Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3150103503
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Legal Services Framework
Reference number
RM6179
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79100000 - Legal services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) as the Authority has established a framework agreement for the provision of legal advice services to be utilised by UK Central Government Departments, and other public sector bodies to be identified at VI.3.
It is intended that this agreement will be the recommended vehicle for all legal services in respect of a number of general specialisms, finance specialisms and complex projects, required by UK Central Government Departments.
The Framework Agreement has 2 lots
Lot 1: General Legal Services
Lot 2: Financial and Complex Legal Services
This procurement has been conducted under the Light Touch Regime (‘LTR’) and was therefore subject to limited regulation. It has been conducted in accordance with regulations 74 to 76 of PCR 2015, and relates to the legal services which are listed in Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) 2015 as a specific service.
The Framework Agreement has been established for 36 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months at the discretion of CCS.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £430,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
General Legal Services
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79100000 - Legal services
- 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services
- 79111000 - Legal advisory services
- 79112000 - Legal representation services
- 79130000 - Legal documentation and certification services
- 79140000 - Legal advisory and information services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 1 is for General Legal Advice and Services.
Suppliers will deliver all the mandatory requirements that specifically relate to lot 1, as detailed in Framework Schedule 1 (Specification). Which includes the following mandatory specialisms:
Public law;
Contracts;
Competition law;
Construction law;
Corporate law;
Dispute Litigation and Resolution ;
Employment law;
Environmental law;
EU Law;
Information law including data protection law;
Information technology law;
Intellectual property law;
Non complex finance and investment;
Outsourcing;
Partnership law;
Pensions law;
Planning law;
Projects/PFI/PPP;
Public procurement law;
Real estate and real estate finance;
Restructuring/Insolvency; and
Tax law.
There are also 18 optional specialisms detailed in Framework Schedule 1 (Specification) which Suppliers will provide if qualified to do so.
A framework contract has been awarded to 12 bidders for this lot 1.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
The procurement was conducted in two stages which ran consecutively. Full details are available in the ITT.
II.2.7 - is the maximum duration of the Framework Agreement. The Framework Agreement has been established for 36 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months at the discretion of CCS.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Finance and Complex Legal Services
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79100000 - Legal services
- 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services
- 79111000 - Legal advisory services
- 79112000 - Legal representation services
- 79130000 - Legal documentation and certification services
- 79140000 - Legal advisory and information services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 2 is for Finance and Complex Legal Advice and Services and covers external legal advice and full project support required by Central Government and its associated arm’s length bodies, for transactions which are principally financial in nature and highly complex transactions including complex finance, capital markets, regulatory and high risk complex work, as well as the most innovative and/or strategically important projects for Central Government.
Suppliers will deliver all the mandatory requirements that specifically relate to lot 2, as detailed in Framework Schedule 1 (Specification). Which includes the following mandatoryspecialisms: Corporate Finance;
Rescue, restructuring and insolvency;
Financial services, market and competition regulation;
Investment and Commercial Banking;
Insurance and Reinsurance;
Investment and Asset management;
Equity Capital Markets;
Debt Capital Markets;
Project and Asset Finance;
High value or complex transactions and disputes; and
High value or complex merger and acquisition activity;
Projects of exceptional innovation and complexity.
There are also 9 optional specialisms detailed in Framework Schedule 1 (Specification) which Suppliers will provide if qualified to do so.
CCS reserved the right to award a framework to any bidder whose final score was within 1% of the last position. One supplier came within 1% of the last position and was awarded a place on the framework. Therefore, the total number of bidders awarded a place on Lot 2 framework was seven (7).
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
The procurement was conducted in two stages which was run consecutively. Full details are available in the ITT.
II.2.7 - is the maximum duration of the Framework Agreement. The Framework Agreement will be established for 36 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months at the discretion of CCS.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2021/S 000-011020
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
RM6179
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 December 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 35
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 35
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
See Contracts Finder Notice for full supplier list
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £430,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
As part of this contract award notice the following can be accessed at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/79bb1b52-184b-4b09-b7ec-7e4718e8676b
1) Redacted Commercial Agreement
2) List of Successful Suppliers
3) Approved Customer list
4) Transparency Agenda
On 02/04/2014, Government introduced its Government Security Classifications (GSC) scheme which replaced Government Protective Marking Scheme (GPMS). A key aspect is the reduction in the number of security classifications used. All bidders were required to make themselves aware of the changes as it may impact this requirement. This link provides information on the GSC at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-security-classifications
Cyber Essentials is a mandatory requirement for Central Government contracts which involve handling personal information or provide certain ICT products/services. Government is taking steps to reduce the levels of cyber security risk in its supply chain through the Cyber Essentials scheme. The scheme defines a set of controls which, when implemented, will provide organisations with basic protection from the most prevalent forms of threat coming from the internet. To participate in this procurement, bidders were required to demonstrate they comply with the technical requirements prescribed by Cyber Essentials, for services under and in connection with this procurement.
Please Note - Lot 2 Confirmation of award issued on 30/11/2021 and Lot 1 Confirmation of award issued on 7/12/2021.
CCS reserved the right to award a framework to any bidder whose final score was within 1% of the last position. One supplier came within 1% of the last position and was awarded a place on the framework. Therefore, the total number of bidders awarded a place on Lot 2 framework was seven (7), not six (6) as was originally stated in the Contract Notice that was published on 18th May 2021.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3150103503
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom