Award

Legal Services Contract

FORESTRY ENGLAND FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE FORESTRY COMMISSION

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

31 Jul 2025 at 15:05

Tender

30 Sep 2024 at 18:05

Summary of the contracting process

The Forestry England, acting on behalf of the Forestry Commission, has completed the award stage of its Legal Services Contract procurement. This contract aimed to secure legal services for the Forestry Commission's various arms, including Forestry England, Forest Services, and Forest Research, and has been managed by Forestry England as the primary user of these services. The contract, featuring several lots such as Property and General Business Advice, Public Liability and Employment Liability Claims, and Employment, has been awarded under the open procedure method. Notably, the main procurement category is services with a CPV classification of "Legal services". The contracting process for this tender began in 2024, and the awarded contracts, effective from February 2025, will extend over a 5-year period.

This procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses within the legal services sector, particularly those experienced in providing comprehensive legal and advisory support in property and estate management, public liability claims, as well as employment law. Economic operators, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), could have seen growth prospects by engaging with the Forestry Commission as service providers. The open procedure allows for broad competition, making it accessible for a range of suppliers. Successful bidders like Mills & Reeve LLP and Weightmans LLP exemplify the opportunity for firms capable of delivering robust legal services and strategic advice tailored to public sector client needs within the UK.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Legal Services Contract

Notice Description

We will be awarding a contract for the provision of Legal Services to the Forestry Commission. All arms of the Forestry Commission (Forestry England, Forest Services, Forest Research) will have access to utilise the services under the contract. As the most regular and largest user of Legal Services, Forestry England are managing the procurement of this contract. Our intention is to award this contract for a period of 5 years.

Lot Information

Property and General Business Advice

The principal area of work covered in Lot 1 is in relation to Property and Estate Management, however we also require general advice from across the wider business in relation to commercial, public, corporate and criminal law, amongst others.

Public Liability and Employment Liability Claims

The principal area of work covered in Lot 2 is in relation to advising and representing the Forestry Commission on claims made against or on behalf of the Forestry Commission, including those arising from incidents involving third parties, traffic accidents involving Forestry Commission vehicles, and handling of potential claims prior to formal letters of claim being received, amongst others.

Employment

The principal area of work covered in Lot 3 is a fixed-fee monthly retain to cover the provision of a HR legal support helpline, as well as the provision of general advise and interpretation on employment legislation, specialist advice, to support and/or act on behalf of the Forestry Commission in contentious stand-alone employment law cases, liaising as necessary in relation to civil law personal injury cases relating to the employer's liability where there may be cross over with the ongoing employment, amongst others.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04a453
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044884-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

79100000 - Legal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£5,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£4,489,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20254 months ago
Submission Deadline
11 Nov 2024Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
10 Feb 202510 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
2029

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
FORESTRY ENGLAND FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE FORESTRY COMMISSION
Contact Name
Emily Coffin
Contact Email
emily.coffin@forestryengland.uk
Contact Phone
+44 3000674000

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS16 1EJ
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

MILLS & REEVE

WEIGHTMANS

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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