Academisation Legal Support · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: Liverpool City Council (Local council)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition

Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: North West (UKD72)

Awarded value£60,000published contract · exc. VAT

Awarded 24 Mar 2026no call for competition

Awarded to Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Under section 5B of the Academies Act 2010 (as amended), Liverpool City Council has a statutory duty to take all reasonable steps to facilitate school academisation. This requires the Council to assist with the granting of land interests, typically via a lease, and the transfer of school assets, contracts, and staff.

CPV: Legal services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1Awarded

Delivery: North West

79100000 Legal services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis: CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold: Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered: Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 24 Mar 2026, 11:28 GMT
Last source update: 24 Mar 2026, 11:28 GMT
Authority reference: DN808826
FTS notice number: 2026/S 000-026704
Classification (CPV): Legal services
Delivery area: North West (UKD72)
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-067279 Find a Tender

Why no open competition: The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons
Published justification: Due to the highly specialised nature of academy conversions and the strict deadlines imposed by the Secretary of State for Education, the Council appointed Womble Bond Dickinson Ltd for an initial 12-month period.
Womble Bond Dickinson is currently managing two active conversions, making it technically and operationally infeasible to switch suppliers mid-process.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value £60,0001 contract exc. VAT

Bids received 1

Contracts signed 1latest 24 Mar 2026

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP	£60,000 †	—	Awarded

Contracts

Contract 026704-2026-DN808826-1 · Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
Signed
24 Mar 2026
Value
£60,000
Status
active

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
1bids	—	—	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Liverpool City Council

Contracting authorityLocal CouncilRegional or local authorityEducation Cunard Building, Liverpool, North West, L31DSContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLPAwarded supplierGB-COH: OC317661 4 MORE LONDON RIVERSIDE, LONDON, London, SE1 2AU

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.