1. Pursuant to the Public Procurement Act, 2021, and the Public Procurement Regulations, 2022, The Government of the Virgin Islands (GoVI or “Government”), acting through the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), hereby invites Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from qualified and experienced legal practitioners and consultants to be considered for inclusion on the Panel of Legal Practitioners & Consultants (the “Panel”) to provide drafting, civil and specialist legal services to the Government of the Virgin Islands (the “Services”).
2.  The Panel will serve as a pre-qualified roster of individuals who may be engaged on a framework agreement basis to provide drafting, civil and specialist legal and consultancy services to GoVI.  Services may include, but are not limited to: legal advisory work, legislative drafting, representation in civil proceedings, and expert input in specialised areas of legal practice.  Further, these engagements will be conducted in accordance with framework agreements, subject to need, performance, necessary, qualifications and experience, and with agreed daily fee rates.
3. Selected individuals will not be guaranteed assignments but will be eligible to receive requests for services (“call-downs’) based on their areas of expertise, experience, and the nature of the matter.  Appointments will be valid for an initial period of two (2) years, with the possibility of extension, subject to satisfactory performance and future service needs.
4. GoVI, therefore, invites interested qualified, experienced and competent individuals as a part of a pre-qualification process to appoint a legal services panel for the Virgin Islands to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI) to provide legal and consultancy services in a non-editable format to the Procurement Coordinator (Mrs.  Diana Percell-Gumbs) at email address procurement@gov.vg. 
2. BACKGROUND
3. The Attorney General is the principal legal adviser to the GoVI and the Attorney General’s Chambers plays a central role in ensuring that all Government decisions, policies, and operations are conducted lawfully and constitutionally.  The Chambers is committed to advancing the rule of law, promoting good governance, and facilitating the effective administration of justice in accordance with the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 and applicable laws.
4. The Panel initiative seeks to enhance the Government’s access to legal expertise and panel members will support the AGC in delivering timely, high-quality legal services. Panelists may be called upon to:

• Represent the Government in civil litigation, arbitration, and mediation;
• Provide legal opinions and advice on policy, regulatory, and operational matters;
• Draft legislation in line with constitutional and legislative drafting norms;
• Assist with international cooperation matters, and treaty compliance.

1. This Request for Expressions of Interest is open to qualified and experienced legal practitioners and consultants who:

• are admitted or qualified to be admitted to practice as legal practitioners in the Virgin Islands;
• possess demonstrable expertise in at least one of the designated legal practice areas;
• are capable of providing timely, high-quality service; and
• are in compliance with all relevant professional, legal and ethical obligations.

1.  Inclusion on the Panel does not constitute a commitment for work but represents pre-qualification for potential assignments to be determined by the AGC.
3. OBJECTIVES
4. The GoVI, through the AGC seeks to establish the Panel to support the delivery of high-quality, timely, and specialised legal services in key areas of legal practice.  The Panel will be an important mechanism for supplementing internal capacity, ensuring access to targeted expertise, and improving responsiveness to legal demands arising from policy implementation, regulatory reform, and litigation.
5. Services may be required in one or more of the following practice areas:
6. Constitutional and Administrative Law
7. Contract and Commercial Law
8. Employment Law
9. Intellectual Property
10. International Business and Trade
11. Legislative Drafting
12. Litigation, Arbitration, and Mediation
13. Maritime and Environmental Law
14. Technology, Data and Cybersecurity (including contracts)
15. Tort
16. Overseas Territories Law
17. Public International Law
18. The Panel will include professionals with a range of specialisations to enable the Government to draw on the appropriate skills for each engagement.  Successful candidates are not required to have expertise in all the areas listed above; rather, suitable expertise in one or more of those areas is expected.
19. Assignments will be initiated on a case-by-case basis through written Work Statements issued by the AGC.  The Work Statements will define the scope, deliverables, duration, and expected outputs for each engagement.  Examples of typical deliverables include:

• Legal opinions and memoranda
• Draft primary and subsidiary legislation
• Develop and present policy proposals
• Advocacy documents (e.g., pleadings, affidavits)
• Due diligence reports and contract reviews
• Comparative legal research
• International obligations or compliance support

1. All services provided must meet the professional standards and conform to the laws of the Virgin Islands. Final deliverables will be subject to review and approval by AGC.
2. Successful candidates will have expertise in their subject area of interest in a common law jurisdiction

Candidates must:

• be admitted or be qualified to be admitted as a Legal Practitioner in the Virgin Islands;
• be able to demonstrate an advanced level of the English language;
• be able to assimilate complex facts quickly; and
• be able to exercise sound judgment.

