Legal services

Tender description

The Department for Transport (DfT), and related organisations, have a significant programme of rail franchises, major works and projects that require specialist rail legal services. Working in partnership with DfT and the Government Legal Department (GLD), CCS wishes to establish a specialist Rail Legal Advice Services Framework. The potential benefits of such a framework include:- * Market Capacity and Capability — providing a more focused framework will give the market greater availability of work. * Ready Access — the framework will provide users with ready access to a pool of highly experienced rail legal advisers. * Choice and Competition — it will provide users with choice and competition, and drive value for money. * Reduce Complexity — by reducing the number of potential suppliers it will reduce complexity. * Streamlining — minimising the time required and administrative burden to contract work. The scope of the specialist Rail Legal Advice Services Framework will include: * Rail Regulatory Law * Commercial and Contract Law * Procurement Law * Competition Law * EU Law * Pensions * Finance * Information Law * Intellectual Property * Property including Planning * Litigation and Dispute Resolution * IT — Telecoms and Digital * Environmental * Employment * Devolution Law — Local and Sub-National Matters suppliers will advise on include * High Priority Franchise Competition Strategic Support and Advice * Franchise Procurement Interventions * Direct Awards for Franchises * In-Life Franchise Management and Change including Digital * Rolling Stock Transactions * High Priority Policy and Rail Projects * Policy Development Support including Digital * Business as Usual Policy Development Support The procurement will be conducted using a Quasi Open Procedure under Light Touch Regime in accordance with Schedule 3, Regulations 74-76 of PCR 2015, leading to award of framework.