Accountancy giants win spots alongside law firms on universities legal framework
The North West Universities Purchasing Consortium (NWUPC) has named three accountancy giants alongside three law firms for a new legal services framework.
The Global Mobility Support Services framework began on 1 October 2016 and will run until 30 September 2019, with a one-year extension option.
The framework was developed “on behalf of the HE Sector to obtain sustainable value for money in the procurement of services relating to global mobility”, NWUPC said.
The successful organisations were:
- Ernst & Young;
- Eversheds;
- KPMG;
- Pricewaterhouse Coopers;
- Veale Wasbrough Vizards;
- Weightmans.
Legal services represented Lot 1 on the framework. The other lots were: taxation and accountancy services; international payroll services; domiciliation services; and relocation services.
The framework is only available to Higher and Further Education institutions across the UK and is not open to the wider public sector.
Martin Vincent, partner and head of Weightman’s Education department said: "We are thrilled to have not only been appointed but also to have scored so highly in the tender process. This appointment truly illustrates our continued dedication to the higher education sector, and is a testament to the giant strides we are taking in the higher education arena both as a firm and as a department.”
"The UK Higher Education offering is world-renowned, with a solid presence on global rankings. International collaboration is therefore crucial to these universities as it allows them to expand their reach and respond to demand - opening subsidiaries overseas or even arranging to have their programmes taught in institutions around the world, giving students the chance to receive some of the finest education and support in their home countries.”
The NWUPC is also one of five purchasing consortia for the higher education sector in England and Wales in the process of setting up a National Framework Agreement for Legal Services.
This procurement is being led by the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC). The other consortia are: Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium; North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium; Higher Education Purchasing Consortium Wales; and North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium.
LUPC estimated that higher education institutions in England currently spend circa £70m per annum on legal services.