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Legal Support - Renewable Energy Development

Forestry Commission

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

01 Sep 2026 at 20:10

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

16 Jun 2026 at 11:22

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

12 Jun 2026 at 14:58

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

02 Feb 2026 at 10:35

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Forestry Commission is procuring specialist legal services to support Forestry England, acting for the Secretary of State, with renewable energy development, particularly wind projects. The work covers complex legal agreements, including partnerships with other developers and relevant stakeholders, with advice on risk management and compliance throughout the development lifecycle. This is a legal services requirement (CPV 79100000) delivered across England, including the South West, South East, East of England, West Midlands, East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, North West, North East and the South West. It is a single requirement suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The appointed suppliers will provide pre-instruction advice and legal support for individual orders under the arrangement.

The procurement is complete and was awarded on 25 August 2026 following an open procedure. Sixteen bids were received, including three from SMEs. A single closed framework was awarded to Farrer & Co LLP, Burges Salmon LLP, Michelmores LLP and Sharpe Pritchard LLP, with up to four participants and direct awards without reopening competition. The award value is £1,000,000 excluding VAT and £1,200,000 including VAT. The awarded period runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030. Evaluation weighted expertise and capability at 40%, staffing and resourcing at 15%, contract management at 10%, climate-change social value at 10%, hourly rates at 15% and fixed fees at 10%. Framework orders use tendered hourly rates or fixed fees, with estimates and disbursements approved before work starts.

This award shows sustained public-sector demand for specialist renewable-energy legal advice within the Forestry Commission, particularly for wind development and partnership arrangements. A credible future competitor would need demonstrable expertise in renewable-energy projects, experience of negotiating complex agreements with developers and other stakeholders, and the ability to advise on risk and regulatory compliance across a project lifecycle. The evaluation places greatest emphasis on expertise and capability, so relevant casework and suitably qualified legal teams would be central. Suppliers would also need dependable staffing and resourcing, effective contract management, and the capacity to provide prompt pre-instruction advice and individual-order quotations. Competitive hourly rates and fixed-fee pricing, alongside credible climate-change social-value commitments, would also matter.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Legal Support - Renewable Energy Development

Notice Description

Renewable development (notably wind development) presents a new strategic opportunity for Forestry England which will require Forestry England, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, to enter into a range of complex legal agreements including partnerships with other developers and relevant stakeholders. Renewable energy development is a highly specialist area, it therefore necessitates access to legal advisers with specific expertise and experience in this sector to ensure appropriate risk management and compliance throughout the development lifecycle.

Planning Information

Suppliers are invited to participate in this market engagement exercise to help prepare for the forthcoming procurement. Interested organisations should register their interest and indicate their capability to provide the specialist Renewable development legal services described above. This engagement aims to gauge market capacity and ensure that suppliers are aware of, and prepared for, the upcoming opportunity. Please email your interest to commercial.services@forestryengland.uk

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0613e7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082871-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, 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, 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
£1,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,000,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£1,000,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Sep 2026Today
Submission Deadline
10 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
13 Feb 2026Expired
Award Date
25 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Oct 2026 - 30 Sep 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Forestry Commission
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS16 1EJ
Postcode Area
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

Burges Salmon LLP

Michelmores LLP

Sharpe Pritchard 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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