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Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 28 Aug 2025, 23:27 BST

Official UK procurement notice

EKC Group Retained Legal Advice and Services 2025

Official notice

Authority: East Kent Colleges Group (Education)

ServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdReserved: K02000001SME suitable
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: South East (UKJ)
Published estimate£90,000≈ £30k / year · £108,000 inc. VAT5.1% above final estimate
Submissions closed 22 Sept 2025awarded 27 Nov 2025
Awarded to VWV Solicitors LLP, Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP
Contract term 3 yrsends 8 Jan 2029 · extension options published · starts 9 Jan 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

TENDER REQUIREMENTS

This project is to procure Retained Legal Advice and Services which:

  1. Provide ad-hoc access to a professional and legislatively sound advice and guidance service and paid at an agreed fixed fee each month or on an annual fee basis in the following nine key areas (non-exhaustive list):

a. Education law/student matters including disability discrimination, SEND, safeguarding, admissions and exclusions and service complaints;

b. Corporate governance and subsidiary company advice;

c. Freedom of information;

d. Health and safety;

e. Data protection;

f. Contracts, terms and conditions, service level agreements etc.;

g. Property disputes, leases, land and building matters, including capital projects;

h. Contractual disputes with third parties and;

i. General advice on issues affecting the running of the Group.

  1. Provide unlimited telephone and email advice on a range of areas as detailed in the ITT Document (including those listed above)
  2. Provide access and communicate with up to five specific members of the team, to be specified in the agreement as necessary.
  3. Provide advice and guidance which adds value e.g. challenging assumptions and information provided. This will also include the provision of free briefings/update sessions/webinars on key legal changes as they arise e.g. circa 2 or 3 hours per annum.

CPV: Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Awarded 3 yrsSMEPublished value£90,000
Contract period: 9 Jan 2026 – 8 Jan 2029 (3 yrs)Value: £90,000 exc. VAT · £108,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: South EastEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: In some circumstances EKC Group may launch business innovations projects requiring additional contract negotiation and drafting support from its retained legal advisers. This may be on an ad hoc basis, and as such, it is necessary to include options for this within the scope of this procurement process.
79000000 Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)1
  • Condition of participation

    Ideally, participants should be approximately within 50 miles of Canterbury, UK.

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored

Lot awarding rule: Service Delivery Requirements: 40% for this overall section Quality and relevance of the experience of the proposed legal team: 20% for this overall section Cultural Fit & Corporate Social Responsibility: 10% for this overall section Added Value: 10% for this overall section Pricing, Value For Money & Management of Public Money: 20% for this overall section See attached files for full criteria, query contact details, and submissions instructions.

Conditions of participation1
  • Condition of participation

    Ideally, participants should be approximately within 50 miles of Canterbury, UK.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Below threshold
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
28 Aug 2025, 23:27 BST
Last source update
26 Apr 2026, 11:42 BST
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-052242
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Delivery area
South East (UKJ)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-058fe7 Find a Tender
Contract terms
Reserved participation area
K02000001

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
22 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
Clarification deadline
4 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
Electronic submission
Not allowed
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Note:

QUESTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

Questions and clarifications to be sent to: [email protected]

Queries must be sent to this box within the windows for clarifications set out in the Invitation to Tender timeline.

MAKING A TENDER SUBMISSION

Submission ONLY to be sent to: [email protected]

The submissions box will not be opened until Tuesday, 23 September 2025

Timeline

28 Aug 2025 → 26 Apr 2026 · 5 dates
  1. Tender notice published
    28 Aug 2025, 23:27 BST
  2. Clarification questions by
    4 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
  3. Submission deadline395 days ago
    22 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
  4. Contract starts286 days ago
    9 Jan 2026
  5. Latest notice published179 days ago
    26 Apr 2026, 11:42 BST

Notice history

8 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 28 Aug 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    28 Aug 2025, 23:27 BST
    UK4
  2. Tender notice published
    4 Sept 2025, 16:19 BST
    UK4
  3. Tender notice published
    12 Sept 2025, 17:03 BST
    UK4
  4. Tender notice published
    16 Sept 2025, 12:03 BST
    UK4
  5. Contract award notice published
    2 Jan 2026, 18:20 GMT
    UK6
  6. Status changed to complete
    2 Jan 2026, 18:20 GMT
  7. Contract signature expected
    27 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  8. Contract details notice published
    26 Apr 2026, 11:42 BST
    UK7
Published amendments (3)

In line with the questions and clarifications window the first three sets of Questions & Answers documents have been uploaded in the Documents Section for all prospective tenders to receive the same guidance. - Clarifications and Guidance 1 - Clarifications and Guidance 2 - Clarifications and Guidance 3 now available for download. Further clarifications are estimated to be added to Documents Sec…

Clarifications and Guidance Documents 4 to 11 available for download and consideration.

Clarifications and Guidance document 6 - version 2.0 Re-uploaded for improved accessibility.

Routine re-releases (6)
  • 2025-09: 2 releases · 4 Sept 2025, 12 Sept 2025
  • 2025-08: 1 release · 28 Aug 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £94,5751 award exc. VAT
Bids received 3
Contracts signed 1latest 26 Jan 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
VWV Solicitors LLP, Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLPjoint awardEast Kent Colleges Group (EKC) : Retained Legal Advice & Service 20262 Feb 2026 – 1 Feb 2029 · up to 1 Feb 2030Extensions: In the event that the Group is satisfied with the service provision, the option for a One-year extension can be utilised to continue the service with VWV LLP Solicitors. · Options: Should additional areas of legal advice or services be required, these will be negotiated between the parties. The key 9 areas set out in the Invitation to Tender were stated to be be non-exhaustive.£94,57527 Nov 2025Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · VWV Solicitors LLP, Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP

    Signed
    26 Jan 2026
    Value
    £94,575
    Period
    2 Feb 2026 – 1 Feb 2029 · up to 1 Feb 2030 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Contract may be extended by one year at EKC Group's discretion should all service requirements be satisfied
    Options
    Should the need for additional legal service areas be required, EKC Group may request these from the retained legal service provider.

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
3final-stage tenders · 10 at stage one00—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

East Kent Colleges Group

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PYPY-4814-DDBH · GB-UKPRN: 10006570 Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs, South East, CT10 1PNContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

2 commercial parties on the notice
  • VEALE WASBROUGH VIZARDS LLPAwarded supplierGB-COH: OC384033GB-PPON: PTVR-2428-HJBZ Narrow Quay House, Narrow Quay, Bristol, South West, BS1 4QAContact email
  • VWV Solicitors LLPAwarded supplier 24 King William Street, London, London, EC4R 9ATContact email, phone

Official documents & specifications (19)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Show 5 more documents

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender