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PS26231 - Capacity support for IUK Contracts team

UK Research and Innovation

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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11 Aug 2026 at 16:52

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research and Innovation commissioned legal services to provide capacity support for its Innovate UK Contracts team and other Innovate UK areas. The requirement covers immediate assistance with legal matters that UKRI’s internal Legal team could not handle at the required pace or volume. The work supports contract-related legal activity rather than the supply of goods or construction works. UKRI is the buying organisation, with UK Shared Business Services Ltd acting as the procuring and shared-service provider. Delivery is across the United Kingdom. The procurement concerns legal services, classified under CPV 79100000. The selected supplier is Burges Salmon LLP, a large Bristol-based law firm. The requirement was arranged as a single completed lot and forms part of UKRI’s external legal support arrangements.

This procurement has been awarded and the tender is complete. Burges Salmon LLP received the award for the single lot. The award is active and was made on 29 July 2026; the contract was signed on that date. The contract runs from 11 August 2026 to 8 September 2026. Its value is £29,050.15 excluding VAT, or £34,860.18 including VAT. UKRI used a below-threshold direct award without competition, stating that competition was absent for technical reasons and that only a particular supplier could provide the required service. The contracting process was concluded without inviting competing bids. The published requirement describes a call-off contract for urgent legal assistance, with the choice based on the stated technical-reasons justification rather than a competitive price-and-quality evaluation.

This award indicates demand from UKRI for external legal capacity supporting Innovate UK contract work and related organisational activity. A credible future competitor would need a legal-services practice able to advise on public-sector and commercial contracts, absorb urgent instructions, and handle substantial volumes when the internal legal team lacks capacity. Responsiveness is central: the requirement was driven by the need for assistance at pace, so suppliers would need sufficient qualified lawyers, effective allocation of work and the ability to maintain service levels across multiple matters. Experience of supporting a public research and innovation organisation, or comparable public-sector contracting teams, would strengthen credibility. Firms should also be able to deliver legal support across the UK and operate effectively within an established call-off arrangement.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

PS26231 - Capacity support for IUK Contracts team

Notice Description

***** THIS IS A CONTRACT DETAILS NOTICE, NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION ***** This procurement is being concluded without competition due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required. Brief Description of Requirement We have a call off contract in place with Burgess Salmon as the Contracts team, and other areas of IUK, need immediate assistance with legal matters which UKRI Legal team do not have the capacity to assist with at pace or in the volume currently required.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e1d0
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076422-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

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
Not specified
Contracts Value
£29,050 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
29 Jul 20264 weeks ago
Contract Period
11 Aug 2026 - 8 Sep 2026 30 days
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK Research and Innovation
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON
Postcode
SN2 1FL
Postcode Area
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Rodbourne Cheney
Westminster Constituency
Swindon North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

BURGES SALMON 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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