Case studies

Procurement & bidding

Examples of our work in this area

• We advised the London Ambulance Service on their competitive dialogue procurement for software for a new computer-aided despatch system, for 999 call-taking and despatch of ambulances. Our work included: running of the competitive dialogue procurement in accordance with the procurement regulations, with two bidders taken through to the final dialogue stage; negotiating and drafting the contract in tandem with both bidders and ensuring equal treatment of bidders throughout this process; understanding the form of contract and the relationship between the terms and conditions and the numerous schedules (over 20); advising on procurement documentation such as the Invitation to Submit Final Tenders and on evaluation issues.
• We are advising a private sector company on various approaches to working with NHS bodies in relation to the operation of various clinical services and, in particular, we are considering with them the competition and procurement implications raised by each such option.
• We advised a procurement hub on a highly sensitive procurement of clinical services with a high level of patient and public engagement and challenge.  We advised on the scope for challenge by an unsuccessful bidder, worked with our client to design a solution which prevented challenge while minimising disruption to the procurement timeline and assisted in management of stakeholder engagement.  In addition to the application of procurement law, this required an understanding of how the framework agreement was intended to work and how the law applies to framework agreement.