Heuking Procurement team advises NRW Ministry of Construction on framework contract initiative for urban land use planning
The Ministry for Home Affairs, Municipal Affairs, Construction, and Equality of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia launched a framework contract initiative for urban land use planning to enable municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia, among other things, to quickly move forward with reconstruction after the flooding in an uncomplicated manner. The Ministry, which actively supports cities and municipalities in planning more quickly, was legally advised by the Heuking procurement law team led by Düsseldorf-based Partners Ute Jasper and Laurence Westen.
With a pool of experts for planning and assessor services secured by the framework contract, the municipalities will be enabled to accelerate urban land use planning procedures without sacrificing quality. As secondary contracting entities, the municipalities will be able to draw on a variety of services without having to award contracts.
“We are pleased to have been able to launch such a groundbreaking project jointly with the Ministry,” said Laurence Westen. Ute Jasper added, “Bids for the framework contracts are only invited once as a package for all interested municipalities. Subsequently, the municipalities may directly contact the planners and experts that they need.”
As the central procurement agency, NRW.URBAN has already drawn up service specifications. The municipalities are not obligated to use the framework contract. The municipal umbrella organizations, the NRW Chamber of Architects, and the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Civil Engineers are accompanying and supporting the implementation of the framework contract initiative.
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek’s Public Sector & Public Procurement department has been one of the best public procurement law firms for years. Its lawyers advise on awards, restructuring, major projects, and cooperation in the public sector. They have advised on several hundred federal, state, and local government projects with a total volume in excess of EUR 40 billion, without any procedure having been successfully challenged to date.
Dr. Ute Jasper is one of the most renowned lawyers for public sector procurement and infrastructure projects. She advises federal and state ministries, municipalities, and businesses, particularly on innovative and complex projects. Ute Jasper heads Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek’s “Public Sector & Public Procurement” department. For years, she has been ranked number one in Public Procurement Law in JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, most recently in its 2021/2022 issue, and is the “premier contact on the market” for infrastructure according to “Law Firms in Germany.” In October 2016, she received the JUVE Award for Regulated Industries with her team.
Dr. Laurence M. Westen is a lawyer and has been a Partner in the “Public Sector & Public Procurement" practice group, Düsseldorf, since 2020. His practice focuses on advising public sector clients on awarding major projects and defending against applications for review.
