---
title: "WMPF Legal Adviser"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL"
published: "2018-12-03"
---

# WMPF Legal Adviser

Buyer: WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530.json)

## Summary

The procurement process involves Wolverhampton City Council, which has initiated a tender for the position titled "WMPF Legal Adviser." This contract falls under the legal services category and is intended for the West Midlands region in the United Kingdom. The procurement stage is complete, with the tender having concluded on 27 July 2018. The awarded contract, valued at £60,000, commenced on 16 October 2018 and will run until 15 October 2021. The procurement method employed was selective, involving a call-off from an existing framework agreement.

This tender presents significant opportunities for law firms that specialise in public and pension fund law, particularly those with experience in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Businesses that can navigate complex regulatory frameworks and provide comprehensive legal services related to pension fund governance, member communications, and compliance are particularly well-positioned to compete. The opportunity to contribute to the management of significant fiduciary responsibilities may also appeal to larger firms actively seeking to expand their public sector clientele.

## Notice

West Midlands Pension Fund and West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority Service require a legal adviser. The provider will be required to provide Legal services to the Fund as set out in the framework tender documents, with particular reference, but not limited to: - Employer admissions, reorganisations, cessations, payment plans and other risk mitigation strategies, including protecting pension fund and pension fund members interests in respect of organisational change, outsourcing and restructuring contracts, including TUPE, 'Fair Deal' and COSOP. - Complex LGPS regulations and member communications to ensure they are both legally accurate to protect the funds from any liability or reliance risk and user-friendly for fund members to read and understand. - The exercise of pension discretions including on making death grants and the establishment of trust arrangements for juveniles or incapacitated beneficiaries. - Complex early pension release transfers and pension liberation schemes/fraud. - Member complaints about their pension benefits, including drafting responses on Stage 1 and Stage 2 IDRP and Pension Ombudsman cases, and advising funds on future prevention and mitigation measures. - Implications of recent Appeal, Supreme and High Court and other case law and Pension Ombudsman's decisions. - Pension's knowledge and understanding requirements for Pension Committees/Boards, providing training at Committee/ Panels/Sub-Group/Boards/in-house staff as required, and induction training for new appointees. - Pensions Committees/Panels/Boards/Sub-Groups on internal pension fund governance matters (including compliance obligations, effective risk management and decision-making, sub-delegations, minimising conflicts of interests) and the new governance structures to be implemented by the Public Service Pensions Act 2013. - Advising Pensions Committee and Board Chairmen, members, and pension fund management staff on all aspect of public and pension fund law, constitutional matters, governance and primary fiduciary duties toward the pension fund and the financial interests of fund members Fiduciary responsibilities, liabilities and indemnities for Committee/Panel/Board members, Councillors, and fund members in their capacity as members of Pensions Committees/Panels/Boards. - Pension funding obligations and fund deficit recovery and repayment plans from LGPS employers - Advising on trust law where relevant to any LGPS matters. - The impact of the machinery of government changes and government pension policies affecting LGPS funds and scheme employers, including the review of national consultation responses. - Advising on third party benefit administration and service level agreements, pension bulk transfer agreements, Admitted Body and Transferee Admission Agreements, financial security bonds, guarantees, and Secretary of State Applications. - Obligations for LGPS funds which derive from employers' HR policies and practices (or otherwise) e.g. Human Additional information: Further Competition (Legal2018) under the National LGPS Legal Framework Agreement (NCCT 40518) Lot 4

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8ce562a2-699f-45a8-bfca-643ca9218018 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Call-off from a framework agreement |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 3 Dec 2018 |
| Submission deadline | 27 Jul 2018 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 1 Oct 2018 |
| Contract period | 15 Oct 2018 - 15 Oct 2021 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £240,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £60,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL |
| Locality | WOLVERHAMPTON |
| Post town | Wolverhampton |
| Postcode | WV1 1RL |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands |
| ITL 3 | TLG39 Wolverhampton |
| Local authority | Wolverhampton |
| Electoral ward | St Peters |
| Westminster constituency | Wolverhampton West |
| Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79100000 - Legal services

## Release History

- 3 Dec 2018 at 12:43 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8ce562a2-699f-45a8-bfca-643ca9218018

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8ce562a2-699f-45a8-bfca-643ca9218018
  3rd December 2018 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-0454eeeb-b6dd-4d54-b648-a30f9e957530.json.