---
title: "ID 4789374 DoF - DSO Legal Services Framework"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-044aef"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-044aef"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-044aef.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-044aef.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENTAL SOLICITOR'S OFFICE"
published: "2024-09-25"
---

# ID 4789374 DoF - DSO Legal Services Framework

Buyer: DEPARTMENTAL SOLICITOR'S OFFICE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-044aef

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## Summary

The Departmental Solicitor's Office (DSO) of Northern Ireland has concluded an extensive procurement process to establish a legal services framework agreement. This framework, titled "ID 4789374 DoF - DSO Legal Services Framework," covers the provision of specified legal services within Northern Ireland, benefiting various NICS departments and agencies. The agreement consists of five lots: Inquiries Law, Corporate and Commercial Law, Law relating to Property matters, Law relating to DAERA matters, and Law relating to DfC matters. Each lot has been awarded to the top three bidder firms. The procurement process, initiated on 24 April 2024, extended through several stages, including an extended tender closing date on 1 May 2025. This framework aims to supplement DSO’s in-house legal services, especially for projects where DSO lacks resources or immediacy.

This framework presents substantial business growth opportunities, especially for legal firms of varied scales. As participants can tender for one, multiple, or all lots, it grants flexibility and the possibility of significant engagement in high-demand legal services across government sectors. Businesses specialising in legal advisory, representation, and law-courts-related administrative services are particularly suited for this tender. The open procurement method ensured a competitive and transparent process, likely driving up service standards and giving firms a chance to demonstrate their capabilities across diverse legal disciplines. Being part of this framework could establish long-term relationships with government bodies, enhancing both reputation and future business prospects.

## Notice

Departmental Solicitors Office (DSO) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of specified legal services within Northern Ireland, on behalf their clients, the NICS Department and Agencies. The list of participating bodies can be found within Annex A of the Framework Agreement Specification. DSO are the in-house legal provision for the NICS Departments and Agencies. This framework will act as an overflow to the services provided by DSO. DSO and the Client is not obliged to procure services exclusively from this Framework Agreement and are free to either use their own in-house service provision, or to procure services outside this Framework Agreement. The Framework will be used on occasions where DSO is unable to provide the client Departments and Agencies with the legal support required within the client Departments' required timescales or, for specific project work that DSO cannot facilitate within its existing resource. On such occasions this Legal Services Framework will supplement the legal services supplied by DSO. The Framework Agreement will contain five (5) Lots for the provision of legal services as described in the Framework Agreement Specification. The three highest ranked tenderers for each of the 5 Lots will be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement (in the event there is an insufficient number of tenderers which satisfy the qualification criteria and pass the Assessment Criteria for each Lot, a Lot may be established with this lower number of tenderers). Tenderers can tender for one, multiple, or all Lots. There is no restriction on the number of lots a tenderer may be appointed to; however a tenderer must have the capability and capacity to deliver all lots tendered for.

### Lot Information

Inquiries Law

Departmental Solicitors Office (DSO) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of specified legal services within Northern Ireland, on behalf their clients, the NICS Department and Agencies. The list of participating bodies can be found within Annex A of the Framework Agreement Specification. DSO are the in-house legal provision for the NICS Departments and Agencies. This framework will act as an overflow to the services provided by DSO. DSO and the Client is not obliged to procure services exclusively from this Framework Agreement and are free to either use their own in-house service provision, or to procure services outside this Framework Agreement. The Framework will be used on occasions where DSO is unable to provide the client Departments and Agencies with the legal support required within the client Departments' required timescales or, for specific project work that DSO cannot facilitate within its existing resource. On such occasions this Legal Services Framework will supplement the legal services supplied by DSO. The Framework Agreement will contain five (5) Lots for the provision of legal services as described in the Framework Agreement Specification. The three highest ranked tenderers for each of the 5 Lots will be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement (in the event there is an insufficient number of tenderers which satisfy the qualification criteria and pass the Assessment Criteria for each Lot, a Lot may be established with this lower number of tenderers). Tenderers can tender for one, multiple, or all Lots. There is no restriction on the number of lots a tenderer may be appointed to; however a tenderer must have the capability and capacity to deliver all lots tendered for. Additional information: The figure indicated in Section II 1.7 represents an estimated contract value. This value reflects the. potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services. as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation. Neither CPD nor. the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does notbind itself to. accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third. party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless. of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the. Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise and an Economic Operator shall. have no legitimate expectation. that a contract will be entered into until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the. Contracting Authority. Economic. Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified. in this notice and the. procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them

