Find a TenderAwarded
Published 4 Oct 2022, 11:24 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Digital Marketing Services · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: Northern Trains Ltd (Public body)

2 lotsServicesNegotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Budget not disclosedValue not published
Submissions closed 3 Nov 2022awarded 22 Mar 2023
Awarded to 8 Million Stories Ltd2 awards

What is being bought2 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

This tender is split into two (2) lots. Lot 1 - Paid SearchLot 2 - Organic SearchPlease see tender documents for further information.

CPV: Marketing services

Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure

2 lots · no lot values published
Lot #1Paid SearchAwardedRenewal

The Paid Search partner will act as an extension of the Northern team and will manage Northern’s online search advertising presence, ensuring quality traffic is driven to the website and app that increases sales and generates a profitable return on investment. Here at Northern, we want to make a positive impact in the North, and as such we’re looking for a Paid Search partner who is based in, or has strong demonstrable connections to, the North of England.The Agency must also have a strong travel and tourism industry knowledge to enable them to educate and inform the Northern marketing team on best practice, algorithm updates, new platforms, and ways of working.Experience working with Rail or Transport sector partners is desirable, but not essential.The Agency is required to target prospective and returning customers in the North of England based on key leisure and commuter personas, making sure the right ads show for the right people at the right time and within the given budget.The agency will consider the positioning of ads given that Northern’s paid search activity is targeted at bottom of funnel conversion, complementing above the line activity.The Agency partner shall own and lead Paid Search strategy for Northern, including account management, budget management, campaign structure development and management, writing and creating ads, reviewing conversion performance, and maintaining the brand’s presence.Upon joining Northern, the Agency partner will perform an account review and audit, assessing campaign set up and structure, PPC optimisation tactics, bid strategies, competitor activity, keywords, targeting, and ad copy.Northern are keen to test and learn and as such the Paid Search Agency will be required to guide optimisation and improve efficiencies, research new developments, and monitor competitor and industry activity.

Delivery: UK
Extensions: 1 x 12 months.Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #2Organic SearchAwardedRenewal

We require a partner on a retained basis who will act as an extension of the Northern team and manage our online presence across organic search, increasing visibility, providing on-page and off-page SEO and content services, and ensuring quality traffic is driven to the website and app that increases sales and generates a profitable return on investment. Here at Northern, we want to make a positive impact in the North, and as such we’re looking for an Organic Search partner who is based in or has strong demonstrable connections to the North of England.The Agency must also have a strong travel and tourism industry knowledge to enable them to educate and inform the Northern marketing team on best practice, algorithm updates, outreach, new platforms, and ways of working.Experience in working with Rail or Transport sector partners is desirable, but not essential.The Agency shall focus on increasing Northern’s search visibility, delivering high-quality traffic to the Northern website and app, and driving more conversions from that traffic.The Agency partner shall lead on SEO and content strategy, including weekly keyword tracking and monitoring, implementing changes from findings, and collaborating with the Northern team on results.Working as an extension to Northern’s marketing team, the Agency will build content designed around our personas that enrich the customer’s journey, answer questions, alleviate pinch points, and pique the interests of new and returning customers across the North of England.

Delivery: UK
Extensions: 1 x 12 months.Variant bids: not allowed

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Lot distribution rule: If the successful bidder is the same tenderer for Lots 1 & 2, then NTL reserves the right to enter into one contract.
Shortlisting
Please see Tender documents.
Successive reduction
Candidates will be reduced successively across stages

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0025 Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (Directive 2014/25/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Yes
First published
4 Oct 2022, 11:24 BST
Last source update
29 Mar 2023, 09:17 BST
Authority reference
NTL/PT/0035
FTS notice number
2023/S 000-009072
Classification (CPV)
Marketing services
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0372b8 Find a Tender
Contract terms
Electronic trading
e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: In-tend · Who buys & how to bid on In-tend
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · one account per buying organisation's portal · reCAPTCHA on signup
Submission deadline
3 Nov 2022, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission","written"}
Accepted languages
en
Participation fee
document
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

3 Nov 2022 → 29 Mar 2023 · 2 dates
  1. Submission deadline
    3 Nov 2022, 12:00 GMT
  2. Notice published
    29 Mar 2023, 09:17 BST

Notice history

1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender
  1. Status changed to complete
    29 Mar 2023, 09:17 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 2
Contracts signed 2latest 22 Mar 2023
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Lot 2 · Organic Search1 award
8 Million Stories LtdSMEDigital Marketing - Organic Search——Awarded

1 further award records carry no date or value.

Contracts

  • Digital Marketing - Paid Search · supplier not published

    Signed
    22 Mar 2023
    Value
    —
    Status
    active
  • Digital Marketing - Organic Search · 8 Million Stories LtdSME

    Signed
    22 Mar 2023
    Value
    —
    Status
    active

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Northern Trains Limited

Contracting authorityPublic bodyRailway services George Stephenson House, Toft Green, York, UK, YO1 6JTContact email Published organisation website ↗

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria