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PS26317 - Legal Services - CGTRI

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

16 Oct 2026 at 11:18

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) bought legal services from Doyle Clayton Solicitors Limited. The work concerns an incident following an MI5 alert about national security and espionage risks linked to China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI). UKRI requires legal advice on its broader project-level activity to ensure compliance, potentially involving complex casework, as well as advice on individual cases. The services are for UKRI’s work in response to the incident and are delivered in the United Kingdom. UK Shared Business Services Ltd managed the procurement as UKRI’s shared service provider.

The procurement is complete: Doyle Clayton Solicitors Limited was selected and the contract is active. The contract was signed on 12 October 2026 and runs from 14 October 2026 to 13 October 2027. Its value is £20,000 excluding VAT (£24,000 including VAT). The award was made below the applicable threshold under a framework agreement. The tender description says the procurement was concluded without competition because technical reasons meant only a particular supplier could provide the required services; the process is also described as an award under a framework. There was one lot. No separate award date or evaluation criteria are stated.

This award demonstrates UKRI’s demand for specialist legal support on national-security-related risks, compliance and sensitive research-related activity. A credible supplier for a comparable requirement would need to advise both at programme level and on individual cases, including matters that could develop into complex casework. Relevant experience would include handling sensitive organisational issues arising from espionage or security concerns and helping public-sector clients assess compliance implications. The selected firm is a solicitor practice, and the award was made under a framework on the stated basis that technical reasons limited the required service to a particular supplier. Suppliers seeking comparable work would therefore need relevant legal expertise and a route onto an appropriate framework, as well as the capacity to provide coordinated project-level and case-specific advice for UKRI.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

PS26317 - Legal Services - CGTRI

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 MI5 recently issued an alert in relation to national security and espionage warnings relating to UK organisations, and individuals, with links to China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI) specifically. This has triggered an incident in UKRI which relates to broader UKRI activity to ensure compliance, as well as concerns around individuals who may or may not have been aware of any risks their activities were creating. We require legal advice to cover activities at both the higher project level (which may lead to complex casework), as well as an individual case level.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078948
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097826-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - award under framework
Tender Suitability
Not specified
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
Not specified
Contracts Value
£20,000 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
14 Oct 2026 - 13 Oct 2027 6-12 months
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 & 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

DOYLE CLAYTON SOLICITORS

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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