---
title: "TVCA-PROC-0921 - Interim Legal Assistant - ESPO 3S_26 Strategic HR Recruitment Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Tees Valley Combined Authority"
published: "2026-09-15"
---

# TVCA-PROC-0921 - Interim Legal Assistant - ESPO 3S_26 Strategic HR Recruitment Services

Buyer: Tees Valley Combined Authority  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4.json)

## Summary

Tees Valley Combined Authority procured interim legal support for its Legal team: a qualified solicitor supplied through a strategic HR recruitment framework. The requirement is for temporary personnel rather than a permanent legal appointment, with the successful provider responsible for supplying a suitable candidate. The service is classified as personnel supply, including temporary staff. The buying organisation is Tees Valley Combined Authority, a sub-central public authority based at Teesside Airport Business Suite in Darlington. The requirement supports the authority’s in-house legal function and is focused on providing professional solicitor capacity for an interim period. The procurement formed one completed requirement under the ESPO 3S_26 Strategic HR Recruitment Services framework, rather than a wider programme of legal services or general recruitment.

The procurement has been awarded and completed. Tees Valley Combined Authority used a selective, below-threshold award under the ESPO 3S_26 framework without a competitive call-off. The award was made to Sellick Partnership Limited on 24 August 2026. The awarded value is £69,552 excluding VAT, or £83,462.40 including VAT. The contract period is 16 September 2026 to 1 December 2026, with an option to extend to 1 March 2027 if a suitable candidate is not recruited within the required period. The underlying description says the contract started on 1 September 2026 and refers to a three-month term with a further three-month extension option. The process covered one completed lot, and the requirement was below the applicable threshold.

This procurement indicates demand from Tees Valley Combined Authority for short-term, qualified solicitor capacity to support an in-house Legal team. Suppliers well placed for a future requirement of this kind would need an established recruitment or interim staffing operation, access to qualified solicitors, and the ability to identify and present a suitable legal professional quickly. Relevant capability includes understanding public-sector legal environments, assessing candidates’ professional qualifications and experience, and managing temporary placements through an established framework route. A credible provider would also need to support a defined interim assignment, respond if the first candidate is not recruited, and handle the practical administration of supplying personnel to a public authority. The awarded supplier was an SME recruitment business, showing that a specialist staffing provider can satisfy this type of requirement.

## Notice

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) (the 'Contracting Authority') have awarded a contract for a qualified Solicitor to support the Legal team via .ESPO 3S_26 Strategic HR Recruitment Services for 3 months with the option to extend for a further 3 Months. This notice is being provided retrospectively due to internal delays. Contract started 1.9.26

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087180-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - award under framework |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 24 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 16 Sep 2026 - 1 Dec 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £69,552 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Tees Valley Combined Authority |
| Locality | DARLINGTON |
| Postcode area | Darlington |
| Postcode | DL2 1NJ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC3 Tees Valley |
| ITL 3 | TLC33 Darlington |
| Local authority | Darlington |
| Electoral ward | Sadberge & Middleton St George |
| Westminster constituency | Stockton West |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Sellick Partnership Limited |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79620000 - Supply services of personnel including temporary staff

## Release History

- 15 Sep 2026 at 10:58 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087180-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087180-2026
  15th September 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsReleasePackages/ocds-h6vhtk-0505ab
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f9d4.json.