Department of Health and Social Care to procure latest £772m framework for NHS Resolution

The Department of Health and Social Care has fired the gun on the procurement of the latest NHS Resolution legal services framework, which is worth an estimated £772m over four years.

The Invitation to Tender Instructions for the NHSR_42 Legal Services Framework say the key objective of the procurement is to provide NHS Resolution “with the ability to procure legal services, which will offer best value to its customers, patients and the public by putting the needs and expectations of customers, patients and the public at the core of its work, by providing an efficient and best-value service”.

The framework has been divided into the following lots:

1. Clinical liabilities, non-clinical negligence claims (employers/public liability, property, Human Rights Act and Data Protection Act claims); and
2. Regulatory, health and employment law (other forms of litigation related to the operation of Arm’s Length Bodies including judicial reviews, procurement challenges, commercial litigation and advisory work across a broad range of contentious and non-contentious legal specialists including public law, healthcare advisory/regulatory, primary care advisory, property and estate).

NHS Resolution is envisaged to be the principal user of Lot 1 (worth £188m per annum) while the other beneficiaries of the framework will be the principal users of Lot 2 (worth £5m per annum).

There are expected to be up to ten successful tenderers for Lot 1 and eight for Lot 2.

The framework will run from 4 January 2022 until 3 January 2026.

The closing date is 29 August 2021 (12 pm). The open procedure is being used.

The previous version of the framework saw 13 law firms appointed acorss three lots. It was estimated to be worth £523m.