Contract

Legal Services Contract

  • Forestry England for and on behalf of the Forestry Commission

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-044884

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04a453 (view related notices)

Published 31 July 2025, 4:05pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Forestry England for and on behalf of the Forestry Commission

620 Bristol Business Park

Bristol

BS16 1EJ

Contact

Emily Coffin

Email

emily.coffin@forestryengland.uk

Telephone

+44 3000674000

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.forestryengland.uk/

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

Forestry


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Legal Services Contract

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79100000 - Legal services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

We will be awarding a contract for the provision of Legal Services to the Forestry Commission. All arms of the Forestry Commission (Forestry England, Forest Services, Forest Research) will have access to utilise the services under the contract. As the most regular and largest user of Legal Services, Forestry England are managing the procurement of this contract.

Our intention is to award this contract for a period of 5 years.

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: £5,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Property and General Business Advice

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79100000 - Legal services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

UNITED KINGDOM

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The principal area of work covered in Lot 1 is in relation to Property and Estate Management, however we also require general advice from across the wider business in relation to commercial, public, corporate and criminal law, amongst others.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Contract Management / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Staffing / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Instruction Management / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Sustainability and Social Value / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Contract Handover / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 40

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) Description

two.2.1) Title

Public Liability and Employment Liability Claims

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79100000 - Legal services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

UNITED KINGDOM

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The principal area of work covered in Lot 2 is in relation to advising and representing the Forestry Commission on claims made against or on behalf of the Forestry Commission, including those arising from incidents involving third parties, traffic accidents involving Forestry Commission vehicles, and handling of potential claims prior to formal letters of claim being received, amongst others.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

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) Description

two.2.1) Title

Employment

Lot No

3

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79100000 - Legal services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

UNITED KINGDOM

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The principal area of work covered in Lot 3 is a fixed-fee monthly retain to cover the provision of a HR legal support helpline, as well as the provision of general advise and interpretation on employment legislation, specialist advice, to support and/or act on behalf of the Forestry Commission in contentious stand-alone employment law cases, liaising as necessary in relation to civil law personal injury cases relating to the employer's liability where there may be cross over with the ongoing employment, amongst others.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Contract Management / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Staffing / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Instruction Management / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Sustainability and Social Value / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Contract Handover / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 40

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


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

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: 2024/S 000-031254


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

FCCN1894/1

Lot No

1

Title

Property and General Business Advice

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

10 February 2025

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 8

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Mills & Reeve LLP

24 King William Street

London

EC4R 9AT

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
National registration number

N/A

The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £3,500,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £3,500,000


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

FCCN1894/2

Lot No

2

Title

Public Liability and Employment Liability Claims

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

10 February 2025

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 5

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Weightmans LLP

100 Old Hall Street

Liverpool

L3 9JQ

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
National registration number

OC326117

The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £272,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £272,000


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

FCCN1894/3

Lot No

3

Title

Employment

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

10 February 2025

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 10

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Weightmans LLP

100 Old Hall Street

Liverpool

EC4R 9AT

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
National registration number

OC326117

The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £717,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £717,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.

To view this notice, please click here:

https://forestryengland.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=921447381 GO Reference: GO-2025731-PRO-31651378

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court

London

WC2A 2LL

Country

United Kingdom