Provision of Specialist Legal Advice relating to Associated Land & Property Transactions

Descriptions

Following the publication of a Transparency Notice on 23 December 2025, University of Keele is publishing this Contract Award Notice to announce its intention, in accordance with its statutory obligations, to award a contract to Osborne Clarke LLP for the provision of specialist legal advice relating to complex land and property transactions.

This direct award is justified under Paragraphs 7, 13 and 14 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023.

The services require a strategic review of, and advice on, highly complex and long standing legal and financial structures. The successful delivery of these services is contingent upon a deep and specific understanding of a unique transactional history, comprising multi-layered agreements and involving multiple specific parties and intricate relationships.

Osborne Clarke LLP was previously engaged by the University to conduct an initial high level scoping review of this specific matter. As a result, they now possess pre-existing, supplier-specific expertise and a demonstrated understanding of the transaction's particularities. This includes a detailed, phased methodology for the work, developed during the initial engagement.

Appointing any alternative supplier would require them to acquire this specific expertise and experience. This would necessitate a substantial duplication of effort and cost, and an unacceptable period of mobilisation, resulting in:

1. Potential material duplication of cost for the University; and

2. Detrimental delays in the delivery of time-critical advice, which would prevent the University from achieving its immediate and lasting operational and financial objectives.

The award of this contract to Osborne Clarke LLP represents the only viable route to secure the required services in a timely and cost-effective manner, as a competitive procurement process would be objectively unsuitable in these specific circumstances.

Disclaimer

This Contract Award Notice is published by the University of Keele, a contracting authority, in accordance with its statutory obligations under Section 50 of the Procurement Act 2023 to notify its intention to award a contract.

This notice does not in itself constitute an offer, an award of contract, or give rise to any implied contract. The publication of this Contract Award Notice by University of Keele will initiate the mandatory 8 working day standstill period, as required by Section 51(1) of the Act.

The University will not, and cannot lawfully, enter into a contract for the required services until the 8 working day standstill period has been successfully completed. Any contract award will be confirmed through the subsequent publication of a Contract Details Notice.