Scope
Description
TENDER REQUIREMENTS
This project is to procure Retained Legal Advice and Services which:
1. Provide ad-hoc access to a professional and legislatively sound advice and guidance service and paid at an agreed fixed fee each month or on an annual fee basis in the following nine key areas (non-exhaustive list):
a. Education law/student matters including disability discrimination, SEND, safeguarding, admissions and exclusions and service complaints;
b. Corporate governance and subsidiary company advice;
c. Freedom of information;
d. Health and safety;
e. Data protection;
f. Contracts, terms and conditions, service level agreements etc.;
g. Property disputes, leases, land and building matters, including capital projects;
h. Contractual disputes with third parties and;
i. General advice on issues affecting the running of the Group.
2. Provide unlimited telephone and email advice on a range of areas as detailed in the ITT Document (including those listed above)
3. Provide access and communicate with up to five specific members of the team, to be specified in the agreement as necessary.
4. Provide advice and guidance which adds value e.g. challenging assumptions and information provided. This will also include the provision of free briefings/update sessions/webinars on key legal changes as they arise e.g. circa 2 or 3 hours per annum.
Total value (estimated)
- £90,000 excluding VAT
- £108,000 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 9 January 2026 to 8 January 2029
- 3 years
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
In some circumstances EKC Group may launch business innovations projects requiring additional contract negotiation and drafting support from its retained legal advisers. This may be on an ad hoc basis, and as such, it is necessary to include options for this within the scope of this procurement process.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Contract locations
- UKJ - South East (England)
Participation
This procurement is reserved for
UK suppliers
Conditions of participation
Ideally, participants should be approximately within 50 miles of Canterbury, UK.
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
4 September 2025, 5:00pm
Tender submission deadline
22 September 2025, 5:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Note:
QUESTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
Questions and clarifications to be sent to: queries.corporate.services@ekcgroup.ac.uk
Queries must be sent to this box within the windows for clarifications set out in the Invitation to Tender timeline.
MAKING A TENDER SUBMISSION
Submission ONLY to be sent to: tenders.corporate.services@ekcgroup.ac.uk
The submissions box will not be opened until Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Tenders may be submitted electronically
No
Award criteria
Service Delivery Requirements: 40% for this overall section
Quality and relevance of the experience of the proposed legal team: 20% for this overall section
Cultural Fit & Corporate Social Responsibility: 10% for this overall section
Added Value: 10% for this overall section
Pricing, Value For Money & Management of Public Money: 20% for this overall section
See attached files for full criteria, query contact details, and submissions instructions.
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - open competition
Documents
Associated tender documents
EKC Tender Pack for Applicants - Zipped.zip
Please see the attached: EKC Tender Pack for Applicants - Zipped folder.
This zip folder contains three files:
1. Invitation to Tender EKC - Retained Legal Advice and Services (Aug 2025)
2. Form of Tender & Bona Fide Tender Declaration (EKC Aug 2025)
3. Appendix - Customer Reqs-Pricing-CorpSocResp-Added value
NOTE:
Clarifications and questions to be sent to: queries.corporate.services@ekcgroup.ac.uk
Submissions ONLY to be sent to: tenders.corporate.services@ekcgroup.ac.uk
Contracting authority
East Kent Colleges Group
- UK Register of Learning Providers (UKPRN number): 10006570
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYPY-4814-DDBH
Ramsgate Road
Broadstairs
CT10 1PN
United Kingdom
Contact name: David Lutterodt-Coleman
Email: queries.corporate.services@ekcgroup.ac.uk
Website: https://www.ekcgroup.ac.uk/
Region: UKJ44 - East Kent
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government