Find a TenderAwarded without competitionTransparency notice
Published 9 Oct 2025, 11:23 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Provision of Legal Services to The University of Birmingham

Official notice

Authority: THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Education)

Direct awardSME suitable
Budget not disclosedValue not published
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP +4 more5 awards

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Summary:

The University of Birmingham previously established a framework agreement for the provision of legal services across a range of specialist areas relevant to the Higher Education sector. This framework supports the institution accessing high-quality legal expertise tailored to the complex and evolving needs of the sector.

Scope of Services:

The framework covers the following key work areas:

Information law

Academy sponsorship and governance matters

Higher Education Law, including authority duties, charity law, corporate governance, and compliance

Litigation (contracts, grants, personal injury, negligence, breach of statutory duty)

Land and property transactions (freehold, leasehold), property litigation, and minor agricultural tenancy matters

Commercial law (contracts, procurement, IT, research grants, IP, copyright, overseas operations)

Employment law (contentious and non-contentious), including health and safety, immigration, and pensions

Student-related matters (contractual, procedural, statutory, discrimination, litigation, immigration)

Licensing matters

Debt recovery litigation

Professional regulatory advice on legal practice

Banking, corporate, and spin-out support

Current Legal Services Provision:

The University of Birmingham's in-house legal department, led by the Director of Legal Services, handles a wide range of legal matters including property, contracts, governance, employment, intellectual property, and compliance.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1AwardedSME
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligible

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
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
9 Oct 2025, 11:23 BST
Last source update
9 Oct 2025, 11:23 BST
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-063621
Latest notice
Transparency notice (UK5)
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ab63 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement
Published justification

The current legal services framework is due for renewal. To ensure continuity of service and allow sufficient time for a comprehensive tendering process, the University of Birmingham intends to extend the existing framework agreement for a further 12 months. This extension is necessary to maintain access to specialist legal services based on expertise, sector-specific experience, pricing, and availability.

A formal procurement process will be undertaken to establish the new framework agreement, ensuring compliance with public procurement regulations and delivering value.

Notice history

2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 9 Oct 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    9 Oct 2025, 11:23 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract signature expected
    9 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 5some still in standstill
Awarded value Not summedeach provider’s award repeats the list or panel total
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP9 Oct 2025 – 16 Sept 2026£600,000 inc. VAT—Standstill
Freeths LLP9 Oct 2025 – 16 Sept 2026£600,000 inc. VAT—Standstill
MILLS AND REEVE9 Oct 2025 – 16 Sept 2026£600,000 inc. VAT—Standstill
Shakespeare Martineau LLP9 Oct 2025 – 16 Sept 2026£600,000 inc. VAT—Standstill
Pinsent Masons LLP9 Oct 2025 – 16 Sept 2026£600,000 inc. VAT—Standstill

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-COH: RC000645 · GB-PPON: PHCQ-3464-LVTM Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TTContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

5 commercial parties on the notice
  • Eversheds-Sutherland (International) LLPAwarded supplierGB-COH: OC304065 One Wood Street, London, London, EC2V 7WSContact email
  • Freeths LLPAwarded supplierGB-COH: OC304688 Cumberland Court, 80 Mount Street, Nottingham, East Midlands, NG1 6HHContact email
  • Mills and Reeve LLPAwarded supplierGB-COH: OC326165 78-84 Colmore Row, Birmingham, West Midlands, B3 2ABContact email
  • PINSENT MASONS LLPAwarded supplierGB-COH: OC333653GB-PPON: PCCJ-7195-ZBYD 30 Crown Place, London, London, EC2A 4ESContact email
  • SHAKESPEARE MARTINEAU LLPAwarded supplierGB-COH: OC319029GB-PPON: PXPX-4658-DTQQ No 1 Colmore Square, Birmingham, West Midlands, B4 6AAContact email

Official documents & specifications (5)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender