Official UK procurement notice
Legal Services · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Link Group
What is being bought5 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Link Group intends to establish a multi-lot Framework Agreement for the provision of Legal Services. The Framework will be divided into 5 lots covering Lot 1 - Corporate Lot 2 - Acquisitions and Disposals Lot 3 - Housing Management and Debt Recovery (East) Lot 4 - Housing Management and Debt Recovery (West) Lot 5 – Development. The Framework will be for a period of 36 months with the option to extend for a further 24 months on a 1 + 1 basis at the sole discretion of the Link Group.
CPV: Law-courts-related administrative services · Legal advisory and information services · Legal advisory and representation services · Legal advisory services · Legal documentation and certification services · Legal representation services · Legal services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Bids received
- 7 bids on the busiest of 5 lots · 7 suppliers appointed
Lots and requirements (5)Procurement structure
5 lots · no lot values published · evaluation weights differ by lotLot #1CorporateAwardedRenewal
Employment law both contentious and non-contentious including: disciplinary & grievance; terminations; industrial relations; collective consultation; contracts of employment, breach of contract and variation of contract; redundancy; equal pay; discrimination; family friendly policies; the Equality Act; fixed term, part time and working time; PIDA: restructuring and outsourcing; transfers and mergers; TUPE; tribunal procedure and advocacy; frontline HR support and providing opinions, briefing notes, information and training;
Corporate law including: setting up companies (including charitable companies) and limited liability partnerships; joint ventures; acquisitions and disposals of assets and shares; restructurings; shareholder agreements; operating agreements; company secretarial services; advice related to charitable/non-charitable activities/trading; general corporate advice including advice on directors duties and other statutory matters;
Governance including: advice on good practice; statutory / regulatory authority requirements/expectations; benefits as defined in regulatory guidance; Codes of Conduct for governing body members;
Commercial contracts including: contracts for supply of goods and services; events, sponsorship, advertising and funding agreements; housing association legislative compliance and trading powers; joint working and partnership agreements; consumer credit legislation and compliance; Data Protection; FCA registration and compliance; ad hoc contract law queries;
Banking including: advising on loan facility agreements with lenders; re-structuring facilities; security arrangements; bond issues and institutional investment;
Intellectual Property including: trademark, patent, copyright and design right protection and enforcement; IP commercialisation and licensing;
Procurement and Competition Law including: EU procurement and competition regulation compliance; best value requirements; alternative business models and outsourcing; general advice on all aspects of procurement law and best practice;
Litigation including: litigation related to all areas of Link business (including contractual actions); debt recovery; inhibitions; interdict; statutory enforcement proceedings; statutory appeals; Judicial Review; Guardianship Orders and Intervention Orders under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000; advice related to the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007; pursuing/ defending reparation actions (including personal injury)
Consumer Credit including: advising on whether activities carried out or proposing to be carried out by Link requires a consumer credit licence including liaising with the Office of Fair Trading.
Regulated Activities including: advice on regulation with the Scottish Housing Regulator, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Care Inspectorate and the Financial Conduct Authority and what constitutes regulated activities including compliance with the regulatory body requirements.
Mergers & Acquisitions including: advising on appropriate group structures and how to manage group expansion.
Pensions including: admission agreements; calculation of pension loss; general pension law advice; Scottish Housing Association Pension Scheme queries; Court actions; pension fund governance; liability limitation.
Data Protection including: compliance with legislation and good practice, managing data protection queries and requests for information
Health and Safety including advice relating to the application of health and safety legislation relating to Link’s service delivery activities; legislation relating to Link’s role as an employer and; support and guidance in relation to engagement with the Health and Safety Executive.
Lot #2Acquisitions and DisposalsAwardedRenewal
Conveyancing including; disposals of properties on a shared ownership and shared equity basis; conventional dispositions of property sold under Right to Buy legislation and as part of any stock rationalisation; acquisitions of single or multiple properties. Preparation of Title and Deed of conditions.