1. Legal professionals will be retained under a framework agreement substantially in the form attached as Annex [3], and services will be accessed via a structured call-down process.  Engagements may be short-term, retainer-based, or project-specific, depending on the nature and urgency of the matter.

 

1. Compensation will be determined according to the complexity of the assignment and years of post-qualification experience (PQE), using the following maximum approved rates:
321.  

1. Legislative drafting at a maximum rate of $315/day;
2. Other Services at a maximum rate of $225/per hour
4. SUBMISSION OF EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
5. Submissions must be provided in a non-editable electronic format (e.g., PDF), not exceeding 10 MB.  The subject line of the submission email must read: “EOI – Legal Services Panel for the Government of the Virgin Islands – [Applicant’s Full Name]”.
6. EOIs must be submitted via email to the Procurement Coordinator (Mrs. Diana Percell-Gumbs) at procurement@gov.vg.  Expressions of Interest must be submitted to the Procurement Coordinator no later than Monday, 14 July 2025 at noon (BVI time).  EOI’s will be opened on Tuesday, 15^th July 2025. It is the responsibility of the bidder to ensure that the Procurement Coordinator receives their submission before the submission deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted for evaluation.
7. Expressions of Interest must be submitted with documentary evidence that includes the following:
8. Completed Application Form as per attached Form I.
9. Passport Data Page
10. Curriculum Vitae of the individual;
11. Documentation evidencing admission to practice and/or your qualification to be admitted to practice law in the Virgin Islands. Proof of admission or of qualification to be admitted to practice law in the Virgin Islands, for example, Certificate of Legal Education, Court Order or practicising certificate.
12. Writing Sample: recent Legal Opinion, Skeleton Argument, or similar work product authored solely by the applicant that reflects their ability to analyse and communicate legal issues clearly as per attached Form I.
13. Signed declaration confirming that the applicant understands the terms of the EOI, affirms, the accuracy, of their submission, discloses any conflicts of interest, and agrees to comply with all applicable and professional standards per Form I.
14. Any other documentary evidence to establish credentials; and a
15. Completed and signed Submission Checklist confirming that all required documents have been provided as per attached Form II: Submission Checklist.
16. Applicants are encouraged to encrypt documents containing sensitive personal data and share decryption instructions separately.
17. All clarification questions must be submitted in writing to the Procurement Coordinator by 30 June 2025.  Clarifications, if issued, will be shared as a consolidated response without disclosing the identity of the requester.

 

5. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
6. Expressions of Interest will be assessed on the basis of qualifications, relevant experience and subject matter expertise per attached Form I.

 

1. Submissions will be evaluated against the following weighted criteria, with a maximum attainable score of 37 points.  Applicants must obtain a minimum score of 70% (26 points) to qualify for inclusion on the Panel.

 

1. Qualifications and Professional Standing up to 7 points

Includes a recognised legal qualification (e.g., LLB), postgraduate legal studies (e.g., LLM, PhD), and valid admission to practice or qualifications to be admitted to practice as a legal practitioner in the Virgin Islands.Proof of certification and current licensing must be submitted.

1. Legal Experience up to 10 points

Evaluated based on years of post-qualification experience (PQE), legal roles held, and demonstrated competence in core areas.This should be documented in Form I and further supported by the required CV.

1. Experience with Similar Assignments up to 7 points

Applicants must provide examples of relevant assignments demonstrating scope, complexity, or practice area to the service anticipated under this EOI.  Applicants should provide at least two examples, with details on the nature of the assignment and their role. This should be documented in Form I.

1. Public Sector or Government Experience up to 3 points

Experience advising or representing public institutions, particularly in the Caribbean, Commonwealth, or Overseas Territories context, is considered valuable.Applicants should indicate any such roles and associated deliverables.

