Legal Services Framework Agreement

Description

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is an independent regulator which serves the public interest by setting high standards of corporate governance, corporate reporting and audit and by holding to account those responsible for delivering them. The FRC also monitors and takes enforcement action where things go wrong to ensure the proper operation of the market and confidence in the UK economy and the UK's international reputation as an attractive place to do business. The purpose of this exercise is to create a Framework Agreement to provide a panel of law firms (the panel) to provide legal services for the FRC, through the FRC's in-house legal team. The legal team advises on a wide range of issues, including but not limited to: • creating, implementing, using and maintaining the FRC's powers and procedures; • developing and maintaining legally sound policies across the FRC; • information handling, sharing and risk; • corporate legal advice (eg on contracts, governance, intellectual property rights, brand and logo use, insurance etc); • responding to challenges (eg judicial review and complaints) as well as all litigation taken by, and against, the FRC. We propose to appoint up to three* law firms to act for the FRC across its business on a four-year contract (with a further one year extension). * The FRC reserves the right to increase this number where law firms have the same overall evaluation scoring. PLEASE SEE THE FULL DETAILS IN THE TENDER PACK. THE TENDER PACK CAN BE ACCESSED VIA CONTRACTS FINDER https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1e19204b-61b1-41c3-a350-59ef3ff2c17c Lot 1: Public and regulatory law Example of the matters on which advice may be sought: • FRC regulations and procedures • Independent tribunal procedures • Public and regulatory law litigation (including enforcement proceedings and judicial review proceedings) • Statutory interpretation This Lot also includes Local audits, for example, advice may be sought on:- • Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 • Companies Act 2006, Part 42 and Sch 10 (as modified by the 2014 Act) Lot 2: Information law Examples of the matters on which advice may be sought:- • UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 • Freedom of Information Act 2000 • Environmental Information Regulations 2004 • Confidential information Lot 3: Corporate and commercial law/general law (including litigation) Examples of the matters on which advice may be sought:- • Contracts - formation, execution, interpretation, breach and remedies, termination • Companies law (especially relating to governance issues) • General litigation • Intellectual property (eg trademarks) Lot 4: Employment law Examples of the matters on which advice may be sought: • Starting employment - recruitment, contract etc • Pre-employment checks • Pay, benefits, pensions and tax • Legal aspects of working and travel abroad