Velindre NHS Employment Tribunal Legal Advice Direct Award to Bates Wells

Tender information last checkedLast checked 8 Oct 2026, 11:05.

Opportunity overview

Provision 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.

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

Bates Wells

Match pending…

Published award value: £500k
Awarded: Not supplied
Award ID: 1
Status: pending
Identifier: GB-PPON PZRV-8111-PTBJ
Location: London, UKI31, EC4R 1BE, United Kingdom

Classification

No classification was supplied.

Lots

Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Transparency notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id: VEL-DIR (26-27) 104
Status: complete
Procurement Method: direct
Procurement Method Details: Direct award
Why this procedure was chosen: 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
Published 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.

Legal basis

Id: 2023/54
Scheme: UKPGA
Uri: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ↗

Procedure reasons

Entry 1

Id: singleSuppliersTechnicalReasons

Lots and requirements

Entry 1

Id: 1
Status: complete

Published documents

Entry 1

Id: conflictOfInterest
Document Type: conflictOfInterest
Description: Not published

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1

Name: Velindre University NHS Trust
Id: GB-PPON-PXWV-6492-CGMN

Identifier

Scheme: GB-PPON
Id: PXWV-6492-CGMN

Address

Street Address: 4-5 Charnwood Court,
Locality: Cardiff
Postal Code: CF14 3QZ
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom
Region: UKL22

Contact

Name: Nicola Williams
Email: Nicola.williams33@wales.nhs.com
Telephone: +442921500649

Roles

buyer

Details

Url: http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/ ↗

Classifications

Entry 1

Scheme: UK_CA_TYPE
Id: publicAuthorityCentralGovernment
Description: Public authority - central government

Entry 2

Scheme: UK_CA_DEVOLVED_REGULATIONS
Id: GB-WLS
Description: Welsh devolved regulations apply

Organisation 2

Name: Bates Wells
Id: GB-PPON-PZRV-8111-PTBJ

Identifier

Scheme: GB-PPON
Id: PZRV-8111-PTBJ

Address

Street Address: 10 Queen Street Place
Locality: London
Postal Code: EC4R 1BE
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom
Region: UKI31

Contact

Email: hello@bateswells.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7551 7777

Roles

supplier

Details

Scale: large
Vcse: No

Award information

Award 1

Id: 1
Title: Legal Advice for Employment Tribunal
Status: pending
Main Procurement Category: services
Above Threshold: Yes
Has Renewal: Yes

Items

Item 1

Id: 1
Related Lot: 1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1

Scheme: CPV
Id: 79110000
Description: Legal advisory and representation services

Delivery locations

Entry 1

Region: UKL22
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Value

Including VAT: 600,000
Amount: 500,000
Currency: GBP

Suppliers

Supplier 1

Id: GB-PPON-PZRV-8111-PTBJ
Name: Bates Wells

Contract period

Starts: 26 Oct 2026, 00:00
Ends: 25 Oct 2027, 23:59
Max Extent Date: 26 Oct 2028, 23:59

Renewal

Description: 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.

Related lots

Documents

Entry 1

Id: 095028-2026
Document Type: awardNotice
Notice Type: UK5
Description: Transparency notice on Find a Tender
Url: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095028-2026 ↗
Published: 8 Oct 2026, 09:52
Format: text/html

Milestones

Entry 1

Id: 1
Type: futureSignatureDate
Due: 21 Oct 2026, 23:59
Status: scheduled

Recorded locations

Buyer location · Cardiff · UKL22 · CF14 3QZ · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION

095028-2026Transparency notice on Find a Tender · 8 Oct 2026, 09:52

PROCURAAXIS AWARD ANALYSIS

Award outcome intelligence

Evidence-bound analysis of the published award appears below the official tender and award information.

ANALYSIS PREVIEW

Award intelligence at a glance

Velindre University NHS Trust has published a direct-award transparency notice proposing Bates Wells for specialist employment-law support in an ongoing Employment Tribunal matter. The award remains pending, with a future signature date scheduled; the notice does not evidence a signed or active contract.

Published outcome signals

Notice publication8 October 2026Evidence: Transparency notice 095028-2026 was published on 2026-10-08.
Award statusPendingEvidence: Award 1 is explicitly marked "pending".
Signature statusFuture signature scheduled for 21 October 2026Evidence: Award milestone type futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 2026-10-21.

96% approved-analysis confidence1 supplier record analysed4 source limitations

SOURCE AND FRESHNESS

Traceable procurement data

Source: Find a Tender
Notice reference: 095028-2026
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-07835d
First published: 8 Oct 2026
Last checked: 8 Oct 2026, 11:05
Notice versions reviewed: 1

View Find a Tender notice ↗

HOW THIS WAS PREPARED

Approved, evidence-bound analysis

ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.

Analysis status: Approved for publication
Analysed: 8 Oct 2026

Read the analysis methodology →

AWARD OUTCOME

What happened

Published outcome

Pending direct award to Bates Wells for Lot 1.

Market significance

A £500,000 net (£600,000 gross) above-threshold legal-services award with a potential 12-month extension.

AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS

1 supplier record analysed

Bates Wells

99% confidence

Award 1 · Lots 1 · 500000 net; 600000 gross GBP · Pending awardee

View supporting evidence

Award 1 names Bates Wells as supplier and records GBP 500,000 amount and GBP 600,000 amountGross.

LIFECYCLE

Award or contract stage

Notice publication

99% confidence

8 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Transparency notice 095028-2026 was published on 2026-10-08.

Award status

99% confidence

Pending

View supporting evidence

Award 1 is explicitly marked "pending".

Signature status

98% confidence

Future signature scheduled for 21 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Award milestone type futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 2026-10-21.

Contract status

98% confidence

Not evidenced as signed or active

View supporting evidence

The award is pending and the source gives a future signature milestone.

VALUES

Published values explained

Award value

99% confidence

£500,000 excluding VAT; £600,000 including VAT

View supporting evidence

Award 1 value records amount GBP 500000 and amountGross GBP 600000.

Value allocation

94% confidence

Award-level value for the single supplier and single related lot

View supporting evidence

Award 1 names one supplier, Bates Wells, and relates to Lot 1.

TIMELINE

Procurement timeline

Published

99% confidence

8 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Notice publication timestamp is 2026-10-08T09:52:34+01:00.

Scheduled signature date

98% confidence

21 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Scheduled futureSignatureDate is 2026-10-21.

Planned initial start

96% confidence

26 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Award contractPeriod startDate is 2026-10-26.

Planned initial end

96% confidence

25 October 2027

View supporting evidence

Award contractPeriod endDate is 2027-10-25.

Maximum stated extent

96% confidence

26 October 2028

View supporting evidence

Award contractPeriod maxExtentDate is 2028-10-26.

SCOPE

What was awarded

Requirement

99% confidence

Specialist employment-law advice and support for an ongoing Employment Tribunal matter

View supporting evidence

Tender description specifies legal advice, strategic case management, witness and document support, legal-risk and procedural advice, and Tribunal preparation.

Procurement category

99% confidence

Legal advisory and representation services

View supporting evidence

Award item CPV 79110000 is labelled "Legal advisory and representation services".

Delivery location

96% confidence

UKL22, United Kingdom

View supporting evidence

Award item delivery address is region UKL22, GB.

PROCEDURE

Procedure and competition

Procedure

99% confidence

Direct award

View supporting evidence

Tender procurementMethod is "direct" and procurementMethodDetails is "Direct award".

Stated rationale

98% confidence

Continuity and existing case knowledge; legal services exemption

View supporting evidence

The published rationale says Bates Wells has prior matter knowledge and describes a "Legal Services Exemption".

Competition information

99% confidence

Information not supplied in the published notice.

View supporting evidence

No bid, tenderer or evaluation-count data is provided.

Threshold status

99% confidence

Above threshold

View supporting evidence

Award 1 records aboveThreshold as true.

CONTRACT TERMS

Published contract terms

Initial term

96% confidence

Planned 26 October 2026 to 25 October 2027

View supporting evidence

Award contractPeriod gives these start and end dates.

Extension option

99% confidence

Up to a further 12 months in two six-month tranches

View supporting evidence

Renewal description states an option for a further 12 months, exercisable in two six-month tranches subject to performance, need and Trust approval.

Maximum potential term end

96% confidence

26 October 2028

View supporting evidence

Award contractPeriod maxExtentDate is 2028-10-26.

COMMERCIAL VIEW

Commercial observations

Continuity-led purchasing

98% confidence

The buyer states that the supplier's existing knowledge is intended to avoid duplication, cost and delay.

View supporting evidence

Published direct-award rationale cites prior advice and familiarity with the case background, chronology, people and prior advice.

Demand uncertainty

98% confidence

Additional support and costs may arise as proceedings develop.

View supporting evidence

Risk details cite possible new evidence, witnesses, hearings or Tribunal directions and changing duration or complexity.

ANALYSIS QUALITY

96%overall confidence

Confidence reflects the completeness and consistency of the published award data.

Reference: ocds-h6vhtk-07835d
Analysed: 8 Oct 2026

APPROVED AWARD ANALYSIS

BUYER CONTEXT

Buyer context

Buyer

99% confidence

Velindre University NHS Trust

View supporting evidence

Buyer party is named Velindre University NHS Trust.

Buyer location

99% confidence

Cardiff, United Kingdom

View supporting evidence

Buyer address lists Cardiff, CF14 3QZ.

Regulatory context

98% confidence

Welsh devolved regulations apply

View supporting evidence

Buyer details classify UK_CA_DEVOLVED_REGULATIONS as GB-WLS.

SUPPLIER CONTEXT

Supplier context

Supplier

99% confidence

Bates Wells

View supporting evidence

Supplier party and Award 1 supplier both identify Bates Wells.

Supplier location

99% confidence

London, United Kingdom

View supporting evidence

Supplier address lists London, EC4R 1BE.

Published supplier scale

96% confidence

Large

View supporting evidence

Supplier details record scale as large.

RENEWAL OUTLOOK

Renewal outlook

Extension decision window

89% confidence

Estimated by 25 October 2027, if the option is exercised

View supporting evidence

The explicit initial end date is 25 October 2027; the notice states that extension is optional and subject to conditions.

DATA QUALITY

Gaps and source limitations

Pending award versus awarded display

99% confidence

The process display status is awarded, but the underlying Award 1 status is pending and signature is scheduled.

View supporting evidence

Process display_status is "awarded"; Award 1 status is "pending"; futureSignatureDate is scheduled.

Contract execution not published

99% confidence

Information not supplied in the published notice.

View supporting evidence

No signed-contract record or completed signature milestone is provided.

Lot detail

99% confidence

Lot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.

View supporting evidence

Lot 1 title, description and value fields are null.

SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS

Information not supplied in the published notice

The award remains pending; the supplied notice does not evidence a signed, concluded or active contract.
Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, evaluation details, pricing breakdown and competitor information.
Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
The extension is optional and no exercise decision or renewal date has been published.

MARKET THEMES

Relevant award themes

COMMON QUESTIONS

About this award

Has the contract been signed?

No. The published award is pending and shows a future signature date of 21 October 2026.

What is the stated award value?

£500,000 excluding VAT and £600,000 including VAT.

Is there an extension option?

Yes. The notice states an option for up to 12 additional months in two six-month tranches.

ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.

Legal Advice for Employment Tribunal

Opportunity overview

Awarded to

Bates Wells

Classification

Lots

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Scope, procedure and submissions

Legal basis

Procedure reasons

Lots and requirements

Published documents

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Classifications

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Award information

Items

Additional Classifications

Delivery locations

Value

Suppliers

Contract period

Renewal

Related lots

Documents

Milestones

Recorded locations

Notice and amendment history

Award intelligence at a glance

Published outcome signals

Traceable procurement data

Approved, evidence-bound analysis

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