1. Expertise in Practice Areas up to 6 points

Demonstrated clear knowledge and practice in at least one of the designated legal areas the Applicants should demonstrate clear expertise in at least one of the key legal practice areas listed in Section 4.  Submissions should describe relevant matters handled, their complexity, and the applicant’s contribution.  This should be documented in Form I.

1.    Regional or Jurisdictional Familiarity up to 4 points

Experience in practising or advising in the Virgin Islands, other Overseas Territories, or jurisdictions with legal systems comparable to that of the Virgin Islands.Familiarity with constitutional law, legislative frameworks, or governance structurers in such jurisdictions is advantageous.

6. OTHER CONDITIONS
7. The GoVI reserves the right to accept or reject any or all EOI(s) without obligation to provide reasons and without incurring any liability for any costs incurred by applicants in the preparation and submission of their EOI.
8. The issuance of this Request for Expression of Interest and the receipt of any response does not constitute or imply the formation of a contract or any binding obligation on the part of the Government.  Inclusion on the Panel does not guarantee the award of work, nor does it entitle any applicant to a particular volume or type of assignment.
9. All documents and materials submitted in response to this EOI shall become the property of the GoVI and will not be returned.  The Government is not responsible for any loss of documents or data submitted by email.
10. By submitting an EOI, applicants acknowledge and accept the terms of this invitation and confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, there exist no actual or potential conflict of interest that would affect their impartiality or objectivity in the provisions of legal services to the Government.
11. Panel members will be required to maintain confidentiality in respect of all matters handled on behalf of the Government and shall not disclose, discuss, or otherwise publicise any such matters without prior written authorisation from the Attorney General or a delegated authority.

 

1. All applicants shall comply with the laws and regulations of the Virgin Islands, including but not limited to the Virgin Islands Public Procurement Act, 2021, the Virgin Islands Public Procurement Regulations, 2022, and the applicable provisions of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007.

 

1. The GoVI reserves the right to suspend or remove any individual from the Panel at its sole discretion, including but not limited to circumstances involving ethical breaches non-performance, professional misconduct, or conflicts of interest.

 

1. Any personal or professional information submitted in the course of this EOI process will be treated in accordance with applicable data protection principles.  By submitting an EOI, applicants consent to the collection, processing, and retention of their data by the Government for purposes related to this procurement exercise and potential future engagements.

 

1. The GoVI reserves the right to cancel this invitation, in whole or in part, at any time without incurring any liability to any applicant.  The GoVI may also, at its discretion, amend the terms of this Request for Expressions of Interest at any time prior to the submission deadline.  Any such amendments shall be issued by formal addendum and communicated to all known prospective applicants.

 

1. Panel members may be subject to periodic performance reviews.  The AGC may request client feedback, assess timeliness and quality of deliverables, and review compliance with professional standards.  Failure to meet performance expectations may result in removal or suspension from the Panel.

 

1. The address to be used for communication with GoVI is:

 

Mrs. Diana Percell-Gumbs, Procurement Coordinator

Procurement Unit

Ministry of Finance

Ritta Frett George Bldg, 2^nd Floor

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

 

Tel:   (284) 468-4243            

Email: procurement@gov.vg

 

7. FORMS

Applicants must complete and submit the following as part of their Expression of Interest.  The form(s) are annexed to this EOI and must be included in the full applicant’s submission:

 

• Annex 1. Form I: Application Form
• Annex 2. Form II: Expression of Interest Submission Checklist
• Forms will be provided upon request at procurement@gov.vg.

 

1. Each form must be signed where required, and responses must be complete and accurate.  False declarations or failure to submit required information may result in disqualification.

 

1. Applicants may also include clearly labelled supporting materials as appendices to demonstrate relevant experience or subject matter expertise.  These may include redacted legal opinions, skeleton argument, sample drafting, advocacy submissions, or advisory memoranda, passport data page, Curriculum Vitae, copy or copies of documentation evidencing admission to practice and/or your qualification to be admitted to practice law in the Virgin Islands, and/or other relevant academic certificates.

 

1. Applicants must complete and submit the checklist as part of their Expression of Interest.  This checklist confirms the completeness of the submission and supports initial eligibility screening by the evaluation panel.