Velindre University NHS Trust direct award for Employment Tribunal legal advice

Tender information last checkedLast checked 8 Oct 2026, 15:16.

Opportunity overview

Provision of specialist legal advice and support in relation to an ongoing Employment Tribunal claim for Velindre University NHS Trust. The contract will provide ongoing employment law advice, strategic case management support, assistance with witness evidence and documentation, advice on legal risks and procedural matters, and support in preparation for Tribunal proceedings. A direct award to Bates Wells is proposed to ensure continuity of service, avoid delays and duplication of costs, and maintain access to specialist knowledge already established through previous support on this matter.Please note NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust) will manage this procurement on behalf of the contracting authority. Due to having the same identifiers, we're unable to reflect this in the notice options.

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.

Bate Wells

Match pending…

Published award value: £500k
Awarded: 28 Sept 2026
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

Contract award 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

Legal basis

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

Lots and requirements

Entry 1

Id: 1
Status: complete

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 3UZ
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: publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description: Public authority - sub-central government

Entry 2

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

Organisation 2

Name: Bate 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

Roles

supplier

Details

Scale: large
Vcse: No
Public Service Mission Organization: No
Sheltered Workshop: No

Award information

Award 1

Id: 1
Title: Legal Advice for Employment Tribunal
Status: pending
Date: 29 Sept 2026, 00:00
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: Bate Wells

Standstill Period

Ends: 19 Oct 2026, 23:59

Contract period

Starts: 25 Oct 2026, 00:00
Ends: 24 Oct 2027, 23:59
Max Extent Date: 23 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: 095232-2026
Document Type: awardNotice
Notice Type: UK6
Description: Contract award notice on Find a Tender
Url: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095232-2026 ↗
Published: 8 Oct 2026, 14:01
Format: text/html

Milestones

Entry 1

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

Recorded locations

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

Notice and amendment history

2 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

2 VERSIONS

095167-2026Transparency notice on Find a Tender · 8 Oct 2026, 12:35
095232-2026Contract award notice on Find a Tender · 8 Oct 2026, 14:01

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 pending direct award to Bate Wells for specialist legal advice and support relating to an ongoing Employment Tribunal claim. The published award value is £500,000 excluding VAT (£600,000 including VAT).

Published outcome signals

Notice statusContract award notice published; tender and lot marked complete, while Award 1 remains pending.Evidence: Process display status is awarded; tender status and Lot 1 status are complete; Award 1 status is pending.
Contract conclusionNot evidenced as signed or concluded.Evidence: Award 1 is pending and lists a future signature milestone scheduled for 23 October 2026.
Scheduled signature date23 October 2026Evidence: Award milestone type futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 2026-10-23T23:59:59+01:00.

96% approved-analysis confidence1 supplier record analysed4 source limitations

SOURCE AND FRESHNESS

Traceable procurement data

Source: Find a Tender
Notice reference: 095232-2026
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0783aa
First published: 8 Oct 2026
Last checked: 8 Oct 2026, 15:16
Notice versions reviewed: 2

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: 11 Oct 2026

Read the analysis methodology →

AWARD OUTCOME

What happened

Published outcome

Award 1 is pending, not concluded or signed. The notice schedules signature for 23 October 2026, with an initial term scheduled from 25 October 2026 to 24 October 2027.

Market significance

This is an above-threshold, single-supplier legal-services direct award. The buyer cites continuity, avoidance of delay and duplicated costs, and existing specialist knowledge as reasons for the proposed direct award.

AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS

1 supplier record analysed

Bate Wells

98% confidence

Award 1 · Lots 1 · £500,000 excluding VAT; £600,000 including VAT (award-level value) GBP · Pending award

View supporting evidence

Award 1 names supplier Bate Wells, relates to Lot 1, has pending status, and records amount £500,000 and amountGross £600,000.

LIFECYCLE

Award or contract stage

Notice status

98% confidence

Contract award notice published; tender and lot marked complete, while Award 1 remains pending.

View supporting evidence

Process display status is awarded; tender status and Lot 1 status are complete; Award 1 status is pending.

