Official UK procurement notice
LUV01372 - Tax Advisory Services
Authority: University of Leicester (Education)·Consortium: 3 public authorities
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Universities of Leicester, Aston and De Montfort (DMU, and together “the Universities”) are all academic and research Universities with thriving student communities and a reputation for academic and research excellence. As such the Universities operate in a complicated legal and regulatory environment and intend to establish a non-exclusive framework of professional tax advice for the Universities and their subsidiary companies. The framework term will be four years in total (2+1+1) – with each university having the option to either extend or leave after each term renewal . The framework will be split into three lots as detailed below with up to five suppliers envisaged to populate each lot:
Lot 1 UK Value Added Tax advice
Lot 2 Other UK Tax advice (Inc but not limited to Corporation tax review and compliance, Customs Duties, Employment Related and other UK tax advisory services)
Lot 3 International Tax advice (Inc but not limited to compliance and advisory services, Corporation tax, overseas VAT/GST relating to the consequences of overseas operations) (Non-UK, EU and Outside EU)
CPV: Tax consultancy services · Tax-return preparation services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Places
- up to 15 suppliers · 8 bids on the busiest of 3 lots (0.5 per place) · 7 appointed
- Framework period
- 4 yrs from 1 May 2026
- Buyer regions
- UKF21, UKG31
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- N/A
Who may buy through it
University of Leicester, De Montfort University, Aston University.
Published description of the framework
The successful suppliers will principally be called upon to support the work of each University’s Tax Offices, who have day to day responsibility or oversight of all direct and indirect taxes.
The successful suppliers must possess the skills and expertise required to support each of the University’s Tax Strategies. The Universities aim to be compliant whilst legitimately minimising tax costs and fostering strong long-term relationships with tax authorities, rather than pursuing aggressive tax planning schemes.
Tax Office staff are experienced and aim to work in a collaborative way with advisers. There are regular suggestions of new activities that are brought to the Tax Office by colleagues. These potential projects can be rapidly aborted/changed where potential tax or other disadvantages are identified. Our advisers need to be able to provide suitably experienced personnel to be able to talk through/provide high level advice on potential risk areas so that a decision can be made about whether the project might proceed, before comprehensive advice is sought. Therefore, good communication is essential, including virtual and face-to-face meetings where requested.
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published value · same conditions of participation on every lot · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1UK Value Added Tax adviceAwardedPublished value£1,200,000
•Lot 1 UK Value Added Tax advice
oMaximising VAT recoveries on capital projects including methodologies, options to tax, Relevant Charitable Purpose, mechanics and timing of provisional and final claims for VAT recovery. Advice if required on compliance such as Capital Goods Scheme adjustments
oVAT implications of research contracts, seconded staff, transactions with the Student Union, catering, conferences, zero-rating, taxable supplies on property lettings, PESM adjustments, and miscellaneous VAT queries
oFuel & Power methodologies and calculations
oMiscellaneous VAT queries
oChanges in law and practice; VAT saving opportunities
oTechnical updates, webinars/events, 1 to 1 training support
- Economic & financial standing
See ITT
- Technical & professional ability
See ITT
Lot #2Other UK Tax advice (Inc but not limited to Corporation tax review and compliance, Customs Duties, Employment Related and other UK tax advisory services)AwardedPublished value£200,000
•Lot 2 Other UK Tax advice
oAnnual corporate tax compliance
oEmployment Taxes – miscellaneous employment related queries as they arise, including stipends/bursaries, volunteers, ad hoc incentives, national minimum wage
oCorporation Tax – impact and treatment of new projects, investment in LLP including disclosure in tax computations, group restructuring for loss making subsidiaries
oMiscellaneous UK tax advice
oChanges in law and practice; Tax saving opportunities
oTechnical updates, webinars/events, 1 to 1 training support
- Economic & financial standing
See ITT
- Technical & professional ability
See ITT
Lot #3International Tax advice (Inc but not limited to compliance and advisory services, Corporation tax, overseas VAT/GST relating to the consequences of overseas operations) (Non-UK, EU and Outside EU)AwardedPublished value£600,000
•Lot 3 International Tax advice
oOverseas Payroll compliance for small numbers of people (could be single person)
oGlobal mobility issues. There is an increasing occurrence of people being engaged/or desiring to work overseas. Usually, we wish to have high level advice on tax/social security obligations
oOverseas Corporation Tax advice i.e. withholding tax, overseas corporate income tax
oOverseas Tax compliance (where required). Including Corporate Income Tax filings, VAT/GST returns and similar
oAppendix 5 agreements and other opportunities
oInternational Sales Taxes i.e., distance learning
oCustoms Duties
oOther - such as permanent establishment risks
oChanges in law and practice; Tax saving opportunities
oTechnical updates, webinars/events, 1 to 1 training support
oAny other miscellaneous taxes or duties
- Economic & financial standing
See ITT
- Technical & professional ability
See ITT
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published award criteria (2)
- Price
- Quality
- Economic & financial standing
See ITT
- Technical & professional ability
See ITT
- Price carries 25 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “LUV01372 - Tax Advisory Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 15 suppliers, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- University of Leicester, De Montfort University, Aston University.
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 26 Jan 2026, 16:05 GMT
- Last source update
- 19 Jun 2026, 10:34 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 31 Mar 2026
- Authority reference
LUV01372- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-006800- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-060eecFind a Tender- Contract terms summary
N/A
- Risks
Supplier Non-Performance; Supplier Insolvency/Bankruptcy
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 25 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 23 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- call-off levy · N/A
Timeline
26 Jan 2026 → 30 Jun 2026 · 8 dates- Tender notice published273 days ago26 Jan 2026, 16:05 GMT
- Clarification questions by245 days ago23 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Admission / appointment period ends243 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown25 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by209 days ago31 Mar 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts179 days ago1 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent152 days ago28 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published129 days ago19 Jun 2026, 10:34 BST
- Standstill ends118 days ago30 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
Notice history
4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 26 Jan 2026- Tender notice published26 Jan 2026, 16:05 GMTUK4
- Contract award notice published19 Jun 2026, 10:34 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete19 Jun 2026, 10:34 BST
- Contract signature expected1 Jul 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecastBid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · UK Value Added Tax advice | 8final-stage tenders | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2 · Other UK Tax advice (Inc but not limited to Corporation tax review and compliance, Customs Duties, Employment Related and other UK tax advisory services) | 6final-stage tenders | 2 | 0 | — |
| 3 · International Tax advice (Inc but not limited to compliance and advisory services, Corporation tax, overseas VAT/GST relating to the consequences of overseas operations) (Non-UK, EU and Outside EU) | 3final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Aston UniversityContracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government
- De Montfort UniversityContracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government
Framework contractors & participating bidders
7 commercial parties on the notice- BDO LLPFramework contractor
- Big For Tax LimitedFramework contractor
- Deloitte LLPFramework contractor
- GRANT THORNTON UK ADVISORY & TAX LLPFramework contractor
- HenrysTMS LimitedFramework contractor
- KPMG LLPFramework contractor
- Xeinadin South Wales and West LtdFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender