Ciaran Wells

Experience

Ciaran is a Principal Associate specialising in public sector commercial and procurement matters. Ciaran joined the team having worked as a Group Lawyer at a newly created unitary authority and has previously worked in private practice at an international law firm and as a senior solicitor at one of the largest local authorities in the country. 

He has previously been a Cabinet member and elected member on two local authorities and has over 15 years' experience working and volunteering in the local government sector. 

Ciaran has been a board member of public private partnerships and is the chair of the board of trustees for a leisure services charity, a role which he has held for over 10 years.  Prior to qualifying as a solicitor he worked for a member of Parliament.

Ciaran has advised in respect of all aspects of legal work in relation to public sector commercial, contractual, including development and outsourcing arrangements, and procurement matters.  His work includes taking instructions from NHS, local government, government departments, voluntary sector and private commercial clients.

Expertise

• Senior legal advisor to a County Council on a £2billion pseudo dynamic purchasing system for outsourced care services, the largest commissioning arrangement of the authority at that time.
• Advising NHS Trusts in respect of representations made in accordance with the Provider Selection Regime.
• Advising Local Authorities on the procurement of relevant healthcare services in accordance with the Provider Selection Regime.
• Advising an NHS Trust on the procurement a contractor in respect of work required for the New Hospital Programme.
• Advising a National Regulator on their procurement of a £100m outsourced concession contract in accordance with The Concession Contracts Regulations 2016.
• Advising a Ministerial Department in respect of a variation of a fleet vehicle agreement in accordance with Regulation 72 of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
• Advising a Ministerial Department on its suite of procurement precedents.
• Advising a Ministerial Department on the operation of a £250m and multi-provider framework agreement.
• Advising a National Regulator on a £multi-million procurement challenge.
• Advising a Government sponsored UK wide advisory service on the £35m procurement of a new contact centre and associated services.
• Advising District, City and County Council's in respect of the procurement of development partners for town centre and residential developments.
• Advising District, City and County Council's in the procurement of professional consultants in respect of high value and high profile developments.
• Advising a European Union city council on variations to its c£80m framework agreement for the provision of street lighting services.
• Advising Unitary Authorities in respect of the value for money assessment (section 123 Local Government Act 1972) of a commercial development, including long – leasehold disposals.
• Advising on high value, complex contractual, procurement and commercial matters.
• Advising Local Authority executives and directors on a range of issues, including in respect of matters in response to the covid-19 pandemic, changes to commissioning and payment arrangements of procurement frameworks and in response to changes to the laws which impact on services.
• Advising in respect of partnering arrangements with Health Authorities and Third Sector organisations.
• Advising on and drafting partnership agreements with other Local Authorities in respect of high value highways and construction matters.
• Drafting Local Authority meeting and executive reports.
• Conducting commercial and contractual negotiations with Private Sector companies, the NHS, Voluntary Sector providers and other local government bodies.

Memberships

Procurement Lawyers Association