Agreements including: Development Agreements; Purchase Agreements; preparation of new shared ownership agreements and on expiry; preparation of assignation or new shared ownership/ shared equity agreements
Lot #3Housing Management and Debt Recovery (East, Edinburgh, Fife, Scottish Borders and Falkirk)AwardedRenewal
Anti Social Behaviour Proceedings including: advising on anti social behaviour legislation and its application: attending court as required and supporting officers in presenting evidence, giving statements to Police Scotland;serving of anti social behaviour orders; management and advice relating to tenancy disputes. Provide guidance, assistance as required and prepare any necessary documentation.
Repossessions & Evictions including: advising on recovery of possession and eviction proceedings; attending court representing Link
Debt Collection including: advising on various courses of action related to pursuing for debts due; representing Link in court for recovery proceedings; serving and advising on closure orders, Notice of Inhibitions, notice of potential liability, Notice to Quits, dispersal orders and homelessness challenges. Provision of legal advice on housing benefit legislation.
Scottish and Short Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreements (SST and SSST) including: advising on practices within housing legislation in relation to for example, allocations; allocation appeals; SST and SSST advising and preparing through court and if necessary the conversion of an SST to SSST. Provide guidance, assistance and prepare necessary documentation.
Liability for Charges including: advice on liability for common charges and responsibilities for common ground and property; interpretation of Deeds of Conditions.
Leases and Management Agreements including: preparation and interpretation of management agreements related to property management, preparation of property leases, maintenance and related property and/or tenant/landlord services provided to or received by Link
Lot #4Housing Management and Debt Recovery (West, Glasgow Including The Highlands, Argyll and Lanarkshire)AwardedRenewal
Anti Social Behaviour Proceedings including: advising on anti social behaviour legislation and its application: attending court as required and supporting officers in presenting evidence, giving statements to Police Scotland;serving of anti social behaviour orders; management and advice relating to tenancy disputes. Provide guidance, assistance as required and prepare any necessary documentation.
Repossessions & Evictions including: advising on recovery of possession and eviction proceedings; attending court representing Link
Debt Collection including: advising on various courses of action related to pursuing for debts due; representing Link in court for recovery proceedings; serving and advising on closure orders, Notice of Inhibitions, notice of potential liability, Notice to Quits, dispersal orders and homelessness challenges. Provision of legal advice on housing benefit legislation.
Scottish and Short Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreements (SST and SSST) including: advising on practices within housing legislation in relation to for example, allocations; allocation appeals; SST and SSST advising and preparing through court and if necessary the conversion of an SST to SSST. Provide guidance, assistance and prepare necessary documentation.
Liability for Charges including: advice on liability for common charges and responsibilities for common ground and property; interpretation of Deeds of Conditions.
Leases and Management Agreements including: preparation and interpretation of management agreements related to property management, preparation of property leases, maintenance and related property and/or tenant/landlord services provided to or received by Link
Lot #5DevelopmentAwardedRenewal
Construction Law including: construction and engineering contracts, including Ddesign & Bbuild contracts: PPC2000 contracts; NEC4 contracts; collateral warranties and professional appointments; Letter of Intents and Letters of Undertaking; building maintenance and facilities management sub-contracts; advice on existing project matters; ad hoc advice on construction law; mediation, adjudication, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings;
Environmental Law including: regulatory compliance advice; statutory enforcement powers and duties;
Planning law including: All aspects of Planning legal work including representation at high profile planning inquiries; legal agreements; advice on planning legislation; enforcement proceedings; key strategic projects; section 69 & 75 agreements and road construction consents.
Property Law including: purchase of sites for development; advice on liability for common charges and responsibilities for common ground and property
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Lots publish different evaluation splits; there is no single procedure weighting.
- Suitability
List and brief description of conditions:
Question SPD 4A.2
Bidders must be a member of the following in respect of Lots 1,2,3,4 and 5:-
Member of the Law Society of Scotland
It is a mandatory requirement for bidders to hold the above memberships.
- Economic & financial standing
SPD Question 4.B.5/4.B.5.1
Bidders are required to hold the following levels of Insurance:
Lot 1, & Lot 2
Employer's Liability insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Public Liability insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Professional Indemnity insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Lot 3 & 4 -
Employer's Liability insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Public Liability insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Professional Indemnity insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Lot 5 -
Employer's Liability insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Public Liability insurance to the value of at least FIVE MILLION (GBP 5,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
Professional Indemnity insurance to the value of at least TEN MILLION (GBP 10,000,000) POUNDS STERLING
The above insurances shall be with an insurance company registered with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, or equivalent body for other EU member states.
