Legal
What is it?
The Education Buying Group PSBO framework for Legal Services for schools has been specifically designed to help you partner with a top legal organisation in the education sector for your school.
Whether you are a single school or a large multi-academy trust, Legal Services for Schools can help you find a trusted legal partner to help you navigate the ever-shifting regulatory landscape of the education sector.
You can access services on a retainer basis, project basis or pay-by the hour /day.
The framework agreement has a number of ways to access legal services based on the value of your requirement, including Direct Award, Quick Quote or Further Competition.
Lot – Under £15,000 (Contracts with an estimated value under £15,000 per annum)
Route to Awarding Contracts:
- Direct Award
- Quick Quote
Lot – Over £15,000 (Contracts with an estimated value over £15,000 per annum)
Route to Awarding Contracts:
- Further Competition
- Direct Award
- Quick Quote
Suppliers
- Muckle LLP
- Stone King LLP
- Ward Hadaway
- Winckworth Sherwood LLP
Services include:
- Advice and guidance
- Legal representation
- Training
- Access to documentation, templates and written guidance
- Audits and assessments
- Retainer Services or similar
Can I use it?
Our Legal Services for Schools agreement is accessible to all educational establishments including primary schools, secondary schools and multi-academy trusts and colleges across the whole of the UK.
The framework agreement has a number of ways to access legal services – which one is right for you?
| Process | When should I use this process? | Process Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Award | – For a discrete piece of work, like legal counsel and advice regarding a specific issue which will take just a few hours to complete. – Or if you would like to buy a number of hours or access to legal advice and call off this over a period of time (i.e., during the coming term). |
– You can enter into a contract with a supplier immediately. – Pricing is based on pre-tendered day rates. – Get a reference number from Education Buying before securing your contract with your preferred supplier. |
| Quick Call | – For a discrete piece of work, like legal counsel and advice regarding a specific issue but you are unsure how many hours this will take to deliver or would like a price for a specific project. | – Allows for refining of pricing based on your specific requirements. – Quick turn around on quotes from suppliers (1-2 weeks). – Quote includes both pricing and the supplier’s approach to delivering the service, including staff profiles. |
| Further Competition | For larger contracts, retainer contracts over a longer period of time or when your internal financial policy requires that you seek 3 tenders based on the value of the contract. | – More robust and formal competition process to achieve tailored contracts based on your specific needs. – Suitable for higher value requirements (where 3 formal tenders are required). – Compliant and robust approach to securing great value contracts. – Support from Education Buying and access to school-approved templates. |
What are the benefits?
- Choose the process which is proportionate to your requirement, from a Direct Award, Quick Quote or Further Competition.
- Ready-made templates procurement documents with step-by-step instructions.
- Public sector-compliant solution with pre-vetted suppliers ensuring a faster award process.
- Supplier presentations permissible where required by your school’s board.
- Quick and easy to use process – from 1-2 days (for direct award) to 3-4 weeks (for further competition).
- The electronic tender process supported by the Education Buying team.
- As part of the solution, we review and publish your quote / tender documents for you via our e-procurement portal. The bid submissions are then provided to you for evaluation. You award the contract to the highest-scoring bidder.
- Partner with a top legal organisation in the education sector for your school.
