Scope
Description
NESO is looking to procure a broad range of Legal Services, including energy and regulatory law by a multi-lot framework agreement for Legal Services (in accordance with the Act) with an initial term of 3 years (+1+1 possible extension).
NESO is looking to set up a 2-lot Legal Services framework agreement following the Competitive Flexible Procedure:
• Lot 1 - Energy Regulation and frameworks - specialist Legal Services
• Lot 2 - General Legal Services
An overview of the disciplines required is covered in Table 1 below.
LOT 1 - ENERGY REGULATION & FRAMEWORKS
1 Electricity/ gas codes
2 Electricity connections
3 Balancing services (electricity)
4 Electricity interconnectors
5 Electricity Market Reform
6 Network competition
7 Gas markets
8 Developing/adapting to new energy legal frameworks
9 Licence change, investigations and other regulatory issues
10 Public Investigation and inquiry processes
11 Planning and major infrastructure projects
12 Information management (energy)
13 Public Law (energy)
14 Competition law and dawn raids (energy)
15 Litigation (energy)
LOT 2 - GENERAL SERVICES
1 General commercial and transactions
2 Public procurement
3 Technology expertise (including Cyber Security, AI, ICT & IoT)
4 Innovation
5 Commercial property/ construction
6 Corporate
7 Finance
8 Intellectual Property (including trademark and patent services)
9 Health, safety and environmental
10 Employment
11 Pensions
12 Insurance (including insurance claims)
13 Information Management (non-energy)
14 Public Law (non-energy)
15 Competition law & dawn raids (non-energy)
16 Litigation (non-energy)
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £25,400,000 excluding VAT
- £30,500,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2029
- Possible extension to 31 January 2031
- 5 years
Description of possible extension:
Two extension of 12 months each to make a total contract period of five years.
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
This is a framework contract and the Contracting Authority is able to place orders for Legal Services under it.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79100000 - Legal services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Lot 1. ENERGY REGULATION & FRAMEWORKS
Description
LOT 1 - ENERGY REGULATION & FRAMEWORKS
1 Electricity/ gas codes
2 Electricity connections
3 Balancing services (electricity)
4 Electricity interconnectors
5 Electricity Market Reform
6 Network competition
7 Gas markets
8 Developing/adapting to new energy legal frameworks
9 Licence change, investigations and other regulatory issues
10 Public Investigation and inquiry processes
11 Planning and major infrastructure projects
12 Information management (energy)
13 Public Law (energy)
14 Competition law and dawn raids (energy)
15 Litigation (energy)
Lot value (estimated)
- £16,500,000 excluding VAT
- £19,800,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations, contract dates and options are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. General Legal Services
Description
LOT 2 - GENERAL SERVICES
1 General commercial and transactions
2 Public procurement
3 Technology expertise (including Cyber Security, AI, ICT & IoT)
4 Innovation
5 Commercial property/ construction
6 Corporate
7 Finance
8 Intellectual Property (including trademark and patent services)
9 Health, safety and environmental
10 Employment
11 Pensions
12 Insurance (including insurance claims)
13 Information Management (non-energy)
14 Public Law (non-energy)
15 Competition law & dawn raids (non-energy)
16 Litigation (non-energy)
Lot value (estimated)
- £8,900,000 excluding VAT
- £10,700,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations, contract dates and options are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
10
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
Upper capped framework rates.
Services will be awarded via either direct allocation or competitive award as stated in the Framework Contract.
Each lot to be evaluated independently and 3-5 suppliers will be awarded per lot.
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
Establishing party only
Submission
Enquiry deadline
23 October 2025, 11:59pm
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
6 November 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
16 January 2026
Award criteria
Lot 1. ENERGY REGULATION & FRAMEWORKS
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical | As per tender instructions |
Quality | 50% |
| Commercials | As per tender instructions |
Cost | 40% |
| Social Value | As per tender instructions |
Quality | 10% |
Lot 2. General Legal Services
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | As per Tender Instructions |
Quality | 50% |
| Commercials | As per Tender Instructions |
Cost | 40% |
| Social Value | As per Tender Instructions |
Quality | 10% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Utilities
Competitive flexible procedure description
The Tender Process will consist of 3 stages:
• Stage 1 (PSQ & ITT) - combined submission
• Stage 2 (Negotiations/BAFO) - Optional - minimum of 6x Bidders per Lot
• Stage 3 (Contract Award) - 3-5 Suppliers awarded per Lot
Bidder Tender Responses MUST be submitted via SAP Ariba, as a combined (PSQ & ITT) submission.
Following submission of Bidders' Tender Reponses, it will be at the Contracting Authority's discretion to launch Stage 2 of the Tender Process. If the Contracting Authority decides not to proceed with Stage 2, the Award Decision would follow the outcome of Stage 1 of the Tender Process.
The PSQ evaluation is a pass / fail step of the Tender process, and Bidders must achieve a pass mark on all mandatory pass questions. If Bidders do not pass the PSQ, they will not progress to the next stage of the Tender Process and their ITT response will not be assessed in any form as part of the Tender Process.
Further details on the Tender Process are described in the Tender Instructions.
Responding to this notice:
• Bidders wishing to participate in this Tender must respond via email to the advertised NESO email inbox listed in the Tender Notice.
• Bidders should include in their email the attachment from the Tender Notice (completed NDA); please include the name and email address of the lead contact, and supporting team members, per Bidder for circulation of SAP Ariba portal details.
• Upon receiving such email, the Contracting Authority will review completed NDAs and following compliance checks, issue Bidders with links to NESO's SAP Ariba portal, granting access to the full suite of Tender Documents.
Documents
Associated tender documents
NDA_Legal Services Framework Tender.docx
Please complete NDA and provide it back when responding to this notice.
Please also provide your SAP Ariba number (AN ID) when responding to this notice.
Please include the name and email address of the lead contact, and supporting team members, per Bidder for circulation of SAP Ariba portal details. SAP Ariba will be used for all further correspondence with Bidders.
Following the NDA being provided Bidders will be added to SAP Ariba to access the Tender material.
Documents to be provided after the tender notice
Bidders will be granted access to the full suite of Tender Documents on SAP Ariba following review of completed Bidder NDAs by the Contracting Authority.
Contracting authority
NATIONAL ENERGY SYSTEM OPERATOR LIMITED
- Companies House: 11014226
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHQL-5234-MWWV
St Catherine's Lodge Bearwood Road
Wokingham
RG41 5BN
United Kingdom
Contact name: Anna Zarankina
Email: box.NESOIndirectsTenders@neso.energy
Website: https://www.neso.energy/
Region: UKJ11 - Berkshire
Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)