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Media Strategy, Planning and Buying

Department for Business and Trade

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

20 Jul 2026 at 11:18

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

08 Jun 2026 at 16:00

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Planning

04 Jun 2026 at 15:05

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Business & Trade procured media strategy, planning and buying services for activity across the United Kingdom. The scope includes development of media strategy, planning and buying across paid, owned and earned channels, with both domestic and international capability. It also includes a marketing operating system and radio and television services. This is a central government requirement for an agency able to combine strategic media planning with practical buying and campaign delivery. The work covers the buyer’s communications and marketing activity rather than the supply of physical goods or construction. Suppliers specialising in integrated media agencies, advertising planning, media buying, broadcast services and marketing operations are most closely aligned with the requirement.

The procurement is complete and was awarded under a framework using a selective procedure. There was one lot and the process was not competitive at this call-off stage. Wavemaker Ltd was awarded the contract on 5 June 2026, with an awarded value of £80 million excluding VAT, or £97 million including VAT. The signed contract is valued at £80 million excluding VAT and £96 million including VAT. It was signed on 26 June 2026 and runs from 26 June 2026 to 13 June 2029, with an optional 12-month extension to 13 June 2030. The award standstill ended on 18 June 2026. The opportunity was evaluated through the framework award route.

This award demonstrates substantial, sustained demand from the Department for Business & Trade for integrated media capability covering strategy, planning, buying and campaign delivery across domestic and international markets. A credible future competitor would need the operational scale to manage significant media spend, deliver radio and television activity, and coordinate paid, owned and earned channels through a marketing operating system. Strong campaign governance will be important: the buyer requires agreed planning timelines to be followed and all bought media activity to remain within approved media plans. Suppliers should also be able to provide accurate, timely invoicing and demonstrate social value through at least three annual apprenticeships, including two sourced through diverse talent partners. Experience in central government communications would be relevant.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Media Strategy, Planning and Buying

Notice Description

Provision of Media Strategy, Planning and Buying services. This also includes the provision of a marketing operating system alongside paid, owned and earned planning (including international and domestic capability)

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06adb8
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068133-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Award under framework
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

92100000 - Motion picture and video services

92200000 - Radio and television services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£80,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£80,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£80,000,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
5 Jun 2026Expired
Award Date
5 Jun 20264 months ago
Contract Period
26 Jun 2026 - 13 Jun 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Business and Trade
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2DY
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

WAVEMAKER LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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