Welsh education bodies launch tender process for £1m of legal services

The University of South Wales Group has launched the procurement of legal services worth an estimated £1m.

The Group, which also includes the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Merthyr Tydfil College, said provision of legal advice was required across a broad spectrum of subjects, with 16 core areas identified.

In 2021 the university conducted a strategic review of external legal costs and use of the advice provided. As a result, it appointed in-house counsel in May 2021 providing advice in some of these core areas, together with a core duty of legal oversight.

The Group said: “For a large higher education institution the volume, scope and complexity of legal advice requirements across these core areas as well as a range of specialists subjects, is regularly beyond the capacity and/or expertise of our in-house services team and forms the basis of this tender.

“For example, under the direction of the University Legal Services team, key stakeholders including estates and facilities, human resources, procurement and student casework often require external legal advice.”

The contract is to be awarded on the basis of service delivery (weighting: 30), relationship management (weighting: 20), management information (weighting: 5), additional services (weighting: 5), community benefits (weighting: 5) and price (weighting: 35).

The contact is due to last 36 months with an option for 2 x 12 month renewals, subject to performance.