Welsh Government fires gun on procurement of new £60m solicitors services framework

The Welsh Government’s National Procurement Service has started the procurement of a new framework agreement for the provision of solicitors services to the Welsh public sector.The Service said it was anticipated that the framework agreement would cover the following subject area packages:

1. Adult Social Services;
2. Child Social Services;
3. Civil Litigation;
4. Corporate Governance and Ethical Standards;
5. Criminal Litigation;
6. Education Law;
7. Employment Law;
8. Major IT and Commercial Contracts;
9. Planning and Environmental Law;
10. Property;
11. Public Administration Law;
12. Specialist Welsh and UK Higher Education Advice for the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW);
13. Central Government Advice (Welsh Government);
14. Mutual Investment Model (MIM) Advice.

The framework is expected to last 48 months.In October last year development of this framework was paused to allow the Welsh Government to take into account recommendations its Commission on Justice might make in relation to procurement.In September 2015 two local authorities – Staffordshire County Council and Conwy County Borough Council – won places alongside 17 law firms on the National Procurement Service’s £60m legal services panels.