Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Media Buying

NORTHUMBRIAN WATER LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

04 Aug 2026 at 17:32

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

08 May 2026 at 15:14

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Northumbrian Water Limited, trading as part of Northumbrian Water Group, procured media buying and marketing services for its Corporate Affairs strategies. The appointed agency supports campaigns designed to raise awareness and prompt action, including water-saving, smart meter adoption, lead pipe replacement, digital conversion, affordability support and Priority Services. The scope covers media planning, buying, optimisation, campaign measurement and reporting across television, social media, out-of-home and digital out-of-home, radio, digital audio, YouTube, programmatic, print, cinema and literature distribution. The work supports Northumbrian Water’s operating areas in the North East and southern England, including Essex and Suffolk Water. The buyer is a private utility, and the service is classified as advertising and marketing services.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Anything Is Possible Media Limited on 4 August 2026, subject to a standstill period ending 13 August 2026. Northumbrian Water used a selective competitive flexible procedure, involving a request for proposals, interviews for the four highest-scoring vendors and a best and final offer stage. The single lot was evaluated on price at 30% and quality at 70%. The awarded value is £8,552,085 excluding VAT, or £10,262,502 including VAT. The contract runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2029, with two possible two-year extensions, allowing a maximum end date of 31 August 2033. The awardee is an SME. The procurement was above threshold and conducted under the utilities regime.

This requirement indicates demand for an integrated media-buying partner able to manage multi-channel public-facing campaigns for a regulated water utility. A credible competitor would need proven expertise across broadcast, social, outdoor, digital, audio, print, cinema, programmatic and direct distribution, while keeping pace with new channels and trends. Strong campaign planning, audience targeting, optimisation and measurement are central, with clear performance reporting, proof of placement and actionable recommendations. The buyer also values brand safety, ethical media placement, responsible data use, transparent fees, audited invoicing, financial governance and proactive risk management. Suppliers should be able to provide a senior-led account team with at least two further members, respond quickly to urgent issues, support occasional out-of-hours requirements, arrange regular reviews and insight sessions, and reinvest part of advertising commission as added campaign value.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Media Buying

Notice Description

Requirements Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) is a statutory water undertaker operating in the North East of England under the trading name Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL) and in the southern area of England under the trading name of Essex & Suffolk Water (ESW). We would expect the agency to have good knowledge of these areas, and the media landscape within them. The contract will be to support the delivery of the NWG Corporate Affairs strategies by offering a range of effective, innovative, and cost-effective solutions to media buying. This will include, but not limited to, ongoing advice and professional support in reaching key targets and audiences across our operating regions and assisting in the delivery of the NWG Corporate Affairs goals, measures, and brand strategy, bringing campaigns to life using all aspects of media platforms. In addition to this, it is crucial that the measuring of campaign effectiveness is monitored throughout with the results delivered back through reporting. We deliver a diverse range of campaigns throughout the year, including initiatives such as Bin the Wipe, Water's Worth Saving, smart meter adoption, lead pipe replacement, digital conversion, affordability support, Priority Services, and more. Each campaign has distinct objectives - ranging from raising awareness to driving direct action - which is why we need an agency with proven expertise in creating impactful campaigns across multiple areas. Reputation is of critical importance to our organisation and sits at the core of how we select and manage our partners. As custodians of our brand, we require agencies to operate with the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability. Media investment is a direct reflection of our organisation, and therefore we seek a partner whose reputation in the marketplace demonstrates ethical practice, financial governance, responsible media placement, and a proven commitment to brand safety. We expect full alignment with our values, including compliance with all regulatory requirements, transparent fee structures, responsible data usage, and proactive risk management. Our media buying partner must not only deliver performance, but also protect and enhance our organisational standing through every planning, buying, and optimisation decision. We expect a clear and efficient briefing process and full collaboration to ensure seamless integration across all channels, and they are delivered exactly as briefed. The appointed agency must provide comprehensive reporting, including proof of display, campaign performance summaries, conclusions, and actionable recommendations for future activity. A dedicated account team is essential, led by a senior team member and supported by at least two additional team members. Transparency is critical- this applies to audited invoicing, commission rates, and any discounts secured on our behalf. All proposals and post-campaign reports should clearly demonstrate value against standard rate cards, including overshow and bonus spots. Advanced notification of any changes to media suppliers and their potential impact on NWG must be provided. We also require proactive monitoring of campaigns to ensure all activity is booked as briefed and delivered as agreed. Evidence of all placements must be supplied, with suitable remedies in the event of any discrepancies. Clear copy instructions, specifications, and deadlines for all channels should be communicated promptly. Emergency media support may be needed, even at weekends and during bank holidays. Full campaign reports should be delivered within ten working days of campaign completion, with weekly updates available upon request. To maintain high standards, we expect timely responses and measurable performance. Briefs, wherever possible, should be acknowledged within two working hours, and full reporting - including outdoor site proof of display -should be provided within one week of campaign completion. Regular meetings (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) should be scheduled as required, either online or face-to-face, and site visits must be accommodated within the contract period. The agency should also facilitate quarterly media owner insight days to keep us informed of market developments. Response times for issues will be measured against agreed priorities: availability for calls at very short notice for critical matters should be a priority, and resolved within 24 hours; urgent matters acknowledged within two working hours and resolved within two business days; and important matters acknowledged within four working hours and resolved within three business days. We would expect the successful agency to reinvest a percentage of its advertising commission back into the campaign as added value. As part of this contract, we would expect the agency to have expert knowledge in providing the marketing services across the following channels - note that this is not an exhaustive list, and we would expect the agency to keep fully up to date with new channels and trends. * TV - linear and on demand* Social media * Out of Home (OOH) * Digital Out of Home (DOOH) * Radio * Digital radio * Audio streaming - e.g., podcasts, Spotify etc. * YouTube * Digital programmatic * Print * Cinema * Literature distribution / door drops Google Ads and Print - we reserve the right to go direct or use a media buyer for this option.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The initial contract is for 3 years with 2 x 2 years extensions possible. End users will decide if extensions are granted based upon the quality of the work undertaken

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0694e9
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073903-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

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
£8,552,085 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£8,552,085 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£8,552,085 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
4 Aug 20261 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NORTHUMBRIAN WATER LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PITY ME
Postcode
DH1 5FJ
Postcode Area
Durham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC41 Durham
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
County Durham
Electoral Ward
Framwellgate & Newton Hall
Westminster Constituency
City of Durham

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE MEDIA LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...