Network Rail to hold market engagement for £70m legal services framework

Network Rail is to conduct a market engagement exercise for the supply of legal services worth an estimated £70m over five years.

The services will support the delivery of its objectives for Control Period 6 (CP6) which covers the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024.

The company said: “Network Rail's mandate is to deliver a safe, affordable, reliable and growing railway. We are currently transforming to ensure that we can continue to achieve these objectives which include devolving accountability from central functions to geographically based Route Business units.

“Prospective suppliers will be expected to partner with us to ensure we provide a first class service to both the central functions and Route Businesses to deliver this mandate.”

Network Rail is proposing that the new framework agreement will consist of a small number of suppliers who will be expected to work collaboratively and innovatively to provide legal service capability across the full range of legal disciplines.

“Our requirements will include a mix of commoditised and project work including but not limited to the following disciplines: Property (Development / Retail / Acquisitions / Disposals / Railway Estate Management); Procurement; Construction; Rail Regulatory; Dispute Resolution; Commercial, Health Safety and Environment; Employment, Competition; EU Regulatory; Freedom of Information; Data Protection; Debt Collection, Public Law; Planning; Telecoms; Insurance; and Corporate Governance.”

As part of the market engagement, the company will be seeking feedback through a combination of some or all of the following: market engagement days, surveys and Q&As.