---
title: "Project Hornbill - Legal Services"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2026-08-27"
---

# Project Hornbill - Legal Services

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02.json)

## Summary

DEFRA procured legal services for Project Hornbill. The requirement falls within the legal services category and was intended for work in London, at Seacole Building, London SW1P 3JR. The buying organisation was DEFRA, the UK government department responsible for the environment, food, rural affairs and related policy areas. The procurement concerned professional legal advice and support rather than legal goods or construction works. It was structured as a service requirement for DEFRA’s operational needs in London, with the project title indicating that the work related specifically to Project Hornbill.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded. DEFRA used a selective procedure as a call-off from a framework agreement. The tender submission deadline was 14 August 2026 at 12:00. The contract was awarded to Ashurst LLP on 27 August 2026 for GBP 300,000. The contract period runs from 17 August 2026 to 7 November 2026. The published suitability assessment records the opportunity as unsuitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and for voluntary, community or social enterprises. The award is active, and the awarded contract value matches the procurement’s stated estimated value. No separate lots or additional award recipients are identified.

This award provides a clear indication of DEFRA’s demand for specialist legal services supporting a defined government project in London. Competitors assessing similar future requirements would need the capability to deliver professional legal advice for a central government department, understand public-sector operating and contracting environments, and respond through the relevant framework route. The selected supplier was an established law firm, indicating that a credible provider would need sufficient legal expertise, organisational capacity and resources to support DEFRA’s operational requirements. Firms without the appropriate framework access, public-sector experience or ability to provide specialist legal services at this level would be less well placed to compete when comparable work returns to market.

## Notice

Project Hornbill - Legal Services

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b6128145-27b6-41e9-bfe6-119c6143bb7e |
| 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 | Not specified |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 17 Aug 2026 - 7 Nov 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £300,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £300,000 |
| 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 | DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Postcode area | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 3JR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | TLI London |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Ashurst LLP |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79100000 - Legal services

## Release History

- 27 Aug 2026 at 13:37 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b6128145-27b6-41e9-bfe6-119c6143bb7e

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b6128145-27b6-41e9-bfe6-119c6143bb7e
  27th August 2026 - 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-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f442d625-534e-4c8a-b0ac-d8e3ac70be02.json.