Hiring of External Legal Counsel Services

The Audit Oversight Board (AOB), based in Islamabad, is procuring professional legal services for the position of External Legal Counsel. This contract is for a one-year term with the possibility of extension under mutually agreed terms. The scope includes monthly retainership services covering consultation, advice, opinions, and review of correspondence, as well as representation in courts including lower courts, High Courts, and the Supreme Court on assignment basis. The department requires firms with a presence outside Islamabad, registered with the relevant taxation authorities, and appearing on the Active Taxpayers List (ATL) of FBR. The technical scope demands firms with personnel holding law degrees from HEC-recognized universities, advocates enrolled in High Courts, preferably Supreme Court, with at least 15 years of experience. Preference is given to firms with regulatory experience and prior work with quasi-judicial government bodies. Bidders must submit separate technical and financial bids in sealed envelopes marked accordingly. The bids will be evaluated with 80% weight on technical criteria and 20% on financial proposals. Interested firms must ensure compliance with all bid submission requirements including Earnest Money declaration, valid NTN certificates, firm profiles, and proof of ATL registration. The deadline for submission is 20th May 2026 by 3:00 p.m. at the Audit Oversight Board office located at 1406, 14th floor, ISE Towers, 55-B Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area, Islamabad. The bid opening will follow at 3:30 p.m. on the same day. A practical tip for bidders is to carefully prepare the technical bid with all required supporting documents and ensure the firm's ATL status is active on the bid opening date to avoid disqualification. Strict adherence to the bid submission instructions and timelines is crucial for successful participation in this tender.