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National LGPS Framework for Legal Services

Norfolk County Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Tender

10 Sep 2026 at 09:45

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

22 May 2026 at 09:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

22 May 2026 at 09:17

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Norfolk County Council, acting for the Norfolk Pension Fund, is procuring a multi-provider framework for specialist legal support to Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds and related public-sector pension bodies. Staffordshire County Council, LGPS Central and the City of Wolverhampton Council are helping to write the specification and assess tenders. The services cover pension law, administration, governance, employer participation and investment matters. Seven service areas are available: full-service advice for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; UK-wide investment and regulatory compliance; and benefit administration, employer bodies and governance for each of those jurisdictions. The framework can be used by LGPS administering authorities, pension pools, public-sector pension schemes and associated bodies across the UK, with work delivered across the United Kingdom.

The process has reached tender: suppliers were invited to submit offers through an open procedure managed electronically via the council’s e-procurement system. Enquiries close at 14:00 on 2 October 2026 and tender responses are due by 14:00 on 16 October 2026. The award decision is due by 3 December 2026. The framework is scheduled to run from 18 January 2027 to 17 January 2035 and may be used through further competition or direct award. Its estimated value is £40,000,000 excluding VAT (£48,000,000 including VAT) across all seven lots, not per lot. Quality carries 80% and price 20%. A successful provider pays a 1.5% fee based on its awarded value.

This opportunity suits specialist pensions law firms and legal practices able to advise public-sector pension funds and LGPS stakeholders. Bidders can target full-service jurisdictional work or focus on investment, regulatory compliance, benefits administration, employer bodies and governance. Relevant capability includes current knowledge of LGPS legislation and regulation, investment structures and documentation, fiduciary duties, governance, regulatory change, employer issues, conflicts of interest, discretionary policies and internal dispute resolution. The evaluation also examines organisational structure and service delivery, key-person risk, added-value support, environmental, social and governance matters, and the use of artificial intelligence. The requirement is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, but providers must satisfy the economic and technical requirements set out in the Invitation to Tender.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

National LGPS Framework for Legal Services

Notice Description

Norfolk County Council on its own behalf and on behalf of the Pension Funds listed below wish to let a Multi-Provider Framework Agreement for the provision of specialist support for pension legal services primarily in the support of The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The Framework Agreement is being let by Norfolk County Council as the contracting authority, and can be used by: - Norfolk County Council and its agents - Any successor body to the Council including any company formed by the Council to carry out its LGPS functions - Any organisation the Council outsources its LGPS requirements to - Any public body with which the Council enters into pooling arrangements for the provision of its LGPS services. The Council is working closely with the following contracting authorities, who have expressed an intention to procure services under the Framework: - City of Edinburgh Council (as Administering Authority of Lothian Pension Fund) - City of Wolverhampton Council (as Administering Authority of the West Midlands Pension Fund) - LGPS Central Ltd - Local Pensions Partnership Investments Ltd (LPPI) - Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC) - Staffordshire County Council (as Administering Authority for Staffordshire Pension Fund) In addition to those listed above, the framework may also be used by: - any LGPS administering authorities as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2356) (as amended) including the Firefighters' Pension Scheme and Police Pension Schemes and any of their participating employing authorities, or in relation to the LGPS in Scotland, any administering authority and any of their scheme employers as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (SSI 2018/141) (as amended), NILGOSC in Northern Ireland and employing authorities as defined in the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (SRNI 2014/188) (as amended), Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Limited https://www.bordertocoast.org.uk/ Northern LGPS Limited https://northernlgps.org/ Wales Pension Partnership Investment Management Limited https://wppinvestments.com/ the Board of the Pension Protection Fund http://www.pensionprotectionfund.org.uk, Local Government Association (LGA) https://www.local.gov.uk/ any other administering authority or scheme manager of a public-sector pension scheme or any public-sector body that requires pensions related services, and asset pool companies (as defined in the Pension Schemes Act 2026) and any legacy pooling arrangements (referred to in this document as an "LGPS Pool")and any LGPS Fund(s) or groups of funds, or any bodies, organisations or companies established by them for the purpose of operating on a collective basis. This Framework will be split into Lots. Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Lot Information

Full Service (England and Wales)

The scope of Lot 1 covers advice on all aspects of the laws and regulations of England and Wales relevant to LGPS funds, Administering Authorities, scheme employers (in respect of their participation in the LGPS) and asset pool companies (as defined in the Pension Schemes Act 2026) and any legacy pooling arrangements. Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Full Service (Scotland)

The scope of Lot 2 covers advice on all aspects of the laws and regulations of Scotland relevant to LGPS funds, administering authorities, scheme employers (in respect of their participation in the LGPS) and LGPS Pools/collaborative arrangements Framework users are likely to use Lot 2 where they need Scots-law specific advice which requires a combination of advice across different areas of expertise (i.e. a 'full-scope' Scottish service). Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Full Service (Northern Ireland)

The scope of Lot 3 covers advice on all aspects of the laws and regulations of Northern Ireland relevant to the LGPS in Northern Ireland (hereafter 'NI'), the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC), employing authorities (in respect of their participation in the LGPS) and LGPS Pools/collaborative arrangements. Framework users are likely to use Lot 3 where they need specific advice on matters of NI law which requires a combination of advice across different areas of expertise (i.e. a 'full-scope' NI service). Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Investment and Regulatory Compliance (UK Wide)

The scope of Lot 4 is focused on legal advice relating to different aspects of pension fund investment and investment management or/administration (including as part of an LGPS Pool). Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Benefit Administration, Employer Bodies and Governance (England and Wales)

The scope of Lot 5 covers legal advice on all aspects of the laws and regulations of England and Wales relating to pensions administration, management, governance and the admission, participation and exit of scheme employers. Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Benefit Administration, Employer Bodies and Governance (Scotland)

The scope of Lot 6 covers legal advice on all aspects of the laws and regulations of Scotland relating to pension administration, management, governance and the admission, participation and exit of scheme employers. Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Benefit Administration, Employer Bodies and Governance (Northern Ireland)

The scope of Lot 7 covers legal advice on all aspects of the laws and regulations of Northern Ireland relating to pensions administration, management, governance and the admission, participation and exit of employing authorities. Please note the estimated values are across all lots.

Planning Information

For more information and to register your interest in the market engagement, please visit In-Tend https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Home

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06a048
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085665-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

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

CPV Codes

66520000 - Pension services

79100000 - Legal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£40,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£40,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Sep 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
16 Oct 20261 months to go
Future Notice Date
8 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
18 Jan 2027 - 17 Jan 2035 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Norfolk County 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
NORWICH
Postcode
NR1 2DH
Postcode Area
Norwich
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH5 Norfolk
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH51 Norwich and East Norfolk
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Norwich
Electoral Ward
Lakenham
Westminster Constituency
Norwich South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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