Award

Pre- Applicant Communications

STUDENT LOANS COMPANY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

21 Nov 2025 at 16:20

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process titled "Pre-Applicant Communications" for higher education services has been completed by the Student Loans Company (SLC), with the award successfully given to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). This process falls under the services category with a focus on pre-applicant communications to students across the UK. Initiated as a limited procurement method, the award procedure did not involve prior publication of a call for competition due to technical reasons. The contract, signed on 11th November 2025 with a value of £240,000, aims to deliver and manage effective communications for students considering financial support and aims to enhance the reach and impact of student finance information throughout the UK.

This tender process presents opportunities for businesses involved in communication strategies and higher education services, specifically those with capabilities in digital messaging and targeted marketing within the educational sector. Companies that can offer specialised communication channels, enhance digital outreach, and provide tailored messaging to prospective students would be particularly well-suited to compete for similar tenders. The collaboration with UCAS illustrates a synergy in accessing prospective students, which could inspire similar entities to invest in creating unique communication pathways or partnerships to reach specific audience demographics effectively.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

Pre- Applicant Communications

Notice Description

Pre-Applicant Communication to Students

Lot Information

Lot 1

Student Finance England delivers information for pre-applicants, applicants and their parents to help inform them of available financial support, if they are eligible and how they apply for it. SLC are responsible for the provision of information to students before (prior to services launching), during (when services have launched) and after they apply for funding (post application). Customer Communications and Marketing deliver communications for new and returning students across multiple academic years and promote a number of products and services.

Procurement Information

SLC works with UCAS to ensure our content and exposure to our key messages are present. They are a Department for Education and Dept for Economy, Skills and Natural Resources approved partner and are recognised as a unique channel and route to market. Their email campaigns, in particular, allow us to actively target specific audience demographics giving them the right information at the right time on the right channel UCAS Media have tested, trusted and active communication channels with a core target audience which it has been demonstrated via market testing that SLC cannot currently reach any other way - the prospective student (pre-applicant).

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e6a3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076178-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services


CPV Codes

80300000 - Higher education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£240,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Nov 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
11 Nov 20253 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
STUDENT LOANS COMPANY
Contact Name
Michael Mullin
Contact Email
michael_mullin@slc.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
DARLINGTON
Postcode
DL1 1RW
Post Town
Darlington
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC3 Tees Valley
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC33 Darlington
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Darlington
Electoral Ward
Red Hall & Lingfield
Westminster Constituency
Darlington

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ADMISSIONS SERVICE

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e6a3-2025-11-21T16:20:53Z",
    "date": "2025-11-21T16:20:53Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e6a3",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "tender": {
        "id": "2025-TR-0070",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "32014L0024",
            "scheme": "CELEX"
        },
        "title": "Pre- Applicant Communications",
        "status": "complete",
        "classification": {
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "id": "80300000",
            "description": "Higher education services"
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "description": "Pre-Applicant Communication to Students",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "description": "Student Finance England delivers information for pre-applicants, applicants and their parents to help inform them of available financial support, if they are eligible and how they apply for it. SLC are responsible for the provision of information to students before (prior to services launching), during (when services have launched) and after they apply for funding (post application). Customer Communications and Marketing deliver communications for new and returning students across multiple academic years and promote a number of products and services.",
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "type": "price"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "hasOptions": false,
                "status": "cancelled"
            }
        ],
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UK"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethod": "limited",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition",
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "scheme": "TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL",
                "id": "D_TECHNICAL",
                "description": "The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationale": "SLC works with UCAS to ensure our content and exposure to our key messages are present. They are a Department for Education and Dept for Economy, Skills and Natural Resources approved partner and are recognised as a unique channel and route to market. Their email campaigns, in particular, allow us to actively target specific audience demographics giving them the right information at the right time on the right channel UCAS Media have tested, trusted and active communication channels with a core target audience which it has been demonstrated via market testing that SLC cannot currently reach any other way - the prospective student (pre-applicant)."
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "076178-2025-2025-TR-0070-1",
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ],
            "title": "Pre-Applicant Communications",
            "status": "active",
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-FTS-167229",
                    "name": "Universities and Colleges Admissions Service"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-FTS-151668",
            "name": "STUDENT LOANS COMPANY",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "STUDENT LOANS COMPANY",
                "noIdentifierRationale": "notOnAnyRegister"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Memphis Building Lingfield Point",
                "locality": "Darlington",
                "region": "UKC13",
                "postalCode": "DL11RW",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Michael Mullin",
                "email": "michael_mullin@slc.co.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/student-loans-company",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "BODY_PUBLIC",
                        "description": "Body governed by public law"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "COFOG",
                        "id": "09",
                        "description": "Education"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-FTS-167229",
            "name": "Universities and Colleges Admissions Service",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Universities and Colleges Admissions Service",
                "noIdentifierRationale": "notOnAnyRegister"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 3LZ",
                "locality": "Cheltenham",
                "region": "UK",
                "postalCode": "GL52 3LZ",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "scale": "large"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-FTS-151669",
            "name": "SLC",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "SLC"
            },
            "address": {
                "locality": "Glasgow",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom"
            },
            "roles": [
                "reviewBody"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-FTS-151668",
        "name": "STUDENT LOANS COMPANY"
    },
    "contracts": [
        {
            "id": "076178-2025-2025-TR-0070-1",
            "awardID": "076178-2025-2025-TR-0070-1",
            "title": "Pre-Applicant Communications",
            "status": "active",
            "value": {
                "amount": 240000,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "dateSigned": "2025-11-11T00:00:00Z"
        }
    ],
    "bids": {
        "statistics": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "measure": "bids",
                "relatedLot": "1",
                "value": 1
            }
        ]
    },
    "language": "en"
}