Open navigation
Search
Offices – United Kingdom
Explore all Offices
Global Reach

Apart from offering expert legal consultancy for local jurisdictions, CMS partners up with you to effectively navigate the complexities of global business and legal environments.

Explore our reach
Insights – United Kingdom
Explore all insights
Search
Expertise
Insights

CMS lawyers can provide future-facing advice for your business across a variety of specialisms and industries, worldwide.

Explore topics
Offices
Global Reach

Apart from offering expert legal consultancy for local jurisdictions, CMS partners up with you to effectively navigate the complexities of global business and legal environments.

Explore our reach
Insights
About CMS
UK Pay Gap Report 2024

Learn more

Select your region

The quality of public services is increasingly determined by the skilled procurement of suppliers, contractors and service providers. As a public authority, utility or company looking to contract with the public sector, you will need a deep understanding of how the procurement framework regulates your plans.

Acting for both private sector clients and public authorities enables us to offer innovative advice within the legal framework. We can guide you through complex tender procedures, not only if you are in the public sector but also in the defence, energy and utilities, infrastructure, lifesciences and healthcare, real estate and TMT and outsourcing sectors. We regularly advise on procurement complaints and challenges and have acted on cases before the courts in all three UK jurisdictions.

With over 100 public procurement specialists globally, we can lead your response to public tender procedures in different countries simultaneously. This means we cover all your complex public tender issues such as those regarding compliance with the procurement rules, the formation of bidding consortia, the exchange of sensitive data among competitors and the procurement of complex PPP projects or concessions. Should you need support before tribunals and courts across Europe or in front of the European Commission and ECJ, our experts can also provide the legal advice you need.

Our market leading practice advises on the structuring of complex projects in light of the procurement rules. We give commercially-focussed, practical advice, guiding clients through the process, managing risks, identifying solutions and challenging and defending award procedures.

Highlighted experience

  • Transport Scotland

    on the procurement of the contract for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry services (CHFS3) (est. value £3.9bn).

  • National Grid Ventures

    on the procurement of the 1.8GW LionLink interconnector between the UK and Netherlands.

  • Northern Ireland Water

    on its Major Project Partnering Framework (est. value £1.2bn); Water Rehabilitation Integrated Partnership Framework (est. value £270m); Professional Services Framework Agreements (est. value £800m).

  • The Common Services Agency (NHS National Services Scotland NSS)

    on its procurement of the Scottish Wide Area Network (SWAN) programme (est. value £350m) and in the related procurement challenge: Capita Business Services Limited v Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service [2023] CSOH 9.

  • National Grid / Scottish Power (EGL1)

    on the procurement of a 190km £2.5bn subsea HVDC link connecting the east coast of England with the east coast of Scotland via the North Sea (est. value £2.5bn).

  • Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and University College London

    on the new Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology (est. value £400m).

  • Commissioner for Northern Lighthouses/Northern Lighthouse Board

    on the procurement of aviation services (est. value £67m).

  • University of Glasgow

    on a range of public procurement matters across all of its spend categories, including construction framework agreements.

  • Transport Scotland

    on the A9 dualling programme.

  • Scottish Water and Scottish Water Horizons

    on heat and electricity from waste water projects.

  • A leading global healthcare company

    in a procurement challenge in the Court of Session.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "From original planning to the final outcome, the service levels and responsiveness from CMS were excellent."
    Chambers, 2024

Events

  • United Kingdom
    12 Feb 2026

    The Class Ceiling

Local market knowledge. Global outlook

We provide future-facing legal advice to help your organisation thrive. Combining local market knowledge and a global perspective, and with lawyers in locations worldwide, your organisation benefits from the expertise it needs, even across borders.

About CMS
People across CMS Find a Lawyer
7,200+ Lawyers
1,300+ Partners
Locations across CMS Find an office
50+ Countries
90+ Offices
21 Member firms
Back to top