Find a TenderAwarded without competition

Published 19 Dec 2025, 16:24 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Lower Thames Crossing - Legal Advisers Phase 2

Official notice

Authority: National Highways Limited (Central government)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition

Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: UK

Awarded value£1,350,000published contract · exc. VAT

Awarded 25 Nov 2025no call for competition

Awarded to Ashurst LLP

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Legal advice is required to support National Highways and the Department of Transport in all tasks relating to the delivery of the Lower Thames Crossing Project to the private sector under the Private Regulated Entity Model.

CPV: Legal advisory services · Legal services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1Legal advice is required to support National Highways and the Department of Transport…Awarded

Legal advice is required to support National Highways and the Department of Transport in all tasks relating to Phase 2 to transfer the delivery of the Project to the private sector under the Private Regulated Entity Model.

The main phases are expected to be as follows (model may be subject to alteration as detailed design progresses):

a) The setting up of a company (LTC Co), into which contracts, people and assets relevant to the construction, operation and maintenance of LTC and the Dartford Crossing will be transferred;

b) Establishing new legislation to enact the required model, including expanding the functions of an existing regulator or creating an Economic Roads Regulator, setting out its powers and duties and establishing the ability of LTC Co to impose and collect user charges for the use of infrastructure; and

c)The sale of LTC Co resulting in the creation of a privately owned Regulated Company (Reg Co).

Delivery: UK

79100000 Legal services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis: CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold: Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered: Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 19 Dec 2025, 16:24 GMT
Last source update: 19 Dec 2025, 16:24 GMT
FTS notice number: 2025/S 000-085093
Classification (CPV): Legal advisory servicesLegal services
Delivery area: UK
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05fad1 Find a Tender

Why no open competition: The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
Published justification: This contract has been procured via a mini-competition process via use of the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Framework - RM6179 Legal Services Panel - Lot 2.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value £1,350,0001 contract exc. VAT

Bids received 4

Contracts signed 1latest 25 Nov 2025

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
Ashurst LLPLower Thames Crossing - Legal Advisors Phase 2	£1,350,000 †	—	Awarded

Contracts

Lower Thames Crossing - Legal Advisors Phase 2 · Ashurst LLP
Signed
25 Nov 2025
Value
£1,350,000
Status
active

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
4bids	—	—	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

National Highways Limited

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentNational or federal agency/officeGeneral public services Three Snowhill, Snow Hill Queensway, Birmingham, UK, B4 6GAContact email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

High Court of Justice EnglandReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Ashurst LLPAwarded supplier London, UK

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.