--- title: "Tender for the Provision of Legal Services" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077d07" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077d07" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077d07.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077d07.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "Ards and North Down Borough Council" published: "2026-09-30" --- # Tender for the Provision of Legal Services Buyer: Ards and North Down Borough Council Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077d07 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077d07) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077d07.json) ## Summary Ards and North Down Borough Council is seeking external legal services across eight specialist areas: planning; land and property; employment; enforcement; local government governance; information governance; procurement; and civil liability litigation. The requirement is divided into separate lots, allowing firms to focus on the areas that match their practice. The council is based in Bangor, Northern Ireland; the service is for the council, but no more specific delivery location is stated. This is a professional-services requirement for legal advice and support across local government functions, rather than a purchase of goods or construction work. Firms with a relevant legal practice may find one or more of the specialist areas a closer fit than a broad multi-disciplinary offer. The council invited tenders through an open procedure. The enquiry and tender submission deadlines were both 28 October 2026 at 12:00. The planned contract period starts on 1 February 2027 and runs initially to 31 January 2028, with up to four further 12-month extensions reviewed annually; the maximum stated extent is to 31 January 2032. The estimated value is £1,785,000 excluding VAT (£2,142,000 including VAT). Evaluation is the same for each lot: methodology, approach and plan carries 20%, team experience 30%, contract management and contingency 20%, and cost 30%. Selection requirements include insurance and professional qualifications. The stated end of the award period is 20 January 2027. The opportunity suits legal practices able to advise a local authority in one or more of the eight fields, from planning and property matters to employment, enforcement, governance, information governance, procurement and civil litigation. Each lot is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, so firms need not cover every specialism to compete. Selection calls for appropriate professional qualifications and insurance. To score well, suppliers will need to demonstrate relevant team experience, a clear delivery methodology and plan, and robust contract management and contingency arrangements, alongside competitive pricing. The weighting gives quality factors a combined 70% of the evaluation, with team experience the largest individual element; a low-cost offer alone is therefore unlikely to address the stated evaluation basis. This is a multi-year service opportunity with annual review of extension options. ## Notice Tenders are sought by Ards and North Down Borough Council for the Provision of Legal Services. ### Lot Information Planning This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Planning. Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. Land and Property This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Land and Property. Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. Employment This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Employment. Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. Enforcement This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Enforcement. Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. Local Government Governance This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Local Government Governance. Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. Information Governance This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Information Governance. Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. Procurement This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Procurement. Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. Civil Liability (Litigation) This Lot is for the provision of Legal Services for Civil Liability (Litigation). Please see Document A - Invitation to Tender for full details. Renewal: The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1 February 2027. The Contract will initially be awarded for a period of one year with an option to extend for a further 4 x 12-month periods, to be reviewed annually. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/092124-2026 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 30 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | 28 Oct 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2028 | | Recurrence | 2031-09-01 | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £1,785,000 | | Lots value | £1,785,000 | | 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 | Ards and North Down Borough Council | | Locality | BANGOR | | Postcode area | Northern Ireland | | Postcode | BT20 4BT | | Country | Northern Ireland | | ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland | | ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland | | ITL 3 | TLN09 Ards and North Down | | Local authority | Ards and North Down | | Electoral ward | Castle | | Westminster constituency | North Down | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79100000 - Legal services ## Release History - 30 Sep 2026 at 08:52 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/092124-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/092124-2026 30th September 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do - 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-077d07. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077d07.json.