Contract conclusion

99% confidence

Not evidenced as signed or concluded.

View supporting evidence

Award 1 is pending and lists a future signature milestone scheduled for 23 October 2026.

Scheduled signature date

99% confidence

23 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Award milestone type futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 2026-10-23T23:59:59+01:00.

VALUES

Published values explained

Award value excluding VAT

99% confidence

£500,000

View supporting evidence

Award 1 value amount is 500000 GBP.

Award value including VAT

99% confidence

£600,000

View supporting evidence

Award 1 value amountGross is 600000 GBP.

Value allocation

95% confidence

The published value is allocated to Award 1, which has one named supplier and relates to Lot 1.

View supporting evidence

Award 1 names Bate Wells and relatedLot 1.

TIMELINE

Procurement timeline

Award decision date

99% confidence

29 September 2026

View supporting evidence

Award 1 date is 2026-09-29.

Transparency notice publication

98% confidence

8 October 2026, 12:35 BST

View supporting evidence

Release history records transparency notice 095167-2026 at 2026-10-08T12:35:59+01:00.

Contract award notice publication

99% confidence

8 October 2026, 14:01 BST

View supporting evidence

Award notice 095232-2026 was published at 2026-10-08T14:01:38+01:00.

Standstill end

99% confidence

19 October 2026, 23:59 BST

View supporting evidence

Award 1 standstillPeriod endDate is 2026-10-19T23:59:59+01:00.

Scheduled initial term

99% confidence

25 October 2026 to 24 October 2027

View supporting evidence

Award 1 contractPeriod startDate is 2026-10-25 and endDate is 2027-10-24.

Maximum potential end date

99% confidence

23 October 2028

View supporting evidence

Award 1 contractPeriod maxExtentDate is 2028-10-23.

SCOPE

What was awarded

Requirement

99% confidence

Specialist legal advice and support for an ongoing Employment Tribunal claim.

View supporting evidence

Published description states provision of specialist legal advice and support in relation to an ongoing Employment Tribunal claim.

Services described

99% confidence

Employment-law advice, strategic case management, witness evidence and documentation support, legal-risk and procedural advice, and Tribunal preparation.

View supporting evidence

Published description lists these service elements.

Service classification

99% confidence

CPV 79110000 — Legal advisory and representation services.

View supporting evidence

Award item additional classification is CPV 79110000.

Delivery area

96% confidence

UKL22, Wales.

View supporting evidence

Award item delivery address region is UKL22.

PROCEDURE

Procedure and competition

Procurement route

99% confidence

Direct award

View supporting evidence

Tender procurementMethod and procurementMethodDetails are recorded as direct / Direct award.

Competition information

99% confidence

No bid count, competing suppliers, evaluation scores or ranking information was supplied in the published notice.

View supporting evidence

No such fields are present in the supplied award data.

Published rationale

99% confidence

The buyer says the proposed direct award supports continuity, avoids delays and duplicated costs, and retains specialist knowledge established through previous support on the matter.

View supporting evidence

Tender description gives these reasons for the proposed direct award.

Threshold status

99% confidence

Above threshold

View supporting evidence

Award 1 aboveThreshold is true.

CONTRACT TERMS

Published contract terms

Initial term

99% confidence

Scheduled for 12 months, from 25 October 2026 to 24 October 2027.

View supporting evidence

Published contract period start and end dates.

Extension option

99% confidence

Up to a further 12 months, exercisable in two six-month tranches subject to satisfactory performance, continuing requirements and Trust approval.

View supporting evidence

Award renewal description states these conditions and structure.

Maximum potential term

98% confidence

Up to 24 months, ending no later than 23 October 2028 if the extension is exercised.

View supporting evidence

Initial end date is 24 October 2027 and maximum extent date is 23 October 2028.

COMMERCIAL VIEW

Commercial observations

Continuity-led procurement

97% confidence

The stated rationale indicates that continuity and prior matter-specific knowledge were material considerations in the proposed direct award.

View supporting evidence

The description cites continuity of service and specialist knowledge already established through previous support.

