Scope
Reference
NCCT43264
Description
Norfolk County Council requires legal services for the in-house insurance team to predominately help support the delivery of the claims service, and is re-tendering its expiring framework agreement for these services.
The insurance team is a team of 12 staff led by the Head of Insurance and comprises a mixture of claims handler investigators and insurance officers with administrative support provided by the Business Support Team.
Legal representation is required by the insurance team to predominately help support the delivery of the claims service.
Legal representatives will need to provide a high standard of professional service advice and guidance on all matters relating to insurance claims handled by the team. Typical duties will include but not be limited to:
• Provision of general legal advice
• Representing the authority in litigation
• Maintaining a knowledge of issues facing the authority and being prepared to offer legal opinions
• Supporting the development and knowledge of the insurance team.
The insurance team provide support to the Norse Group and as such require coverage across the country.
Full details of the requirement can be found in the Service Specification, which forms a Schedule to the Terms and Conditions.
Please note that Norfolk County Council has joined the government's Devolution Priority Programme.
This process has the potential to lead to the establishment of a county combined authority for Norfolk and Suffolk, with strategic powers, headed by an elected mayor.
Government has also invited participation by Norfolk in Local Government Review. This process has the potential to lead to unitary local government in Norfolk. One of these changes could happen without the other. The contract may be assigned or novated to any successor authority(ies) to Norfolk County Council or to any joint body incorporating or formed by any such successor. The County Council or a successor authority or joint body may order services on behalf of other local authorities serving any area within Norfolk's current geographical boundaries.
Market engagement has not been undertaken. The Risk and Insurance Team are reprocuring an existing framework agreement and are not changing the substance of the service, and therefore there was little value in holding market engagement when a planned procurement notice and pipeline notice have already been published to give the market forewarning of the upcoming procurement.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £2,250,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2030
- 4 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
6
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
When entering into contracts from the Framework Agreement, the Council will use the call-off terms and conditions included as a Schedule to the Terms and Conditions of Contract in accordance with the Framework Agreement.
Each time the Council has a requirement it will either:
• directly award a contract to one supplier from information supplied in this Invitation to Tender and from the prices submitted in the price schedule ("Direct Award")
or
• hold a competition involving all suppliers capable of performing the contract. This will involve inviting bids from Suppliers on the framework and will be scaled to the size and complexity of the requirement ("Further Competition").
It is anticipated that most contracts will be directly awarded.
Contracts awarded under the framework may have a maximum total duration of 6 years. No contract awarded from the framework will be permitted to extend beyond 30 April 2036 and must be awarded during the term of the Framework.
Direct Awards will be made based on the information supplied in Applicants' responses to the Invitation to Tender and from the prices submitted in the price schedule, and will take in to account:
• The services offered in the Invitation to Tender aligned with the specific requirement
• The price(s) quoted in the Price Schedule
• Where relevant, locality
• Experience of the team relevant to the claim
• Team availability
• Any capacity constraints indicated within the framework tender response.
Where a Provider is unable to fulfil the requirement at direct contract award, the next most appropriate Provider will be awarded the contract.
The award criteria for further competitions will be set within the ranges indicated in the Invitation to Tender.
Prices bid at the Invitation to Tender stage are the maximum appointed suppliers will be able to charge throughout the term of the framework, unless otherwise indicated in the terms and conditions of contract.
Please note that there is no guarantee of work.
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
Establishing party only
Submission
Tender submission deadline
12 November 2025, 11:00am
Submission address and any special instructions
This procurement will be managed electronically via the Council's eProcurement system. To participate in this procurement, applicants must first be registered on the system at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc.
Clarifications must be raised through the in-tend platform, and responses to clarification questions will be published on the in-tend platform. Clarifications will not be answered by email.
Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Registration and https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Help. You will be able to see the procurement project under the 'Tenders' section and when registered and logged in will be able to 'Express an Interest' to view the associated documentation. In order to view clarifications, you must be logged in.
If you have any problems using the system you can find information under the 'Help' section of the website at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Help.
If you have any technical problems with accessing in-tend, you can contact the InTend support team by phoning +44 (0) 114 407 0065 or emailing support@in-tend.co.uk.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
28 November 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Price | 40% |
| Scenarios | Quality | 30% |
| Cost effectiveness | Quality | 10% |
| Risk Management | Quality | 5% |
| Training and Development | Quality | 5% |
| Fraud | Quality | 5% |
| Added value | Quality | 5% |
Other information
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
- Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Documents
Associated tender documents
NCCT43264-Legal Representation framework agreement.docx
Invitation to Tender
Framework Guide for Applicants.docx
Framework guide for applicants
Framework Agreement terms and conditions.docx
Framework agreement terms and conditions
Contracting authority
Norfolk County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDYH-3246-XWTR
County Hall, Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR1 2DH
United Kingdom
Region: UKH15 - Norwich and East Norfolk
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government