  We propose a closed-form normalization method suitable for the study of the
secular dynamics of small bodies in heliocentric orbits perturbed by the tidal
potential of a planet with orbit external to the orbit of the small body. The
method makes no use of relegation, thus, circumventing all convergence issues
related to that technique. The method is based on a convenient use of a
book-keeping parameter keeping simultaneously track of all the small quantities
in the problem. The book-keeping affects both the Lie series and the Poisson
structure employed in successive perturbative steps. In particular, it affects
the definition of the normal form remainder at every normalization step. We
show the results obtained by assuming Jupiter as perturbing planet and we
discuss the validity and limits of the method.
