Official UK procurement notice
Legal Advice for Employment Tribunal
Authority: Velindre University NHS Trust (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionProvision of specialist employment law advice and support for an ongoing Employment Tribunal matter on behalf of Velindre University NHS Trust. The contract covers legal advice, strategic case management, support with witness evidence and documentation, advice on legal risks and procedural matters, and preparation for Tribunal proceedings. The contract is being awarded directly to Bates Wells to ensure continuity of service and maintain access to specialist knowledge already established through previous involvement with the case.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Awarded
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 8 Oct 2026, 09:52 BST
- Last source update
- 8 Oct 2026, 09:52 BST
- Authority reference
VEL-DIR (26-27) 104- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-095028- Latest notice
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-07835dFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
Justification: Bates Wells has already provided legal advice on the matter and possesses detailed knowledge of the background, chronology, individuals involved and advice previously given. Changing provider at this stage would result in duplication of effort, additional costs and delays to ongoing Tribunal proceedings.- Legal Services Exemption
- Risks
There is a risk that the duration and complexity of the Employment Tribunal proceedings may change as the case progresses, resulting in a requirement for additional legal support. Further costs may be incurred if new evidence, witnesses, hearings or Tribunal directions arise. There is also a risk that appointing an alternative supplier could lead to delays, duplication of effort and increased costs, as a new provider would need to familiarise themselves with the case. Ongoing contract management and regular engagement with Bates Wells will be used to monitor performance and mitigate these risks.
Notice history
2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 8 Oct 2026- Transparency notice published8 Oct 2026, 09:52 BSTUK5
- Contract signature expected21 Oct 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bate Wells26 Oct 2026 – 25 Oct 2027 · up to 26 Oct 2028Extensions: The contract includes an option to extend for a further 12 months beyond the initial term. Any extension will be exercised in two six-month tranches, subject to satisfactory supplier performance, ongoing service requirements and approval by the Trust. | £500,000 | — | Standstill |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Bates WellsAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender