# Energy Retail Markets Legal Advice and Services

> Contract award record from UK public-sector procurement sources.

## Key facts

- Public buyer: [DESNZ](/buyers/desnz/contract-awards)
- Contract winner: [Sharpe Pritchard LLP](/contract-winners/sharpe-pritchard/public-sector-contract-awards)
- Award value: £1,750,000
- Tender value: £1,750,000
- Award date: 30 December 2024
- Published: 12 February 2025
- Contract start: 10 January 2025
- Contract end: 10 January 2026
- Stage: awarded
- Procurement category: services
- Notice ID: 586cdaee-d7ed-43ee-ab82-f2ef35080f84-825595
- OCID: ocds-b5fd17-a3e7022e-82e0-4042-a47e-4aa70c787672

## Description

Provision of legal advice in relation to electricity and gas supplier financial difficulties, insolvencies and subsequent government response which may include, but not be limited to: the Supplier of Last Resort \(SoLR\) process, requirements for a Special Administration Regime \(SAR\) and wider considerations related to supplier failure and market stability\. In the case of a SAR, this would need to be established very quickly, and short notice legal work would be required ahead of the actual initiation of a SAR\. Any delay accessing legal support under such circumstances risks a disorderly exit from the market, risking the continued supply of energy to customers, and having wider repercussions on retail and wholesale markets\.

## Related contract awards

- [Delivery Partner 2 for Warm Homes](/contracts/ocds-b5fd17-b6845081-10a1-4e83-9395-3694cc53a7dd): DESNZ
- [PS26210 - RAF 011/2627 -Understanding compliance and supporting sustainable enforcement of PRS domestic and non-domestic MEES](/contracts/ocds-b5fd17-beb4f98f-aa48-40f1-b42c-2a278dbc19b6): DESNZ
- [Legal Advisor to the DESNZ Advanced Nuclear Policy and Delivery team](/contracts/ocds-b5fd17-7f8398aa-221b-426e-bd49-fc04909e4374): DESNZ
- [Great British Energy - External Legal Services 2026-2028](/contracts/ocds-b5fd17-9ae93648-e550-4aee-b1ff-3e208b78a20c): Great British Energy
- [P4104017 - Legal Advisers for the STARThree Framework](/contracts/ocds-b5fd17-fdc4148d-9ef0-4ef3-bc93-9aa81c9b0352): DfTc - Department for Transport
- [2026-016 Legal Support for CSR Project](/contracts/ocds-b5fd17-22c310e1-916b-4cf9-a9ee-d48e07d4277d): Ofgem

## Source

[View the original notice on Contracts Finder](https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/586cdaee-d7ed-43ee-ab82-f2ef35080f84-825595)