Andrew Dean
As a London-based partner in our Commercial practice, I support clients at the intersection of government and business.
I focus on market-first and internationally significant transactions, contentious procurement and public law matters, as well as regulatory and policy development. With extensive experience representing both government and business entities in the UK and internationally, I have a deep understanding of the pathways and strategies required to transact and engage effectively in these areas, helping clients achieve their strategic objectives in increasingly complex and uncertain markets.
I am a trusted advisor to governments, statutory corporations and utilities on their most complex and strategically important projects, advising on all aspects of procurement and public law. I have extensive experience across a range of transaction types such as procurements, PPPs, large-scale outsourcing and technology transactions, divestments, M&A and financial assistance, with a particular focus on regulated sectors such as infrastructure, energy, defence, telecoms, transport, and water.
I also advise domestic and multinational suppliers, lenders, and investors on how to do business with government, ensuring they are well-placed to secure must-win government contracts.
I have developed a distinctive public law and public affairs practice helping clients to navigate challenges and business critical threats from shifts in policy and regulation, as the geopolitical landscape evolves. I have a deep and unique understanding of the inner workings of government and parliament, developed during my time working as a senior lawyer for the UK Government, where I spent six years advising senior civil servants and ministers on complex transactions and UK regulation and policy post-Brexit.
I'm an advocate for inclusion and championing diversity and equity is something I am committed to in both my professional and personal life. I believe in fostering an inclusive work environment and have been involved in various initiatives focusing on social mobility, disability and neurodiversity. Beyond the workplace, I mentor young professionals from under-represented groups, and I have served as a trustee and school governor for a local multi-academy trust.
Practice Area
Panel
- Case Analysis Panel
Qualified Year
- 2009
Membership
- Procurement Lawyers Association (PLA)
- Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)
Education
- Lancaster University
- College of Law
5 Contributions by Andrew Dean
PRACTICE NOTES
Applicability of the EU Public Sector Directive (2014/24/EU): works, supplies and services, thresholds, contracting authorities, mixed contracts and key exclusions
This Practice Note summarises the applicability and scope of Directive 2014/24/EU (the EU Public Sector Directive) to specific procurements. To establish whether the Directive applies, a contracting authority should consider four principal questions:
does the contract fall within the definitions of public works, services or supply contracts?
is the contract being awarded by a contracting authority?
is the relevant EU threshold exceeded?
is the contract, on an exceptional basis, excluded from the Directive’s scope?
Does the contract fall within the definition of public works, services or supply contracts?
Public works contract
A public works contract is a public contract the subject-matter of which comprises any of the following:
the execution, or both the design and execution, of works related to one of the activities within the meaning of Annex II
the execution, or both the design and execution, of a work
the realisation, by whatever means, of a work meeting requirements set by the contracting authority, which exercises a decisive influence over the type or design of the work
Annex II sets out activities constituting works, which include, for example:
construction
site preparation
demolition and wrecking
...
EU Law
PRACTICE NOTES
EU Public Procurement Directives: Thresholds (2024-2026), Legal Bases, Contract Valuation and Aggregation, Below-Threshold Cross-Border Duties, and the Light-Touch Regime
This Practice Note outlines the threshold values that trigger the applicability of the EU public procurement Directives and the legal sources underpinning them.
Relevance and setting of thresholds
The EU public procurement Directives apply to contracts where the estimated value does not fall below the relevant threshold stated in each Directive (see Practice Note: The applicability of EU public procurement). These requirements are contained in:
Article 4 of Directive 2014/24/EU, the EU Public Contracts Directive
Article 15 of Directive 2014/25/EU, the EU Utilities Directive
Article 95 of the EU Utilities Directive, which also sets a threshold for design contests run as part of a services procurement procedure above the applicable threshold. This threshold is the estimated value of the services contract net of VAT, including any potential prizes and/or payments to participants
Article 8 of Directive 2014/23/EU, the EU Concession Directive
Article 8 of Directive 2009/81/EC—Directive on defence and sensitive security procurement
The thresholds for the three main Directives are fixed for two-year periods. The Commission is required to verify and, where necessary, revise the thresholds every two years. The most recent revision took effect on 1 January 2026 and will remain in place until...
EU Law
PRACTICE NOTES
EU Public Procurement: Directives, Remedies, CJEU case law, core principles, defence/security, concessions, e-procurement, green procurement, foreign subsidies and support for major infrastructure
Public procurement describes how public bodies, including central government departments and local councils, buy works (for example, construction), goods or services from private sector providers. Each year, more than 250,000 contracting authorities across the EU allocate about 14% of GDP (approximately €2 trillion annually) to acquiring services, works and supplies.
The EU public procurement Directives
At EU level, a number of institutions take part in shaping and enforcing public procurement law. The European Commission prepares legislative initiatives, implements decisions of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, and ensures that public procurement Directives are upheld. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) examines whether Member States satisfy their obligations under the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and under EU law. Both the Council of the EU and the European Parliament legislate jointly, while the Commission supervises their implementation. The EU typically adopts its policies through Regulations, Directives, Decisions, Recommendations and Opinions, as provided for in Article 288 of the TFEU. Regulations and Directives are the chief instruments by which legal rules are put into effect across the whole EU. The EU public procurement regime is mainly derived from a series...
EU Law
CHECKLISTS
Procurement Act 2023 Special Regime and Below-Threshold Contracts: Checklist of Thresholds, Derogations and Exemptions for Concession, Defence and Security, Light Touch and Utilities
This guidance sits within the Procurement Act 2023 framework and focuses on public procurement under the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023). New in-scope procurements must run under PA 2023. For background on the regime, see Practice Note: Introduction to the Procurement Act 2023-PA 2023. Procurements launched before PA 2023 began on 24 February 2025 remain under the prior legislation-the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, SI 2015/102; the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, SI 2016/274; the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, SI 2016/273; and the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011, SI 2011/1848. For headline differences from the old regime, see Checklist: Procurement Act 2023-key changes. For transitional details, see Practice Note: Procurement Act 2023 transitional and saving arrangements-PA 2023.
Special regime contracts
This Checklist gives a quick reference to the core features of special regime contracts under PA 2023. PA 2023, s 10(6) defines a special regime contract as:
a concession contract (see PA 2023, s 8)
a defence and security contract (see PA 2023, s 7)
a light touch contract (see PA 2023, s 9)...
Public Law
FLOWCHARTS
Procurement Act 2023: Flowchart on Covered Procurement Scope and Transitional Arrangements
Checklist
This checklist outlines the principal matters to consider when preparing or assessing an outsourcing agreement. It addresses central legal, regulatory and practical questions that arise in outsourcing arrangements, while excluding sectors that carry bespoke regulatory regimes, such as health or financial services. For overarching guidance on outsourcing, consult Practice Note: Outsourcing—key terms. For discussion of negotiation points you are likely to encounter, see Practice Notes: Negotiation guide—services agreements and Negotiation guide—IT contracts. As you progress through the checklist, the third column can be used to capture observations or comments as each point is considered...
Further information
Notes (if any)
Initial considerations
What is the customer’s main reason for outsourcing? Knowing the driver—e.g. cutting costs, enhancing service quality, or obtaining a function the customer lacks the capability to deliver internally—will help. Also think about the breadth of the outsourcing, whether a service improvement mechanism is desired, and if value for money will be tested by benchmarking (see below)...
Confirm whether any existing arrangements would stop your organisation or client from entering the agreement...
Public Law
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