Public procurement counsel, from tender notice to final delivery
Gemma Legal is the practice of Gemma Franco, a Spanish and Catalan lawyer specialised in public tenders. I accompany bidding companies so that they submit competitive bids that fit the tender specifications, and I help contracting authorities design sound procedures that pass prior review and appeals without problems.
A tender has two parties: the company that submits the bid and the body that runs the procedure. I work with both
Winning a contract and running a procedure are different disciplines. I have worked inside contracting and audit bodies, and I know what lies beyond the financial offer: the documentation that is required, reading the tender documents to detect what the contracting authority really needs, and how the procurement platforms work. That is why I understand the procedure from the inside and help companies bid well prepared.
Winning the work
Find the right opportunities, read the specifications precisely, and submit offers that are competitive and administratively sound. Fewer exclusions on technicalities, cleaner scoring, and a bid that says exactly what the authority needs to see.
Running the procedure
Drafting the technical and administrative tender documents, structuring lots and award criteria, and keeping a complete and well-grounded file. From the notice through to award and execution, the procedure stays coherent and in line with proper audit, both in prior and in subsequent control.
I have worked inside contracting authorities. Now I help companies prepare the bid they submit to them
I have drafted tender specifications, advised procurement boards and reviewed files in line with public sector audit standards. For a company bidding in a Spanish or Catalan procedure, this inside view is the difference between a compliant bid and one excluded for a formal defect.
Breaking down the tender documents, point by point
The technical and administrative tender documents determine the entire tender. I go through them with you so that you know exactly what is required and what could exclude your bid if overlooked.
Reviewing your documentation before submitting it
I check your bid against the requirements before submission, so that nothing is missing and everything is correctly identified and accurate when it reaches the contracting board.
Getting the formalities right the first time
Deadlines, guarantees and formal requirements are where good bids are lost. I advise you on the details that tend to go unnoticed and that are hard to fix once the bid has been submitted.
For companies bidding from abroad
Spain and Catalonia have their own procurement platforms, and the rules differ from those of most countries. I explain how the system really works, so that an international company competes on equal terms instead of losing ground to an unfamiliar procedure.
Where a procurement lawyer earns her keep
Focused work across the whole lifecycle of a public contract, in Spanish, Catalan and English.
Bid strategy and preparation
Opportunity review, eligibility and solvency checks, offer structuring, and submission on public procurement platforms.
Tender documentation
Drafting and reviewing technical and administrative specifications, procurement files, and lot design for contracting authorities.
EU and national compliance
Aligning procedures with EU directives and Spanish public-sector law, including electronic procurement and full traceability.
Appeals and review
Advice on the special appeal in procurement matters and on other administrative appeals. For companies, drafting and filing the appeal; for contracting authorities, advice on a possible appeal in a specific tender.
Contract execution and delivery
Monitoring of the correct performance of the contract once awarded: delivery and service deadlines, and possible modifications.
Audit and control
Prior and subsequent audit in line with applicable regulations and public sector standards, including in EU-funded contracts.
My work in numbers
A summary of my experience by volume and type: the files I have managed as contracting authority and as audit body, the procedures I have handled, the contract types and the awarded amounts.
Hover over or tap each part of the chart to see the exact number.
Files managed
Procedure type
- Simplified open procedure38%40
- Open procedure35%37
- Abridged simplified open procedure19%20
- Negotiated procedure without publicity2%2
- Harmonized procedure3%3
- Contract based on framework agreement4%4
Contract type
- Services71%72
- Supplies19%19
- Works8%8
- Service concession1%1
- Special administrative contract1%1
Complexity by awarded amount
- Up to €50,00048%48
- €50,000 to €300,00042%42
- Over €300,00010%10
Public money deserves procedures that are correct, competitive and consistent with rigorous audit.
A lawyer who knows tendering from the inside
I am a lawyer specialised in public procurement, contract law and compliance in the public sector. My experience covers regional government and public sector audit and control, so I understand a procedure from the body that publishes it and from the audit function that controls it.
As a public procurement officer, I have led the drafting and legal review of tender documentation and administrative tender specifications, coordinated contracting boards and ensured a coherent legal interpretation across technical and administrative units. In audit and control roles, I have carried out prior and subsequent audit, drafted reports on EU funding and subsidies and handled special appeals in procurement matters.
I currently work as an independent consultant and take on remote assignments with clients across Spain and the rest of the European Union.
Do you have a tender on your hands?
Whether you are preparing a bid or running a procedure, the earlier we start, the stronger your position. Tell me what you are working on and your deadline.