Corporate and Commercial Law

Departmental Solicitors Office (DSO) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of specified legal services within Northern Ireland, on behalf their clients, the NICS Department and Agencies. The list of participating bodies can be found within Annex A of the Framework Agreement Specification. DSO are the in-house legal provision for the NICS Departments and Agencies. This framework will act as an overflow to the services provided by DSO. DSO and the Client is not obliged to procure services exclusively from this Framework Agreement and are free to either use their own in-house service provision, or to procure services outside this Framework Agreement. The Framework will be used on occasions where DSO is unable to provide the client Departments and Agencies with the legal support required within the client Departments' required timescales or, for specific project work that DSO cannot facilitate within its existing resource. On such occasions this Legal Services Framework will supplement the legal services supplied by DSO. The Framework Agreement will contain five (5) Lots for the provision of legal services as described in the Framework Agreement Specification. The three highest ranked tenderers for each of the 5 Lots will be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement (in the event there is an insufficient number of tenderers which satisfy the qualification criteria and pass the Assessment Criteria for each Lot, a Lot may be established with this lower number of tenderers). Tenderers can tender for one, multiple, or all Lots. There is no restriction on the number of lots a tenderer may be appointed to; however a tenderer must have the capability and capacity to deliver all lots tendered for. Additional information: The figure indicated in Section II 1.7 represents an estimated contract value. This value reflects the. potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services. as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation. Neither CPD nor. the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does notbind itself to. accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third. party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless. of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the. Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise and an Economic Operator shall. have no legitimate expectation. that a contract will be entered into until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the. Contracting Authority. Economic. Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified. in this notice and the. procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them

Law relating to Property matters

Departmental Solicitors Office (DSO) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of specified legal services within Northern Ireland, on behalf their clients, the NICS Department and Agencies. The list of participating bodies can be found within Annex A of the Framework Agreement Specification. DSO are the in-house legal provision for the NICS Departments and Agencies. This framework will act as an overflow to the services provided by DSO. DSO and the Client is not obliged to procure services exclusively from this Framework Agreement and are free to either use their own in-house service provision, or to procure services outside this Framework Agreement. The Framework will be used on occasions where DSO is unable to provide the client Departments and Agencies with the legal support required within the client Departments' required timescales or, for specific project work that DSO cannot facilitate within its existing resource. On such occasions this Legal Services Framework will supplement the legal services supplied by DSO. The Framework Agreement will contain five (5) Lots for the provision of legal services as described in the Framework Agreement Specification. The three highest ranked tenderers for each of the 5 Lots will be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement (in the event there is an insufficient number of tenderers which satisfy the qualification criteria and pass the Assessment Criteria for each Lot, a Lot may be established with this lower number of tenderers). Tenderers can tender for one, multiple, or all Lots. There is no restriction on the number of lots a tenderer may be appointed to; however a tenderer must have the capability and capacity to deliver all lots tendered for. Additional information: The figure indicated in Section II 1.7 represents an estimated contract value. This value reflects the. potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services. as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation. Neither CPD nor. the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does notbind itself to. accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third. party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless. of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the. Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise and an Economic Operator shall. have no legitimate expectation. that a contract will be entered into until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the. Contracting Authority. Economic. Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified. in this notice and the. procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them

