EU Procurement Advice

LUPC can help Members answer those tricky EC questions by providing two authoritative and easy to use services via Achilles Information Ltd, one of the UK’s leading experts in EC procurement advice. 

Discounted THEMiS subscription

To ensure you are fully aware of the implications and updates to the EC procurement legislation, the latest guidance or recent Court cases, you can use Achilles’ EC system THEMiS. THEMiS includes court cases summarised by Professor Sue Arrowsmith, professor of law at Nottingham University, and an 'Ask Achilles' function for you to ask EC questions online. THEMiS also includes all OJEU notices which can be sent electronically, giving contracting authorities timescale discounts.

LUPC has negotiated a special rate on this user-friendly internet based system. The normal cost of THEMiS is £800 per user, but LUPC Members pay as little as £450, with additional user licences priced at £300 per organisation.  Contact Laura Taylor on 01235 838046 or laura.c.taylor@achilles.com for further details of how to join.

Free Achilles EC Procurement Support Service

If you have a particular EU procurement question you can get free advice from Achilles as part of your membership. 

Achilles has an expert team dedicated to EU Procurement legislation, with experience of advising on the interface between good commercial practice and the EU procurement regime. LUPC has made arrangements for Achilles expertise (which would normally be charged at a consultancy fee) to be included in the normal LUPC membership fee.

There are two routes, each with separate response times:

Subscription route:  LUPC have negotiated a reduced subscription rate. Currently a single user rate is £800 plus VAT.  LUPC’s rate is £450 plus VAT.  We have also agreed for subscribers a 7 working hour response to questions sent via “Ask Achilles”. Questions must be submitted via the “Ask Achilles” in Themis and an answer will be emailed back.

Non subscription route: LUPC have agreed a non subscription route where questions can be asked via themis@achilles.com. These questions will be answered within 48 working hours via an email response.

Not all questions can be covered by this service due to the nature of the complexity of the question.  Achilles will advise the member of this. For this rare occurrence, LUPC have agreed a reduced consultancy rate of £200/hour plus VAT (normal rate is £300/hour).