Award

Burnley Borough Council and Liberata UK Limited - Strategic Partnership, Deed of Variation

BURNLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

15 Apr 2026 at 15:15

Summary of the contracting process

Burnley Borough Council has completed the procurement process for a strategic partnership titled "Burnley Borough Council and Liberata UK Limited - Strategic Partnership, Deed of Variation," aiming to deliver outsourced services in Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services, and IT Services. The procurement falls under the services category and employs the direct procurement method due to Local Government Reorganisation. Located in Burnley, United Kingdom, the process involved a deed of variation with Liberata UK Ltd to ensure continuity in service delivery. Although a direct award was pursued, the tender relies on the legal framework provided by the UK's Procurement Act 2023. The contract will run from 1 January 2028 to 1 February 2030, with a maximum extension until 31 January 2031 and renewal options at the discretion of the council. Following the scheduled signature due on 1 June 2026, the procurement aims at seamless transition amid the reorganisation and better service delivery.

This tender offers significant business opportunities for companies specialising in IT, customer, and benefit services. The established partnership with Liberata UK Limited, a large-scale supplier, sets the stage for considerable collaboration in delivering critical administrative services. Businesses involved in consulting, software development, customer services, and Internet support will find potential growth avenues through alignment with local government objectives and service coordination. The long-term nature of this contract suggests stable and continuous engagement, providing the opportunity to enhance business influence within the UK's public sector, particularly for companies with capabilities in managing large-scale outsourced projects.

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Notice Title

Burnley Borough Council and Liberata UK Limited - Strategic Partnership, Deed of Variation

Notice Description

The further extension of the agreement to deliver outsourced services, via a deed of variation, on behalf of Burnley Borough Council to include Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and IT Services within a strategic partnership with Liberata UK Ltd.

Procurement Information

Due to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), there is insufficient management capacity to bring the services back in house prior to LGR. Running a new procurement exercise is costly and unless the council offers a minimum 8 year term the opportunity is highly unlikely to attract competitive bids. Any such long term agreements will bind the successor authority under LGR to a borough level strategic partnership. While the council should not make decisions now, that could fetter the decision making of future councils, it can make decisions that are necessary to ensure a smooth transition and to secure ongoing and future best value in service delivery. A short period of continuity reduces the risk of disruption to core service delivery for Burnley Borough residents in the immediate aftermath of reorganisation. The extension of this agreement falls within the remit of the permitted modifications to public procurement rules within schedule 8 regulation 74 of the Procurement Act 2023. This extension, in advance of LGR in Lancashire, will also align Burnley's Liberata contract end date with that of Pendle Council's. In addition to the reasons for the contract extension set out above, given the shared resources across the contracts, Burnley's exit from the contract by the current date of 31st December 2027, could have destabilising effect for services in Pendle.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06836c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034382-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

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


CPV Codes

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

75310000 - Benefit services

79342300 - Customer services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£7,720,667 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
15 Apr 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
15 Apr 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Jan 2028 - 1 Feb 2030 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
BURNLEY BOROUGH 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
BURNLEY
Postcode
BB11 9SA
Post Town
Blackburn
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD4 Lancashire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD46 East Lancashire
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Burnley
Electoral Ward
Daneshouse with Stoneyholme
Westminster Constituency
Burnley

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

LIBERATA

Further Information

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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