Notice Information
Notice Title
Provision of Specialist Legal Advice relating to Associated Land & Property Transactions
Notice Description
Following the publication of a Transparency Notice on 23 December 2025, University of Keele is publishing this Contract Award Notice to announce its intention, in accordance with its statutory obligations, to award a contract to Osborne Clarke LLP for the provision of specialist legal advice relating to complex land and property transactions. This direct award is justified under Paragraphs 7, 13 and 14 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. The services require a strategic review of, and advice on, highly complex and long standing legal and financial structures. The successful delivery of these services is contingent upon a deep and specific understanding of a unique transactional history, comprising multi-layered agreements and involving multiple specific parties and intricate relationships. Osborne Clarke LLP was previously engaged by the University to conduct an initial high level scoping review of this specific matter. As a result, they now possess pre-existing, supplier-specific expertise and a demonstrated understanding of the transaction's particularities. This includes a detailed, phased methodology for the work, developed during the initial engagement. Appointing any alternative supplier would require them to acquire this specific expertise and experience. This would necessitate a substantial duplication of effort and cost, and an unacceptable period of mobilisation, resulting in: 1. Potential material duplication of cost for the University; and 2. Detrimental delays in the delivery of time-critical advice, which would prevent the University from achieving its immediate and lasting operational and financial objectives. The award of this contract to Osborne Clarke LLP represents the only viable route to secure the required services in a timely and cost-effective manner, as a competitive procurement process would be objectively unsuitable in these specific circumstances. Disclaimer This Contract Award Notice is published by the University of Keele, a contracting authority, in accordance with its statutory obligations under Section 50 of the Procurement Act 2023 to notify its intention to award a contract. This notice does not in itself constitute an offer, an award of contract, or give rise to any implied contract. The publication of this Contract Award Notice by University of Keele will initiate the mandatory 8 working day standstill period, as required by Section 51(1) of the Act. The University will not, and cannot lawfully, enter into a contract for the required services until the 8 working day standstill period has been successfully completed. Any contract award will be confirmed through the subsequent publication of a Contract Details Notice.
Procurement Information
University of Keele is publishing this transparency notice to announce its intention, in accordance with its statutory obligations, to award a contract directly to Osborne Clarke LLP for the provision of specialist legal advice relating to complex land and property transactions. This direct award is justified under Paragraphs 7, 13 and 14 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. The services require a strategic review of, and advice on, highly complex and long-standing legal and financial structures. The successful delivery of these services is contingent upon a deep and specific understanding of a unique transactional history, comprising multi-layered agreements and involving multiple specific parties and intricate relationships. Osborne Clarke LLP was previously engaged by the University to conduct an initial high-level scoping review of this specific matter. As a result, they now possess pre-existing, supplier-specific expertise and a demonstrated understanding of the transaction's particularities. This includes a detailed, phased methodology for the work, developed during the initial engagement. Appointing any alternative supplier would require them to acquire this specific expertise and experience. This would necessitate a substantial duplication of effort and cost, and an unacceptable period of mobilisation, resulting in: 1. Potential material duplication of cost for the University; and 2. Detrimental delays in the delivery of time-critical advice, which would prevent the University from achieving its immediate and lasting operational and financial objectives. The award of this contract to Osborne Clarke LLP represents the only viable route to secure the required services in a timely and cost-effective manner, as a competitive procurement process would be objectively unsuitable in these specific circumstances. Disclaimer This Transparency Notice is published by the University of Keele, a contracting authority, in accordance with its statutory obligations under Section 44 of the Procurement Act 2023 to notify its intention to award a contract directly. This notice does not itself constitute an offer, an award of contract, or give rise to any implied contract. The publication of the subsequent Contract Award Notice on 12th January 2026 by University of Keele will initiate the mandatory 8 working day standstill period, as required by Section 51(1) of the Act. The University will not, and cannot lawfully, enter into a contract for the required services until the 8 working day standstill period has been successfully completed. Any contract award will be confirmed through the subsequent publication of a Contract Details Notice.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-05fce4
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002675-2026
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK6 - Contract Award Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Direct
- Procurement Method Details
- Direct award
- Tender Suitability
- SME
- Awardee Scale
- SME
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
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- £400,000 £100K-£500K
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 13 Jan 20261 months ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 1 Dec 20252 months ago
- Contract Period
- 26 Jan 2026 - 25 Jan 2030 4-5 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
- UNIVERSITY OF KEELE
- Contact Name
- Darren Pearce
- Contact Email
- d.pearce@keele.ac.uk
- Contact Phone
- +44 1782734124
Buyer Location
- Locality
- KEELE, STAFFORDSHIRE,
- Postcode
- ST5 5NB
- Post Town
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLG West Midlands (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLG24 Staffordshire CC
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Newcastle-under-Lyme
- Electoral Ward
- Keele
- Westminster Constituency
- Newcastle-under-Lyme
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002675-2026
13th January 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085970-2025
23rd December 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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