Purpose

The legal service needs digital research tools and a library in order to deliver an effective service. Extensive market engagement was carried out by Kennedy Cater but this is a highly specialised market with effectively two possible suppliers. Kennedy Cater worked with the two suppliers to provide two highly detailed and competitive bids to LBLA practice managers.

The relevant justifications for a Direct Award under section 5 of the PA 2023. Namely, where:
(5) The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract—
(a) due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and
(b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.
(6) The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract—
(a)due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and
(b)there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.

The preference for Thomson Reuters is based on a majority of practice areas needing to possess access to their key legal titles and tools that are regularly used to inform and delivery the practice’s work.

Decision

The direct award of contract under waiver to Thomson Reuters to commence in April 2026 for a period of 2 years and 8 months, with a rolling renewal of 12 months after that which we do not propose to exercise. The total value of the contract including any options to extend is £465,885.17 (inc VAT – Zero VAT).