Notice Information
Notice Title
Creative Agency Services
Notice Description
This is an exciting opportunity to become the creative and strategic agency partner for a trailblazing train operating company with big ambitions to raise the bar in travel marketing, driving powerful revenue impact and brand fame. We want to be the train operator that bucks the trend not only in the world of rail but in the travel category, implementing best-in-class travel marketing communications that excites customers to get on board and experience our world-class network. GWR has received significant peer and industry recognition in recent years for our long-running Famous Five creative strategy, including being named the 'UK's most consistent brand' by System1 as well as our most recent campaign being ranked in the top 3% of all travel ads in the country for distinctiveness, in a recent study done by Kantar. We are looking for a strategic and creative lead agency partner to help to continue this incredible success with the Famous Five campaign that has helped to drive customers' inspiration and excitement to get onboard with GWR for an adventure. This procurement process is being advertised and run by First Greater Western Limited on its own behalf and on behalf of the successor operator of the rail passenger transport services in respect of Great Western Railway. That successor operator will be a public sector company, is expected to be a wholly owned subsidiary of DfT OLR Holdings Limited and will be ultimately owned by the Secretary of State for Transport. The date for transfer of the current operations to the successor operator is not yet confirmed. Where the transfer is completed before contract award under this procurement process, the successor operator may elect (but will not be obliged) to carry on with this procurement process in place of First Greater Western Limited, by taking on the role of contracting entity from the date of completion of the transfer (with this notice and all other procurement documents to be interpreted accordingly). Where the transfer is not yet completed by the time of contract award, contractual rights may be included in the contractual arrangements to enable transfer to the successor operator. Bidders should note that this procurement process (if ongoing), or any awarded contract, may be included in a transfer scheme made by the Secretary of State under section 12 of the Railways Act 2005, or the transfer may be effected outside of, or separate from, such a scheme.
Lot Information
Lot 1
Renewal: An initial 3 year contract followed by 2 x 12 months optional extensions. Contract term 5 years if fully extended. Estimated contract value is based on full 5-year term.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-05f017
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080311-2025
- Current Stage
- Tender
- All Stages
- Tender
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK4 - Tender Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Selective
- Procurement Method Details
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Tender Suitability
- SME
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
-
- CPV Codes
79340000 - Advertising and marketing services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £8,000,000 £1M-£10M
- Lots Value
- £8,000,000 £1M-£10M
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 5 Dec 20252 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 30 Jun 2026 - 30 Jun 2029 3-4 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Active
- Lots Status
- Active
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- FIRST GREATER WESTERN LIMITED
- Contact Name
- Not specified
- Contact Email
- procurement@gwr.com
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- WILTSHIRE
- Postcode
- SN1 1HL
- Post Town
- Swindon
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLK South West (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLK71 Swindon
- Delivery Location
- TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
-
- Local Authority
- Swindon
- Electoral Ward
- Central
- Westminster Constituency
- Swindon South
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080311-2025
5th December 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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.
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