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DA from NEPO for Appointment of DWF Lawyers

Stockton on Tees Borough Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

22 Oct 2026 at 09:07

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council appointed external legal advisers for its proposed acquisition of Billingham town centre. The work combines two linked commissions: advice on public law, subsidy control, governance and compliance, and property acquisition and transaction support. The property work covers legal due diligence, title investigations, occupational lease reviews, property enquiries and searches, lease reporting, negotiation and completion of transaction documents, and project management. The advice supports the Council’s consideration and, if approved, completion of the acquisition. This is a specialist legal services requirement, delivered in relation to Billingham, within the Council’s borough.

The procurement is complete and DWF Law LLP was selected for the single appointment. The contract was awarded under the NEPO Legal Services Framework through a limited direct-award procedure without a prior competition. The published rationale says a new provider would duplicate previous legal analysis and add cost and delay; the two commissions were considered interdependent, and internal legal services were judged unsuitable for the transaction’s scale and complexity. Price was the stated award criterion. The contract is active, valued at £70,000, and was signed on 14 September 2026. The release does not provide an award date or contract duration.

For firms seeking comparable future work from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, this appointment shows demand for joined-up specialist advice on a complex town-centre acquisition: subsidy control, public law and governance expertise alongside property due diligence and transactional delivery. A credible competitor would need to handle both advisory and conveyancing-style work as one coordinated commission, maintain continuity across the transaction’s legal history, and manage the interfaces between the workstreams to avoid fragmented advice. Experience investigating title and leases, conducting property searches and enquiries, reporting on leases, negotiating transaction documents and managing completion would be relevant. The Council’s rationale also indicates that capacity to progress preparatory work efficiently, and the ability to support a significant acquisition while meeting existing legal and governance demands, would matter.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

DA from NEPO for Appointment of DWF Lawyers

Notice Description

To approve the direct award of a contract to DWF Law LLP under the NEPO Legal Services Framework for specialist external legal services in connection with the Council's proposed acquisition of Billingham Town Centre.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The appointment will comprise one overall appointment with two separately scoped but interdependent commissions. Commission 1 - Public Law, Subsidy Control and Compliance Advice The continuation and extension of specialist legal advice previously provided by DWF to the Council in relation to subsidy control, public law, governance and other compliance issues concerning the proposed acquisition of interests within Billingham Town Centre. Commission 2 - Property Acquisition and Transactional Legal Services Subject to the Council's decision-making processes and, in particular, any subsequent decision by Cabinet to approve the acquisition, DWF will provide the property and transactional legal services required to progress and complete the acquisition. The work includes legal due diligence, title investigation, review of occupational leases, property enquiries and searches, lease reporting, negotiation and completion of the transaction documents, and transaction/project management.

Procurement Information

Option 1 - Undertake a Further Competition Under the NEPO Legal Services Framework This option was considered but rejected because a new provider would need to familiarise itself with the same transaction history, previous advice and legal analysis already undertaken by DWF, resulting in duplication of work, additional cost and delay. Option 2 - Retain DWF for Advisory Work but Procure a Separate Property Adviser This option was considered but rejected because the two commissions are closely interdependent and would create duplication, additional interfaces and a risk of fragmented advice. Option 3 - Defer Appointment of Transactional Lawyers Until After a Cabinet Decision This option was considered but rejected because it would delay legal due diligence and transaction readiness work and reduce the Council's ability to proceed promptly should approval be granted. Option 4 - Undertake the Work Through Internal Legal Services This option was considered but rejected having regard to the scale, complexity and specialist nature of the proposed transaction and existing service demands. Option 5 - Take No Further External Legal Advice This option was rejected because the proposed acquisition is a significant and complex transaction requiring specialist legal advice.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078d6d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099764-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for 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
£70,000 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Oct 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Stockton on Tees 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
STOCKTON ON TEES
Postcode
TS17 6BJ
Postcode Area
Cleveland
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC3 Tees Valley
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC31 Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees
Delivery Location
TLC11 Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees
Local Authority
Stockton-on-Tees
Electoral Ward
Mandale & Victoria
Westminster Constituency
Middlesbrough and Thornaby East

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

DWF Law LLP

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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