Tom Ward

Associate, Bird & Bird

I am an associate in Bird & Bird's projects team, focusing on public sector, utilities, and private sector procurement. I have experience of supporting both public and private sector clients.

I have previously worked in central government and, therefore, have had first-hand experience of a public authority's ways of working and the external and internal pressures a public authority may encounter. I draw on this insight to take a practical and collaborative approach when advising both public and private sector clients to ensure that project objectives are achieved.

I have advised on a wide range of public procurement, public law, and subsidy control issues, including advising on and/or drafting of:

Public procurement: the strategy and structure of procurements – including exemptions to the relevant procurement regime; selection and award criteria; the running of procurements, including the establishment of DPSs and large infrastructure procurements; procurement documents, supporting documents, and contracts; the exclusion of tenderers including abnormally low tenders; the abandonment of procurements where necessary; direct awards of contracts; modifications to public contracts and framework agreements; and reports following the undertaking of public procurement audits.

Public Law: the interpretation of legislation and public bodies spending powers; risk of Judicial Review; memorandum of understandings for collaboration between public bodies; and conducting private and public law litigation.

State aid / subsidy control: EU State aid and subsidy control assessments (including WTO rules, the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the Withdrawal Agreement, the Northern Ireland Protocol, and the Subsidy Control Act 2022), including advising on appropriate subsidy control solutions (e.g., MFA, SPEI and the Subsidy Control Principles); and grant funding agreements.

I am a chair of a sub-committee of the SCL - Society for Computers and Law Public Sector Tech Group (PST) Committee. I am a member of the Procurement Lawyers Association.