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Legal Panel 2026

Pension Protection Fund

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

06 Jan 2026 at 16:28

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

02 Sep 2025 at 14:11

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has successfully completed the procurement process for its Legal Panel 2026, a contracting initiative focused on establishing a panel of legal service providers. This procurement specifically targets legal advisory and asset management services across four distinct lots: Legal Advisory Services to the Board, Asset Management Services, Real Estate, and Schemes in Assessment. The buying organisation, based in Croydon, UK, has identified several prominent legal firms as suppliers, including Mills & Reeve LLP, Burges Salmon, and Bird & Bird, alongside others. The services will be delivered in the United Kingdom region starting from 1st February 2026, for an initial period of 24 months, with possibilities for extension up to a total term of 48 months. This open procedure procurement follows a light-touch regime and has undergone a complete tender and award process as of early 2026, having a standstill period ending on 15th January 2026.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for legal service providers to engage in contracts that could substantially contribute to their business growth. The framework agreement allows for direct awards or mini-competitions, fostering competition while ensuring quality delivery of services across government-related legal matters. The legal panel will advise on diverse areas, extending the scope for businesses with expertise in asset management, real estate transactions, and various legal specialisations such as insolvency, litigation, and data protection. With an open procurement method, this tender is especially suited for large firms that can offer comprehensive legal services and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that can provide niche expertise. This initiative encourages broad participation, fostering diversity and innovation in delivering legal services to the PPF and potentially influencing broader public sector engagements.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Legal Panel 2026

Notice Description

We are seeking proposals from external, third-party suppliers in relation to the establishment of a panel to provide legal services to the Board of the Pension Protection Fund. Bidders will have the opportunity to bid on any of the four lots: Lot 1 Services (Legal Advisory Services) - maximum 4 bidders will be appointed to this lot. Lot 2 Services (Asset Management) - maximum 6 bidders will be appointed to this lot. Lot 3 Services (Real Estate) - maximum 3 bidders will be appointed to this lot. Lot 4 Services (Schemes in Assessment) - maximum 3 bidders will be appointed to this lot. The new panel will be live from Monday 2nd February 2026 and successfully appointed Bidders must be capable of commencing services from this date. The contract term will be for an initial term of 24-months with two optional extension periods of 12-months each to take the maximum possible term to 48 months (2+1+1). This notice is linked to a UK2 - Early Market Engagement Notice, with the below reference numbers. There appears to be a validation bug where we're unable to link the UK2 notice with this UK4 - Tender Opportunity notice, which we are raising with BravoSolutions. Notice number: 2025/S 000-011208 Procedure ID: ocds-h6vhtk-04f8a3 Notice reference 2025-041381

Lot Information

Legal Advisory Services to the Board

Multiple areas of law, and for which each bidding firm will need to confirm its capability to deliver at least 7 of the 9 of specialisms listed below (excluding "Other"): 1. Employment. 2. General Commercial Contracts including frameworks and Intellectual Property 3. Insolvency including Restructuring and Corporate 4. Information Security /Cyber 5. Litigation 6. Non-financial regulatory services including corporate governance, compliance, Data Protection, and company secretarial. 7. Pensions including contentious and non-contentious. 8. Public Law including but not limited to: Freedom of Information, State Aid, 9. Public Procurement providing commercially practical and pragmatic solutions, understanding PPF risk drivers. 10. Other - (Non exhaustive list includes Family Law / Criminal Law, Personal Injury / Debt Recovery / Asset Management / Real Estate)

Renewal: Initial term of 2-years with the option to extend for a further 2-periods of 12-months each, totalling a maximum term of 4-years.

Asset Management Services

Asset management services, including public markets investing, private placement transactions, investing into private funds (primary funds, co-investment funds and continuation vehicles), derivatives and general financial services and regulatory advice (including regulatory change projects and compliance queries related to the PPF's core investment activities).

Renewal: Initial term of 2-years with the option to extend for a further 2-periods of 12-months each, totalling a maximum term of 4-years.

Real Estate

To provide legal advice to our appointed third-party asset manager in respect of the PPF's real estate portfolio in relation to investment-related property transactions. Bidders must be able to provide all services as set out below in respect of real estate matters, unless for exceptional reasons such as jurisdiction. * Acquisitions * Disposals * Lettings * Licences: Assign - Underlet - Alterations * Estate Management Tasks: Variation of Lease - Consents - Rent Review Memo - Renewals (existing terms) * Agreement for Lease: Simple (unconditional) - Complex (Conditional) * Ad-hoc - Legal work relating to Real Estate instructions that doesn't fall under the above tasks.

Renewal: Initial term of 2-years with the option to extend for a further 2-periods of 12-months each, totalling a maximum term of 4-years.

Schemes in Assessment

Firms on Lot 4 - Schemes in Assessment are an essential support to Trustees of Schemes that enter a PPF Assessment period by offering expert guidance on three core legal tasks: Benefit Specification, Admissible Rules, and Equalisation. During this period, they may also be called upon for ad-hoc matters such as Deeds of Removal and Appointment, Participating Employer queries, and other legal advice as needed. For schemes that are overfunded on a PPF basis and able to provide benefits above PPF compensation levels, the panel may assist trustees with the legal aspects of transacting to secure member benefits. Through timely and strategic advice, the legal panel supports informed decision-making, ensures regulatory compliance, and helps resolve legal complexities, safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders.

Renewal: Initial term of 2-years with the option to extend for a further 2-periods of 12-months each, totalling a maximum term of 4-years.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-059242
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000818-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
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

79111000 - Legal advisory services

79140000 - Legal advisory and information services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£16,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£16,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£13,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Jan 20267 months ago
Submission Deadline
30 Sep 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
6 Jan 20267 months ago
Contract Period
1 Feb 2026 - 31 Jan 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Pension Protection Fund
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CROYDON
Postcode
CR0 2NA
Postcode Area
Croydon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI6 Outer London - South
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI62 Croydon
Delivery Location
TLI62 Croydon
Local Authority
Croydon
Electoral Ward
Fairfield
Westminster Constituency
Croydon West

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
10
Supplier Names

Addleshaw Goddard

Bird & Bird

Burges Salmon

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang

Eversheds Sutherland

Gowling WLG (UK) LLP

Herbert Smith Freehills

Mills & Reeve LLP

Osborne Clarke LLP

Pinsent Mason LLP

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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.

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