Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Legal Services Contract for the Heart of Barrow

Westmorland and Furness Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

20 Oct 2026 at 14:39

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Westmorland and Furness Council has commissioned legal services to support delivery of the Heart of Barrow business case and its objectives. The work is legal advice and support for a council-led regeneration and economic development programme in Barrow. The procurement is classified as legal services (CPV 79100000), within the services category. Delivery is in North West England. The requirement is specifically tied to the Heart of Barrow programme; it is not a general legal services appointment across all council activities. The Council is the buyer and the contract supports its work on the programme’s business case and objectives.

The procurement has been awarded and is recorded as complete. The Council used a selective procedure to call off from a framework agreement. The tender deadline was 14 May 2026 at 5pm, and the award was made on 23 September 2026. Freeths LLP, Browne Jacobson LLP and DWF Law LLP were selected jointly for an award valued at £450,000. The contract period runs from 28 September 2026 to 30 December 2031. The estimated procurement value was also £450,000. The requirement was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, and not suitable for voluntary, community or social enterprises. No separate evaluation criteria are stated in the published process information.

This award demonstrates demand from Westmorland and Furness Council for specialist legal support linked to the Heart of Barrow business case and programme objectives. A credible competitor when this specific requirement returns to market would need to show relevant experience advising local authorities on business cases and delivering legal work for a place-based regeneration or economic development programme. The appointment was made through a framework call-off, so access to an appropriate framework and the ability to compete under its rules would be commercially important. The three selected firms are established large law firms, indicating that the buyer appointed providers able to deliver legal services at a substantial programme scale, potentially across more than one supplier. Small and medium-sized enterprises were considered suitable, so smaller firms with demonstrable relevant expertise may also be positioned to compete.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Legal Services Contract for the Heart of Barrow

Notice Description

Westmorland and Furness Council has procured a contract for legal services to support the Council in delivery of the Heart of Barrow business case and objectives

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-fae535a7-98d4-4dff-9c4e-42a24f057945
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/10fbc5f0-a937-4e6b-8df9-d276f3fd14e9
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79100000 - Legal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£450,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£450,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
23 Sep 20261 months ago
Contract Period
28 Sep 2026 - 30 Dec 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Westmorland and Furness Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
KENDAL
Postcode
LA9 4DQ
Postcode Area
Lancaster
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD1 Cumbria
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD14 Westmorland and Furness
Delivery Location
TLD North West (England)
Local Authority
Westmorland and Furness
Electoral Ward
Kendal Strickland and Fell
Westminster Constituency
Westmorland and Lonsdale

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

Freeths LLP

Browne Jacobson LLP

DWF Law LLP

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

Loading OCDS record...