Demand profile

96% confidence

The requirement concerns support for a live Employment Tribunal matter, rather than a general legal-services panel described in the notice.

View supporting evidence

The description explicitly refers to an ongoing Employment Tribunal claim and specified case-support activities.

ANALYSIS QUALITY

96%overall confidence

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

Reference: ocds-h6vhtk-0783aa
Analysed: 11 Oct 2026

APPROVED AWARD ANALYSIS

BUYER CONTEXT

Buyer context

Contracting authority

99% confidence

Velindre University NHS Trust

View supporting evidence

Process buyer_name and buyer party identify Velindre University NHS Trust.

Procurement management

98% confidence

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust, will manage the procurement on behalf of the contracting authority.

View supporting evidence

Tender description states this arrangement.

Authority type

99% confidence

Public authority — sub-central government; Welsh devolved regulations apply.

View supporting evidence

Buyer party classifications state these details.

Buyer location

99% confidence

Cardiff, United Kingdom

View supporting evidence

Buyer address locality is Cardiff.

SUPPLIER CONTEXT

Supplier context

Named supplier

99% confidence

Bate Wells

View supporting evidence

Supplier party and Award 1 supplier both name Bate Wells.

Supplier identifier

99% confidence

GB-PPON-PZRV-8111-PTBJ

View supporting evidence

Supplier identifier is recorded under the GB-PPON scheme.

Published supplier characteristics

97% confidence

Large organisation; not identified as VCSE, a public service mutual, or a sheltered workshop.

View supporting evidence

Supplier party details contain scale large and the listed boolean characteristics.

RENEWAL OUTLOOK

Renewal outlook

Extension decision window

90% confidence

Estimate: any extension decision would need to occur before the scheduled initial end date of 24 October 2027; no decision date is published.

View supporting evidence

The initial term ends 24 October 2027 and the notice provides a conditional extension option but no exercise date.

Potential extended end date

98% confidence

Estimate: 23 October 2028 if the full published extension option is exercised.

View supporting evidence

Award maxExtentDate is 2028-10-23.

DATA QUALITY

Gaps and source limitations

Pending award status

99% confidence

The record is a published contract award notice, but Award 1 is pending and signature is only scheduled. It should not be described as an active, signed or concluded contract.

View supporting evidence

Award status is pending; futureSignatureDate milestone is scheduled for 23 October 2026.

Supplier-name limitation

99% confidence

The supplier identity workflow is marked not applicable and provides no verified legal company name or company number. Bate Wells is therefore reported as the source-named supplier, not as Companies House-verified identity.

View supporting evidence

Supplier verification status is not_applicable; verified_company_name and verified_company_number are null.

Lot detail limitation

99% confidence

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

View supporting evidence

Lot 1 title, description and value fields are null.

Information not supplied in the published notice

99% confidence

No tender deadline, bid count, evaluation detail, pricing breakdown or signed-contract evidence is supplied.

View supporting evidence

Relevant fields are absent or null in the supplied data.

SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS

Information not supplied in the published notice

The award remains pending; publication does not evidence a signed, concluded or active contract.
The supplier identity workflow is not applicable and does not provide a verified legal company name or company number; Bate Wells is the source-named supplier.
Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
Information not supplied in the published notice includes bid numbers, evaluation and scoring details, tender deadline, pricing breakdown, and signed-contract documentation.

MARKET THEMES

Relevant award themes

COMMON QUESTIONS

About this award

Who is the named supplier?

The published award names Bate Wells as supplier. No verified legal company name was supplied in the identity data.

What is the value of the award?

The published Award 1 value is £500,000 excluding VAT and £600,000 including VAT.

Has the contract been signed?

No signed or concluded contract is evidenced. The award is pending and signature is scheduled for 23 October 2026.

How long could the arrangement run?

The scheduled initial term is 25 October 2026 to 24 October 2027, with an optional further 12 months and a maximum published end date of 23 October 2028.

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

Bate Wells

Classification

Lots

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Scope, procedure and submissions

Legal basis

Lots and requirements

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Classifications

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Award information

Items

Additional Classifications

Delivery locations

Value

Suppliers

Standstill Period

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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