Law relating to DAERA matters

Departmental Solicitors Office (DSO) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of specified legal services within Northern Ireland, on behalf their clients, the NICS Department and Agencies. The list of participating bodies can be found within Annex A of the Framework Agreement Specification. DSO are the in-house legal provision for the NICS Departments and Agencies. This framework will act as an overflow to the services provided by DSO. DSO and the Client is not obliged to procure services exclusively from this Framework Agreement and are free to either use their own in-house service provision, or to procure services outside this Framework Agreement. The Framework will be used on occasions where DSO is unable to provide the client Departments and Agencies with the legal support required within the client Departments' required timescales or, for specific project work that DSO cannot facilitate within its existing resource. On such occasions this Legal Services Framework will supplement the legal services supplied by DSO. The Framework Agreement will contain five (5) Lots for the provision of legal services as described in the Framework Agreement Specification. The three highest ranked tenderers for each of the 5 Lots will be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement (in the event there is an insufficient number of tenderers which satisfy the qualification criteria and pass the Assessment Criteria for each Lot, a Lot may be established with this lower number of tenderers). Tenderers can tender for one, multiple, or all Lots. There is no restriction on the number of lots a tenderer may be appointed to; however a tenderer must have the capability and capacity to deliver all lots tendered for. Additional information: The figure indicated in Section II 1.7 represents an estimated contract value. This value reflects the. potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services. as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation. Neither CPD nor. the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does notbind itself to. accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third. party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless. of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the. Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise and an Economic Operator shall. have no legitimate expectation. that a contract will be entered into until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the. Contracting Authority. Economic. Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified. in this notice and the. procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them

Law relating to DfC matters

Departmental Solicitors Office (DSO) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of specified legal services within Northern Ireland, on behalf their clients, the NICS Department and Agencies. The list of participating bodies can be found within Annex A of the Framework Agreement Specification. DSO are the in-house legal provision for the NICS Departments and Agencies. This framework will act as an overflow to the services provided by DSO. DSO and the Client is not obliged to procure services exclusively from this Framework Agreement and are free to either use their own in-house service provision, or to procure services outside this Framework Agreement. The Framework will be used on occasions where DSO is unable to provide the client Departments and Agencies with the legal support required within the client Departments' required timescales or, for specific project work that DSO cannot facilitate within its existing resource. On such occasions this Legal Services Framework will supplement the legal services supplied by DSO. The Framework Agreement will contain five (5) Lots for the provision of legal services as described in the Framework Agreement Specification. The three highest ranked tenderers for each of the 5 Lots will be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement (in the event there is an insufficient number of tenderers which satisfy the qualification criteria and pass the Assessment Criteria for each Lot, a Lot may be established with this lower number of tenderers). Tenderers can tender for one, multiple, or all Lots. There is no restriction on the number of lots a tenderer may be appointed to; however a tenderer must have the capability and capacity to deliver all lots tendered for. Additional information: The figure indicated in Section II 1.7 represents an estimated contract value. This value reflects the. potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services. as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation. Neither CPD nor. the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does notbind itself to. accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third. party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless. of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the. Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise and an Economic Operator shall. have no legitimate expectation. that a contract will be entered into until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the. Contracting Authority. Economic. Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified. in this notice and the. procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030665-2024 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 25 Sep 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 24 Apr 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 9 Sep 2024 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £1,333,333 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £1 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENTAL SOLICITOR'S OFFICE |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT1 3LP |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Central |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast South and Mid Down |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 5 |
| Supplier names | ARTHUR COX; CARSON MCDOWELL; CLEAVER FULTON RANKIN; TLT N.I.; TUGHANS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 75231100 - Law-courts-related administrative services
- 79100000 - Legal services
- 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services
- 79111000 - Legal advisory services
- 79112000 - Legal representation services
- 79112100 - Stakeholders representation services
- 79140000 - Legal advisory and information services

## Release History

- 25 Sep 2024 at 15:22 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030665-2024
- 18 Apr 2024 at 16:19 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012724-2024
- 20 Mar 2024 at 15:58 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009078-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-044aef. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-044aef.json.