AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
New College Durham awarded a call-off for general legal services, excluding employment law, to MUCKLE LLP. The published award value is £250,000 for the period 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030.
Published outcomeOne active award was published for MUCKLE LLP following a selective call-off from a framework agreement.
Market significanceThe notice represents a four-year legal-services requirement covering commercial, property, construction, procurement and related advisory work.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
MUCKLE LLP
99% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-009b6490-93a2-4098-9f34-58d478d80cdd-1 · 250000 GBP · active
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The active award names Muckle LLP as supplier and records a value of GBP 250,000. Supplier verification identifies legal name MUCKLE LLP, company number OC315403.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
99% confidenceAwarded contract notice; tender status complete; award status active
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Process display status is 'awarded'; source notice is 'Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder'; tender status is 'complete'; award status is 'active'.
Award decision date
99% confidence24 August 2026
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Award record date: 2026-08-24T00:00:00+01:00.
Published award notice date
99% confidence13 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-13T12:05:04+01:00.
Published contract period
99% confidence1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030
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Award and tender contractPeriod specify startDate 2026-10-01 and endDate 2030-09-30.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published award value
99% confidence£250,000
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The award value is amount 250000, currency GBP.
Value allocation
98% confidenceThe £250,000 value is recorded against the single published award to MUCKLE LLP.
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One award is supplied, with one listed supplier, Muckle LLP, and award value of GBP 250,000.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Submission deadline
99% confidence26 June 2026, 12:00 BST
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Tender period endDate: 2026-06-26T12:00:00+01:00.
Award date
99% confidence24 August 2026
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Award date: 2026-08-24T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract start date
99% confidence1 October 2026
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Published contractPeriod startDate: 2026-10-01T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract end date
99% confidence30 September 2030
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Published contractPeriod endDate: 2030-09-30T23:59:59+01:00.
Award notice publication
99% confidence13 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-13T12:05:04+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceGeneral legal services, excluding employment law matters
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Tender title and description state that general legal services are required, excluding employment law.
Service activities
99% confidenceLegal advice; drafting, negotiation and review of legal and commercial documents; commercial transaction structuring; and legal risk management.
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Tender description lists these activities.
Legal practice areas
99% confidenceContract and commercial law, property law, construction, complex projects including public procurement, project planning, franchises and independent training providers.
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Tender description identifies these law types and activities.
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 79100000 — Legal services
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Primary classification supplied as CPV 79100000, 'Legal services'.
Delivery location
98% confidenceDH1 5ES
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Tender item delivery address postal code is DH1 5ES.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceSelective procedure
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Process procurement_method is 'selective'.
Route to market
99% confidenceCall-off from a framework agreement
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procurementMethodDetails is 'Call-off from a framework agreement'.
SME suitability
98% confidenceMarked suitable for SMEs
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Tender suitability records sme: true.
Competition information
99% confidenceNumber of bids, framework identity, invited suppliers and evaluation results are unknown.
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Published term
99% confidenceFour years
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The stated period runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030.
Extensions and options
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
Pricing and payment structure
99% confidenceUnknown
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The notice provides an aggregate award value but no rate card, pricing schedule or payment terms.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Requirement profile
96% confidenceThe scope combines ongoing legal advisory support with transactional and project-related capability across commercial, property, construction and procurement matters.
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Tender description lists advisory, documentation, transaction structuring, risk management and the specified legal practice areas.
Employment-law boundary
99% confidenceEmployment law is expressly excluded from this requirement.
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Tender description states 'excluding employment law matters'.
Award route implication
99% confidenceThe requirement was sourced through a framework call-off rather than a standalone open procedure.
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The notice states 'Call-off from a framework agreement' and selective procurement method.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award and contract status interpretation
99% confidenceThe source publishes an active award and stated contract period, but does not explicitly confirm contract signature.
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Award status is 'active' and contractPeriod is supplied; no executed-contract or signature field is provided.
Publication completeness
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice includes bid count, evaluation scores, framework name, lot allocation, pricing breakdown, payment terms and extension provisions.
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These fields are absent from the supplied notice data.
Supplier verification
99% confidenceSupplier identity is verified by company number OC315403; source name 'Muckle LLP' matches the verified legal identity aside from capitalisation.
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Supplier verification status is 'verified', match method is 'company_number', verified company name is MUCKLE LLP, and nameMismatch is false.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The notice does not explicitly state that a contract was signed or executed; it publishes an active award and contract period only.
- Information not supplied in the published notice includes bid count, bidder identities, evaluation methodology and scores, framework identity, detailed pricing, payment terms, extension options and individual lot allocation.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
New College DurhamMUCKLE LLPgeneral legal serviceslegal services contractframework call-offpublic procurement legal advice
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won New College Durham's general legal services award?
MUCKLE LLP was named as the supplier on the published active award.
What is the published value of the award?
The published award value is £250,000.
What services are included?
The requirement covers general legal services excluding employment law, including commercial, property, construction, procurement and project-related legal support.
When does the published contract period end?
The published end date is 30 September 2030.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.