Should the Bidder not have the specified insurances at the time of tendering then, the Bidder must certify in their response to the ESPDS that the specified insurance will be obtained.
Where a Bidder does not hold or commit to obtaining the types and levels of insurance indicated, the Link Group will exclu…
Minimum: All bidders must pass the minimum requirements as detailed in this contract notice and bidder's documentation. - Technical & professional ability
SPDS Question 4C.1.2
Bidders will be required to provide three (3) examples of a similar scope, size and nature, of working directly with Registered Social Landlords, Local Authority or other similar sectors within the last 3 years that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to deliver the services required.
- The value for each of the three contracts(s) carried out.
- The scope of the requirements for these three contracts
- The organisations that the three contracts were carried out on behalf of
- Reference contacts at the three organisations
- The term of contract (for each of the three Contracts)
Minimum: All bidders must pass the minimum requirements as detailed in this contract notice and bidder's documentation. - Technical & professional ability
Bidders must be a member of the following in respect of Lots 1,2,3,4 and 5:
Member of the Law Society of Scotland
- Staff
- Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
- Price carries 40 points on every lot: a 10% discount moves about 4 points.
- “Legal Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 29 Apr 2021, 15:05 BST
- Last source update
- 12 Aug 2025, 16:36 BST
- Award evaluation window
- 3 May 2021 – …
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-048171- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-02a247Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
Publisher note: (SC Ref:807084)
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 3 May 2021, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 90 days from the deadline
- Bids opened
- 3 May 2021, 12:30 BST
Timeline
3 May 2021 → 12 Aug 2025 · 3 dates- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown3 May 2021, 12:00 BST
- Bids opened3 May 2021, 12:30 BST
- Notice published12 Aug 2025, 16:36 BST
Notice history
4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 27 Jul 2021- Status changed to active27 Jul 2021, 18:14 BST
- Procurement method changed27 Jul 2021, 18:14 BST
- Deadline moved to 3 May 2021, 12:00 BST27 Jul 2021, 18:14 BST-2 days · was 5 May 2021, 12:00 BST
- Status changed to complete12 Aug 2025, 16:36 BST
Published amendments (1 · 1 deadline change)
| When | What | Before | After | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | DeadlineTime limit · IV.2.2 | 3 May 2021 | 5 May 2021 | +2 d |
| — | Bid openingConditions for opening of tenders · IV.2.7 | 3 May 2021 | 5 May 2021 | +2 d |
Due to the time taken to gather together some of the clarification information required, the deadline for this notice has been extended.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast5 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
All 5 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £1, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.
Acquisitions and Disposals
- Signed
- 1 Jul 2021
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Housing Management and Debt Recovery (East, Edinburgh, Fife, Scottish Borders and Falkirk)
- Signed
- 1 Jul 2021
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Housing Management and Debt Recovery (West, Glasgow Including The Highlands, Argyll and Lanarkshire)
- Signed
- 1 Jul 2021
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Development
- Signed
- 1 Jul 2021
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Corporate
- Signed
- 28 Jun 2021
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Corporate | 6bids · 6 electronic · 6 from abroad | 1 | — | — |
| 2 · Acquisitions and Disposals | 3bids · 3 electronic · 3 from abroad | 1 | — | — |
| 3 · Housing Management and Debt Recovery (East, Edinburgh, Fife, Scottish Borders and Falkirk) | 7bids · 7 electronic · 7 from abroad | 2 | — | — |
| 4 · Housing Management and Debt Recovery (West, Glasgow Including The Highlands, Argyll and Lanarkshire) | 7bids · 7 electronic · 7 from abroad | 2 | — | — |
| 5 · Development | 7bids · 7 electronic · 7 from abroad | 1 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace CourtReview body
Framework contractors & participating bidders
7 commercial parties on the notice- Addleshaw Goddard LLPFramework contractor
- BTO Solicitors LLPFramework contractor
- Brodies LLPFramework contractor
- Burness Paull LLPFramework contractor
- Harper Macleod LLPFramework contractor
- KELLY & CO.Framework contractor
- TC Young SolicitorsFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.