senior Associate, and Junior Associate are the minimum mandatory profiles required under the tender. Bidders are allowed to include additional team members if they wish; however, the CVs of these additional personnel will not be evaluated. Each profile, including any optional ones, must be listed separately in the financial proposal. 

New amendment added #1: Amendment 1 - Upload the document "Scenario for evaluation purposes" to the document tab. 

New clarification added: Q15. We are unable to locate the ‘fictitious scenario’ referenced in RFP No. 2025/58154, Section 2 (pages 30 and 34). Could you please provide the scenario or indicate precisely where it appears in the RFP?A16. The “fictitious scenario” referenced in Forms F and G was inadvertently omitted from the initial publication of the RFP documents. The document has now been uploaded to both the UNOPS eSourcing and UNGM platforms for bidders’ reference.

New clarification added: Q9: Form G references a “fictitious scenario” and requires the bidder to propose a methodology, approach and implementation plan for the tasks described in it. Form F also requires that the bidder provide a lump-sum financial proposal based on a “fictional scenario.” The RFP does not provide the “fictional scenario,” and it is also not included in any of the available tender documents on the e-Sourcing or UNGM platform. Please provide us with the “fictional scenario” and/or all other information/documents related to preparing detailed technical and financial proposals.A9. The “fictitious scenario” referenced in Forms F and G was inadvertently omitted from the initial publication of the RFP documents. The document has now been uploaded to both the UNOPS eSourcing and UNGM platforms for bidders’ reference.Q10. If there is no “fictitious scenario” on which to base our financial and technical proposals, please clarify how to prepare Form F and Form G. In particular, please clarify how to prepare, or confirm, that we may disregard Form F, Table 1; Form F, Table 2; and Form G, Section 2, including 2.1 – 2.3.A10. Not applicable – the fictitious scenario has now been uploaded (please refer to the response to Question 1 above).Q11. Form G, Section 3.2 and page 22 of the RFP require a proposed team of key personnel made up of at a minimum one Team Lead/Partner, one Senior Associate, one Junior Associate, and one Paralegal. Is there a maximum number of key personnel that the bidder can provide? In addition to the key personnel/core team members that the bidder proposes, can the bidder include an attachment of other available team members?A11. Bidders may include additional team members as needed. Please add as many lines as necessary in Table 2: Cost Breakdown per Component, ensuring one line per profile, as indicated in the form.Q12.The “Long_Term_Agreement template” provided appears to be a contract for the supply of goods. Please provide the template applicable for the supply of services.A12. The Long-Term Agreement (LTA) template included in the RFP package is the correct template. It is applicable to the provision of services and is not a supply of goods contract.Q13. On the eSourcing platform, under “Vendor Submissions” – “Financial offer details,” the bidder is required to provide a “Total financial offer” for each of Lots 1–3. Please clarify how to prepare this page based on the same issue above – i.e., in the absence of the “fictional scenario” and/or sufficient details, it is impossible to provide a lump-sum or total financial offer.A13. Not applicable – the fictitious scenario has now been uploaded (please refer to the response to Question 1 above). 

New clarification added: Q3. Could you confirm whether the bid should include pricing for the entirety of an arbitration process? This would involve specifying key assumptions such as the duration, jurisdiction, presence of counterclaims, jurisdictional challenges, the number of witnesses/experts involved, and whether advocacy by barristers is expected.A3. The Financial Proposal will be evaluated based on the total financial proposal — that is, the final totals reflected in Table 1 and Table 2 for the fictional scenario. Accordingly, all relevant fields (including pricing, volume discounts, totals, expected personnel hours as per the Terms of Reference, and personnel rates) must be duly completed in both tables. Q4. Is it permissible to incorporate assumptions within the pricing submission? If so, could you kindly specify the assumptions and parameters that bidders should adopt?A4. The proposed pricing should be prepared in line with the services, requirements, and deliverables specified in Section IV: Schedule of Requirements. Q5. Are we limited to proposing one partner, one senior associate, and one junior associate as the key personnel for this engagement, or can additional team members be included? This question arises particularly in light of the multidisciplinary requirements.A5. Bidders may include additional team members as needed. Please add as many lines as necessary in Table 2: Cost Breakdown per Component, ensuring one line per profile Q6. Regarding the team structure, is it permissible to submit separate teams for each lot (e.g., Spanish, French, and Rest of the World), or is there a defined limit on the number of team members for each lot?A6. Yes, bidders are required to submit separate teams for each lot. Q7. In relation to subcontractors, must the bid disclose every potential co-counsel or law firm that might be engaged in jurisdictions where our firm does not have a presence, or would it suffice to outline a general approach?A7. At this stage, it is not necessary to identify every potential co-counsel or law firm that may be engaged in specific jurisdictions. However, bidders are expected to describe their general approach and capacity to provide coverage across all countries included in the respective lot. Q8. With regards to suppliers, should all potential suppliers (e.g., e-discovery data providers) be itemised in the submission? Alternatively, is it acceptable to state that the firm uses a pre-approved panel?A8: It is not required to itemize all potential suppliers, such as e-discovery or data service providers. It is acceptable to describe the firm’s general approach to engaging such suppliers as part of its service delivery model. 

New clarification added: Q2: I write to request clarification regarding the required legal status of bidders. I am an independet arbitration practitioner operating as a self-employed sole trader, without the use of a corporate vehicle, just as a barrister would operate in the English market. I note that Section III Evaluation Criteria, Eligibility and Formal Criteria, item 4 states: "The Bidder is legally registered as a law firm in their country of incorporation. Joint ventures (JVs) are accepted, provided that all members of the JV are legally registered as law firms. The Bidder (or all JV members) must present a valid company registration certificate." Does this requirement mean that sole practitioners, including barristers, can only submit a bid is they incorporate and operate though a corporate vehicle? Or can sole practitioners satisfy this criteria by providing evidence of their current registration with the legal bar where they are qualified, in my case England & Wales?A2: This RFP is intended for law firms with the organizational capacity and team composition necessary to provide arbitration and dispute resolution services across multiple jurisdictions. As outlined in the RFP, bidders must be legally registered law firms in their respective countries of incorporation and capable of fielding teams that meet the technical requirements including profiles such as Partner/Team Lead, Senior Associate, and Junior Associate. Accordingly, sole practitioners or barristers operating independently, without registration as a law firm, would not meet the eligibility requirement under Section III of the Evaluation Criteria.

New clarification added: Q1: We are a national law firm establihed in 2006 and registered with KRG and the Federal Government of Iraq and providing legal services across the country, are we eligible to apply to this RFP to cover Iraq's portion of the services only? A1: The purpose of this RFP is to establish Long Term Agreements (LTAs) with law firms capable of providing arbitration and dispute resolution services across all countries covered under each respective lot. Accordingly, a firm would need to demonstrate the capacity to deliver the required services in all countries within the geographical scope of the lot, either through its own offices or through an established network of partner firms. Proposals limited to a single country, such as Iraq, would therefore not meet the requirements of this solicitation.