Colleges and universities plan legal services framework worth up to £140m

A consortium of further education institutions, including academies, and a group of universities are to establish a legal services framework potentially worth up to £140m.

The organisations behind the initiative are:

• The Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC): owned by bodies in the further education sector, it has 1,792 members including FE colleges, sixth form colleges, academies, schools with sixth forms and a number of private or independent educational institutions.
• The North East Universities Purchasing Consortium (NEUPC): one of six higher education purchasing consortia in the country.

The framework, which is to made open for use for public sector bodies across the UK, will cover the whole range of legal services but specifically property matters, human resources matters, academy conversion and post conversion and other legal services.

There are to be 14 lots, one for the entire UK – described as a ‘national one-stop shop’ – and one for each of the following regions: East Anglia; East Midlands; London; North East England; North West England; Scotland; South East England; South West England; Wales; West Midlands; Yorkshire and Humber; Northern Ireland; and the Channel Islands.

All legal services will be available under each lot.

The CPC and NEUPC envisage a maximum 68 participants to the framework, which is expected to last for four years.

The range for the estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the
framework agreement
is between £1.3m and £140m.

It is expected that a minimum five and maximum 80 operators will be invited to tender or participate.

An electronic auction will be used as part of the procurement exercise.