Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice for Provision of Solicitors for UK Covid-19 Inquiry Contract Extension
About This Opportunity
Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice for — services contract awarded in United Kingdom by Cabinet Office. Awarded to Burges Salmon LLP (GBP 1, May 2026).
This is a services contract in the general supplies sector, with a focus on Advertising. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.
Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for services in the general supplies sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This contract has already been awarded. The information is published for transparency and market intelligence purposes.
Description
This VEAT sets out the Cabinet Office's (in sponsorship capacity to the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry) intention to extend the CCLL23A10 contract for the provision of a Solicitor and supporting legal team to provide continuous legal advice to the Inquiry Chair on the operation of the Inquiry.
The proposed extension is a time-only extension and will be delivered within the existing total contract value. At section II.1.7. of this notice the Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT) is stated at £1 as a £0 value is not a permitted input to the notice. The total contract value will not be amended and remains £37,635,940
At V.2) Award of contract/concession > V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract we included the date of 14 May 2026, based on the system only permitting dates that are today or in the past. The existing contract will actually conclude on 16 December 2026, with the extension referenced in this notice taking the contract expiry to 30 September 2027.
The Cabinet Office intends to observe a standstill period of 10 days and will not conclude this contract amendment before 29 May 2026. No other changes will be made to the contract.
Firms who have acted in connection with the Inquiry when supporting any core participants cannot act as Solicitor to the Inquiry.
This VEAT sets out the intention to extend the CCLL23A10 contract.
The proposed extension is a time-only extension and will be delivered within the existing total contract value. The total contract value will not be amended and will remain £37,635,940.
At V.2) Award of contract/concession > V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract we included the date of 14 May 2026, based on the system only permitting dates that are today or in the past. The existing contract will actually conclude on 16 December 2026, with the extension referenced in this notice taking the contract expiry to 30 September 2027.
The Cabinet Office intends to observe a standstill period of 10 days and will not conclude this contract amendment before 29 May 2026. No other changes will be made to the contract.
Firms who have acted in connection with the Inquiry when supporting any core participants cannot act as Solicitor to the Inquiry.
The extension will include the following significantly reduced deliverables as the Inquiry approaches closedown:
-Support to the Chair concerning her final changes to the M10 report
-Support on report publication event preparation and delivery for Modules 8, 9 and 10
-Post-report publication queries and judicial review advice for Modules 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10
-General legal advice to Chair / Secretary and occasional attendance at office holder and/or governance meetings
-Section 14 advice
-Archiving advice
Data provenance
This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on May 14, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 044476-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.
About Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office has issued 128 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 2 currently open and 116 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology, Consulting, and General Supplies & Services. Tenders span 3 countries including Japan, Zambia, and United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK Contracts Finder, UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, and JETRO Japan. Most recent publication: May 20, 2026.
Frequently asked questions about this tender
What type of contract is this?
This is a Services contract in the General Supplies & Services sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.
How much was the contract awarded for?
Burges Salmon LLP was awarded the contract for £1. The figure reflects the value disclosed by the contracting authority in the award notice.
Where will the contract be performed?
The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.
How can I submit a bid?
Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 044476-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.
Is this tender still open?
No — the contract has already been awarded to Burges Salmon LLP. The award notice is archived on BidsFactory for transparency and market intelligence.
Who is the contracting authority?
This notice was issued by Cabinet Office in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.
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