EU Public Procurement
Very good knowledge of state aid.
Legal 500 2015To an increasing number of central government bodies, local authorities and education clients designed to meet their needs efficiently and optimise the procurement outcomes whilst minimising their exposure to procurement law risks.
Our specialist advisers are up to speed on the fast evolving legal framework, and the team is able to advise on non-contentious and contentious matters, including challenges brought by aggrieved bidders and defences to actions.
Our team has considerable experience advising on complex and innovative procurements, as well as simpler procurement processes, failed procedures, framework agreements, concessions, in-house contract awards and e-procurements.
We regularly provide bespoke training and seminars to our clients on all aspects of the EU public procurement rules. The procurement team works closely with the Projects Team and other specialist teams across the firm.
Recent experience
Police Force: acting on the £multi-million disposal of a 19-hectare site to a residential developer.
Police Force: legal, strategic and procurement advice on ICT contracts.
Police Force: acting for the Metropolitan Police Service on the acquisition of the Empress State Building in Earls Court, London for £250m
NHS Trust: assisted with drafting all procurement documentation relating to £50m redevelopment programme, and with establishing appropriate selection criteria.
Health Trusts (various): Tribunal hearings (whistleblowing), TUPE, organisational change management, major service outsourcing projects.
Health body: advising in relation to an agreement to commercialise two IT-based workflow products.
Local Authority: assisting with all aspects of the competitive dialogue procurement of a strategic materials recycling facility project.
Local Authorities (Key London Authorities and South West): High-profile tribunal hearings (equal pay, whistleblowing, discrimination, victimisation, freedom of expression); contentious grievance issues and appeals; negotiating compromise agreements; union recognition issues; secondments; drafting contracts and policies; TUPE; outsourcing; Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act requests.
Local Authorities: superfast broadband. Advising on £100m project and the £2.5bn roll out under the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) national programme. On-going support as member of BDUK’s core specialist advisory team, including FOIA requests.
Local Authority: preparation of template contracts for purchasing goods and services and for framework arrangements.
Government Department: private developer schemes, at sites across England and Wales, under which the department contracted with developers for the construction of significant buildings, then taking a lease on completion of the works.
Universities UK member: procurement through the Competitive Dialogue procedure of a £100 million plus student residences project on a greenfield/farmyard site.
Executive Agency: employment litigation. TUPE and procurement training. Advice on procurement of a supercomputer under competitive dialogue including negotiation with bidders on legal/commercial issues.
Executive Agency: advising the Met Office on a major procurement of its multi-million pound supercomputer. Also providing secondment support.
Ombudsman: advising on all the employment law aspects of statutory transfer of staff and assets to new body.
