Official UK procurement notice
School Teacher Recruitment Marketing Campaign
Authority: Department for Education (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe objective of the School Teacher Recruitment Marketing Campaign is to support recruitment of c. 35,000 people into Initial Teacher Training every year, alongside the government priority to recruit an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across our schools, both mainstream and specialist, and our colleges over the course of this parliament. (This campaign will only target school teachers).
Our aim is to inspire and attract candidates and grow the appeal of teaching amongst students and graduates under the age of 30, who are the group most likely to train to become a teacher.
We are looking for a lead creative and strategic agency that will set a new direction for the school recruitment marketing campaign to tackle a challenging, ever-changing graduate recruitment market and ensure the campaign delivers communications excellence and innovation, as demanded by Government Communications Service professional standards.
The deliverables of this campaign are:
- Campaign strategy and platform.
- Brand strategy and guardianship to support wider marketing activities.
- Creative development and production for paid advertising and to support the application of the creative strategy and platform across other marketing touchpoints, including the Get Into Teaching website.
- Strategy, development and content production for direct marketing journeys (segmented email programmes).
This tender notice is for the award of a public contract through a competitive flexible procedure in accordance with section 20(1) and (2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023.
- How the procedure runs: 1. Participation Stage This stage will include three scored technical questions. A brief and more information on the evaluation criteria and scoring methodology can be found in the PSQ documents. A clarification process will be used during the tendering period to allow bidders to seek clarification from the Authority. The deadline for clarification questions will be 31st March 2025. The deadline for submitting responses for the Participation stage is 18th April 2025. The estimated date of providing results for this stage to bidders is 30th April 2025. A maximum number of eight highest scoring bidders will proceed to stage 2. 2. ITT (Invitation to tender) This stage will include: A) Technical envelope B) Commercial envelope incl. FVRAT (financial viability risk assessment tool) The estimated launch of this stage will be 1st May 2025. This is when all ITT documentation will be provided. The key documents provided at this stage will include ITT bidding guidance, detailed brief, ITT evaluation criteria, scoring methodology, commercial envelope, technical questions, draft contract and KPIs. A dialogue (chemistry meeting) will be part of this stage. A clarification process will be used during the tendering period to allow bidders to seek clarification from the Authority. The estimated deadline for clarification questions will be 16th May 2025. The estimated deadline for submitting responses for this stage is 30th May 2025. The estimated date of providing results for this stage to bidders is 10th June 2025. A maximum number of four highest scoring bidders will proceed to stage 3. 3. Presentations During this stage bidders will be required to demonstrate their strategic and creative expertise related to the campaign brief. A dialogue (tissue meeting) will be part of this stage. The estimated launch of this stage will be 11th June 2025. This is when the brief and the scoring methodology and evaluation criteria for the presentation will be provided. The estimated dates of the presentations are 14th and 15th July 2025. The estimated date of publishing the result of this stage is 28th July 2025. Please note all dates are subject to change. The Authority reserves the right to amend the procurement, where such amendment would not be substantial, as follows, including and not limited to; • amendments to the tender documents which may provide clarification • refining the specification as the competitive flexible procedure progresses The tender can be accessed at https://education.app.jaggaer.com. Search for: "Project_9736 or ssq_569’ . All communication with the Authority during all stages must be submitted via the Jaggaer messaging portal. A PIN for the market engagement event can be found here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f8ea5daf-d9ad-4965-9b7c-eb7a0794ceeb
CPV: Advertising and marketing services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedPublished value£7,200,000
- Economic & financial standing
Details can be found in the PSQ
- Technical & professional ability
Details can be found in the PSQ
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published sub-criteria (3)
- Technical: 65%
- Price: 25%
- Social value: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
- Technical: This award criteria is for ITT stage. The percentage weighting may be refined at the launch ITT stage.
- Social value: This award criteria is for ITT stage
- Price: This award criteria is for ITT stage. The percentage weighting may be refined at the launch ITT stage.
- Economic & financial standing
Details can be found in the PSQ
- Technical & professional ability
Details can be found in the PSQ
- Price carries 25 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 24 Mar 2025, 12:15 GMT
- Last source update
- 11 Aug 2026, 11:37 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 28 Jul 2025
- Authority reference
con_28068- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-010886- Latest notice
- Contract performance notice (UK9)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04f7deFind a Tender
- How it runs
- Participation Stage
This stage will include three scored technical questions.
A brief and more information on the evaluation criteria and scoring methodology can be found in the PSQ documents.
A clarification process will be used during the tendering period to allow bidders to seek clarification from the Authority. The deadline for clarification questions will be 31st March 2025.
The deadline for submitting responses for the Participation stage is 18th April 2025. The estimated date of providing results for this stage to bidders is 30th April 2025.
A maximum number of eight highest scoring bidders will proceed to stage 2.
- ITT (Invitation to tender)
This stage will include:
A) Technical envelope
B) Commercial envelope incl. FVRAT (financial viability risk assessment tool)
The estimated launch of this stage will be 1st May 2025. This is when all ITT documentation will be provided. The key documents provided at this stage will include ITT bidding guidance, detailed brief, ITT evaluation criteria, scoring methodology, commercial envelope, technical questions, draft contract and KPIs.
