--- title: "Legal Advisers for Rail Matters" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e501" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e501" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e501.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e501.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "Merseytravel" published: "2026-08-14" --- # Legal Advisers for Rail Matters Buyer: Merseytravel Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e501 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e501) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e501.json) ## Summary Merseytravel, together with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, is seeking a single law firm or alternative business structure practice to provide principal external legal advice on rail matters. The service will support directors, the Place Directorate, transport and transport infrastructure programme teams, customer delivery staff, the internal legal team and finance colleagues. The scope covers existing rail operations, transition arrangements, future operations and future operations supporting public control. This is a specialist legal services requirement, classified under CPV 79100000. Work will support activities in the Liverpool City Region and is relevant to legal practices with a rail, transport, infrastructure and public-sector advisory capability. The procurement has reached tender: Merseytravel invited offers through an open procedure. It is a single-lot, above-threshold services contract under the light-touch regime. The deadline for submissions was 8 September 2026 at 3:00 pm, with electronic submission allowed in English through the Chest portal. The contract was set to run from 12 October 2026 to 11 October 2029, with options to extend by 12 months and then a further 12 months, potentially until 11 October 2031, subject to review of operational need. The estimated value is £6.5 million excluding VAT, or £7.8 million including VAT. Evaluation weights quality at 60%, social value at 10% and price at 30%. This opportunity suits a legal practice with demonstrable expertise in rail and public transport matters, including operational arrangements, transition projects, future operating models and public control of services. Suppliers should be able to act as a principal external adviser to a complex public authority, coordinating advice for senior directors and transport, infrastructure, customer delivery, legal and finance teams. The requirement is for one appointed practice, so bidders should have sufficient breadth and capacity to provide continuing advice across the full rail brief rather than a narrow one-off service. Strong written and advisory quality, credible social-value delivery and experience working with public-sector clients will be important to compete. ## Notice Merseytravel and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) wish to appoint a single law firm (or alternative business structure practice) to act as their principal external legal advisers in relation to rail matters. The appointed legal advisers will advise a variety of staff within LCRCA / Merseytravel including: Directors Place Directorate (Transport, Transport Infrastructure Programmes, Customer Delivery) Legal Team Finance Team Key focus areas include: Existing Operations Transition Arrangements Future Operations Future Operations Supporting Public Control Initial term: Three years. Optional Contract Extensions: 12 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months. ### Lot Information Lot 1 Renewal: Initial term: Three years. Optional Contract Extensions: 12 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months. Extensions may be enacted subject to an ongoing review of operational need for the services. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077836-2026 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 14 Aug 2026 | | Submission deadline | 8 Sep 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 12 Oct 2026 - 11 Oct 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £6,500,000 | | Lots value | £6,500,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Merseytravel | | Locality | LIVERPOOL | | Postcode area | Liverpool | | Postcode | L3 1BP | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLD7 Merseyside | | ITL 3 | TLD72 Liverpool | | Local authority | Liverpool | | Electoral ward | Waterfront South | | Westminster constituency | Liverpool Riverside | | Delivery location | TLD7 Merseyside | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79100000 - Legal services ## Release History - 14 Aug 2026 at 16:24 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077836-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077836-2026 14th August 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk - https://procontract.due-north.com/Login - https://procontract.due-north.com/Register - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## 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-h6vhtk-06e501. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e501.json.