Wales Audit Office names four firms to legal advice panels

The Wales Audit Office
 has selected four firms to its legal services framework.

The contract covers the provision of legal advice and related services to both the Auditor General for Wales, the statutory auditor of most public bodies in Wales, and the WAO, which is responsible for providing resources to the Auditor General for the exercise of his functions.

The firms chosen were:

• Lot 1 (audit): Bates Wells Braithwaite and Browne Jacobson;
• Lot 2 (general business administration): Bates Wells Braithwaite and Blake Morgan;
• Lot 3 (employment law): Weightmans and Blake Morgan.

The estimated value of the contract is £375,000.

The firms were chosen on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender in terms of: communication and working arrangements (weighting 15); management of conflicts of interest (weighting 5); assignment and experience of staff (weighting 10); application of experience and quality of service (weighting 10); quality of sample advice (weighting 20); and costs (weighting 40).