A dialogue (chemistry meeting) will be part of this stage.
A clarification process will be used during the tendering period to allow bidders to seek clarification from the Authority. The estimated deadline for clarification questions will be 16th May 2025.
The estimated deadline for submitting responses for this stage is 30th May 2025. The estimated date of providing results for this stage to bidders is 10th June 2025.
A maximum number of four highest scoring bidders will proceed to stage 3.
- Presentations
During this stage bidders will be required to demonstrate their strategic and creative expertise related to the campaign brief.
A dialogue (tissue meeting) will be part of this stage.
The estimated launch of this stage will be 11th June 2025. This is when the brief and the scoring methodology and evaluation criteria for the presentation will be provided.
The estimated dates of the presentations are 14th and 15th July 2025. The estimated date of publishing the result of this stage is 28th July 2025.
Please note all dates are subject to change.
The Authority reserves the right to amend the procurement, where such amendment would not be substantial, as follows, including and not limited to;
- amendments to the tender documents which may provide clarification
- refining the specification as the competitive flexible procedure progresses
The tender can be accessed at education.app.jaggaer.com ↗. Search for: "Project_9736 or ssq_569’ .
All communication with the Authority during all stages must be submitted via the Jaggaer messaging portal.
A PIN for the market engagement event can be found here: www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f8ea5daf-d9ad… ↗
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 18 Apr 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 18 Apr 2025, 17:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 31 Mar 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
education.app.jaggaer.com ↗. Search for: Project_9736 or ssq_569
Timeline
24 Mar 2025 → 11 Aug 2026 · 8 dates- Tender notice published24 Mar 2025, 12:15 GMT
- Clarification questions by31 Mar 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline18 Apr 2025, 17:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent23 Jul 2025, 00:00 BST
- Award decision expected by28 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
- Standstill ends13 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts392 days ago1 Oct 2025, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published78 days ago11 Aug 2026, 11:37 BST
Notice history
8 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 24 Mar 2025- Tender notice published24 Mar 2025, 12:15 GMTUK4
- Contract award notice published1 Aug 2025, 12:08 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete1 Aug 2025, 12:08 BST
- Procurement method changed1 Aug 2025, 12:08 BST
- Contract signature expected20 Aug 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published25 Sept 2025, 13:45 BSTUK7
- Procurement method changed25 Sept 2025, 13:45 BST
- Contract performance notice published11 Aug 2026, 11:37 BSTUK9
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-03: 1 release · 24 Mar 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| M&C Saatchi (UK) LtdSchool Teacher Recruitment Marketing Campaign - Lead Creative and Strategic Agency25 Sept 2025 – 24 Sept 2029 | £7,200,000 | 23 Jul 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 1 · M&C Saatchi (UK) Ltd
- Signed
- 9 Sept 2025
- Value
- £9,000,000
- Period
- 25 Sept 2025 – 24 Sept 2029
- Status
- active
12 agreed KPIs: Accurate and timely billing within 90 days · Reconciliation of client costs · Accurate and transparent scope of work and project estimate …
- Accurate and timely billing within 90 days
- Reconciliation of client costs
- Accurate and transparent scope of work and project estimate
- Accurate and timely maintenance of a financial tracker throughout the contract
- Client satisfaction survey
- Effective issues management
- Creative quality control
- Production quality control
- Delivery on time
- Supplier management
- School Outreach
- Training and Education
- Good - performance is meeting or exceeding the KPI Creative quality control - Creative scope must include 3 rounds of feedback and presented to the client should be free of error and aligned to the agreed brief · to 30 Jun 2026
- Approaching target - performance is close to meeting the KPI Production quality control - Production scope must include 3 rounds of feedback and presented to the client should be free of error and aligned to the agreed signed off creative masters · to 30 Jun 2026
- Good - performance is meeting or exceeding the KPI Delivery on time - New campaign launch - Campaign refreshed and delivered to the agreed target timelines for advertising and direct marketing · to 30 Jun 2026
- Good - performance is meeting or exceeding the KPI Training and Education Year 1- One additional apprenticeship recruited to work within account team. Year 2 One additional Open House hire Year 3 – One additional apprenticeship hire Year 4 – One additional Open House hire. Commits to offering the London Living Wage to all new hires. Commit to a training and development plan which is updated, reviewed and monitored annually for all · to 30 Jun 2026
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3final-stage tenders · 39 at stage one | 1 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonM&C SAATCHI (UK) LIMITED · Greater London
- did not winVCCP GROUP LLP · Greater London
- did not winWONDERHOOD LIMITED · Greater London
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
3 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded- M&C SAATCHI (UK) LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- VCCP GROUP LLPBidder / tenderer
- WONDERHOOD LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
Official documents & specifications (6)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specificationsAccess: ITT documents will be provided at the launch of stage 2 (ITT). Presentation brief will be provided at the launch of stage 3 (presentations). All documents will be provided via Jaggaer.
- Signed contract
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract performance notice Contract performance notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender