LBLA Legal Services Framework

The London Boroughs' Legal Alliance (the LBLA) is looking to appoint a number of legal advisers with the objective of achieving enhanced service delivery, value for money and efficient management of matters outsourced to external solicitors. The requirement is divided in 5 Lots.

The following local authorities which also currently access the LBLA Solicitors Framework and are not participating in this procurement, although the right is reserved for them to subsequently access the framework: Buckinghamshire, Brentwood, Kent, Mid Kent Legal (Maidstone, Swale Borough, and Tunbridge Wells), Reading, and South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils. The framework agreement will also be available to other local authorities within Greater London and South-East England (Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Page 3 to 27 Sussex), whether or not they are a member of the LBLA.

Tenderers have been able to submit bids for one or more Lots, in accordance with their expertise and service offering. The Authority reserves the right to award one or more lots to the same Tenderer.

On 16th September 2025, Haringey Council ('the Council') provided all bidders with their relevant Assessment Summaries. On 16th September 2025, the Council also published the relevant Contract Award Notice in accordance with Section 50 of the Procurement Act 2023.

Publication of the notice initiated a standstill period of eight working days, in accordance with Section 51 of the Procurement Act 2023. The standstill period was due to conclude at midnight on Monday 27th October 2025.

Following receipt of a request for further information from one of the bidders ("the bidder") prior to midnight on Monday 27th October 2025, the Council sent a message to all bidders on Monday 27th October 2025 stating that: "Please note that the Council has received bidder correspondence, and that in order to review and respond substantively to this correspondence the current standstill period has been suspended. A new date for the extended standstill period will be confirmed in due course." On Monday 3rd November 2025, the Council responded substantively to the request for further information from the bidder.

The Council sent a message to all bidders on 3rd November 2025 stating that: "Please note that the Council has asked the Cabinet Office to publish an amendment to the Contract Award Notice (ref: 2025/S 000-065849) confirming an extension to the standstill period to midnight on Monday 10th November 2025. The Authority will therefore not enter into the proposed Framework Agreements before Tuesday 11th November 2025." In the interests of transparency regarding the Contract Award Notice and the applicable standstill period, in line with Regulation 5 of the Procurement Regulations 2024, the Council has elected to amend the Procurement Description within the existing Contract Award Notice as above.