Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Forestry England for and on behalf of the Forestry Commission
620 Bristol Business Park
Bristol
BS16 1EJ
UK
Contact person: Emily Coffin
Telephone: +44 3000674000
E-mail: emily.coffin@forestryengland.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.forestryengland.uk/
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Other: Forestry
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Legal Services Contract
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79100000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short 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.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
5 000 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Property and General Business Advice
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79100000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
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.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Contract Management
/ Weighting: 20
Quality criterion: Staffing
/ Weighting: 15
Quality criterion: Instruction Management
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Sustainability and Social Value
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Contract Handover
/ Weighting: 5
Price
/ Weighting:
40
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Public Liability and Employment Liability Claims
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79100000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
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.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Lot No: 3
II.2.1) Title
Employment
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79100000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
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.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Contract Management
/ Weighting: 20
Quality criterion: Staffing
/ Weighting: 15
Quality criterion: Instruction Management
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Sustainability and Social Value
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Contract Handover
/ Weighting: 5
Price
/ Weighting:
40
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2024/S 000-031254
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 1
Contract No: FCCN1894/1
Title: Property and General Business Advice
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/02/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 8
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Mills & Reeve LLP
N/A
24 King William Street
London
EC4R 9AT
UK
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 3 500 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 2
Contract No: FCCN1894/2
Title: Public Liability and Employment Liability Claims
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/02/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 5
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Weightmans LLP
OC326117
100 Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9JQ
UK
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 272 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 3
Contract No: FCCN1894/3
Title: Employment
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/02/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 10
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Weightmans LLP
OC326117
100 Old Hall Street
Liverpool
EC4R 9AT
UK
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 717 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
To view this notice, please click here:
https://forestryengland.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=921447381 GO Reference: GO-2025731-PRO-31651378
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court
London
WC2A 2LL
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
31/07/2025