Portfolio management services

Tender description

North East Finance (Holdco) Ltd — registered office 3rd Floor, Baltimore House, Abbots Hill, Gateshead NE8 3DF — is the holding fund manager for the Finance for Business North East Fund, which invested £160m in SMEs in north east England between 2010 and 2016. We are inviting tenders from law firms to provide legal services to North East Finance (Holdco) Ltd and its two subsidiaries for four years commencing in November 2020. We are looking for a legal adviser to support the Chief Executive, the Company Secretary and the Board, ensuring that the companies comply with their legal and regulatory requirements, as well as giving advice on general commercial issues as they arise. Most of our funds have been supported by the European Regional Development Fund and bidders must demonstrate a clear understanding of the regulatory requirements for ERDF. We are looking for a legal adviser to support the Chief Executive, the Company Secretary and the Board, ensuring that the companies comply with their legal and regulatory requirements, as well as giving advice on general commercial issues as they arise. Most of our funds have been supported by the European Regional Development Fund and bidders must demonstrate a clear understanding of the regulatory requirements for ERDF. Specific areas of work where bidders should demonstrate specialist expertise include: Private equity and venture capital, including financial services regulatory issues; Limited Partnership structures, related legal agreements and obligations; European structural funding, including advice on compliance with ERDF Regulations, the terms of ERDF funding agreements and the requirements of stakeholders; State Aid advice relating to publicly funded bodies delivering venture capital funds, including the practical application of GBER, the Risk Capital Guidelines and the Market Economy Operator Principle; Procurement, including all aspects of the OJEU procurement process, sub-OJEU procurements and the interpretation and application of procurement law; Other legal/regulatory issues relating to public sector economic interventions. General commercial advice will also be required on a range of matters including: Corporate advice, supporting the Company Secretary on corporate governance issues; Contractual issues relating to funding agreements and fund management contracts; Investment transactions, including asset sales/ exits from equity holdings in SMEs, follow on investments and general shareholder matters relating to portfolio businesses; Support for team members in their capacity as directors or observers on the boards of portfolio companies; Employment issues, new legislation and any disputes; Prospective litigation, including debt recovery; Data security and GDPR.