Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Communications agency recruitment

OXFORDSHIRE LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP LIMITED

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

11 Sep 2026 at 17:16

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

29 Jul 2026 at 18:06

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

10 Jun 2026 at 15:09

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Enterprise Oxfordshire, the trading name of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Limited, procured a retained communications agency to support its organisation. The service covers high-profile, high-quality and measurable marketing campaigns intended to increase the impact of Enterprise Oxfordshire’s work and delivery. The scope includes promotion, reaching relevant audiences, lead-generation support, positioning a location or product as desirable or investable, and generating opportunities. This is a marketing and communications services requirement delivered in Oxfordshire. The procurement comprised one lot and was suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The appointed agency is expected to provide strategic campaign support and additional activities defined around Enterprise Oxfordshire’s needs.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded following a below-threshold open competition. Seven bids were received, all from SMEs at the final stage. Fortitude Communications Limited was awarded the contract on 27 July 2026 for £15,000 excluding VAT (£18,000 including VAT). The contract was signed on 25 August 2026 and runs from 25 August 2026 to 31 March 2027, with a possible extension to 31 March 2028 subject to future budgets. The award assessment considered similar promotion experience at 30%, reaching relevant audiences at 20%, lead-generation support at 15%, positioning locations or products at 10%, generating opportunities at 5%, social value at 10% and price at 10%. The three highest-scoring tenders were to attend interviews, with the highest average interview score determining the award. Additional activities could be added as options, and renewal was anticipated at £5,000 per quarter excluding VAT.

This award shows demand from Enterprise Oxfordshire for an agency able to combine strategic communications with measurable marketing delivery. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need evidence of successful promotional campaigns, audience development and lead-generation support, rather than general communications capability alone. Relevant experience should include making places or products appear desirable or investable and converting communications activity into opportunities. Suppliers should also be prepared to explain how they would measure campaign impact, demonstrate social value and present a clear proposal to an interview panel. The competition attracted seven SME bids, indicating that the requirement can be pursued by smaller specialist agencies with a focused portfolio, suitable campaign capacity and strong evidence of comparable outcomes.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Communications agency recruitment

Notice Description

Enterprise Oxfordshire is delighted to announce an opportunity for a retained communications agency to partner with our organisation through to 31 March 2027 (with the possibility of a further one-year extension - budget dependent). Through this opportunity, the procured agency will build high-profile, high-quality and measurable campaigns that make significant impacts regarding the work and delivery of Enterprise Oxfordshire.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: An additional budget is likely to be available to support selected additional activities by the chosen agency. These will be defined after appointment based on Enterprise Oxfordshire's needs at the time and represent additional options which may be added to the contract.

Renewal: Extension dependent upon future budgets, which will be confirmed prior to the commencement of a new financial year. Should an extension be possible, we anticipate this to be at a similar rate of PS5,000 per quarter (ex VAT).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b207
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086645-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79342000 - Marketing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£15,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£15,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
£15,000 Under £100K
Contracts Value
£15,000 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Sep 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
6 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
27 Jul 20262 months ago
Contract Period
25 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
OXFORDSHIRE LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP 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
OXFORD
Postcode
OX1 1AY
Postcode Area
Oxford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Local Authority
Oxford
Electoral Ward
Osney & St Thomas
Westminster Constituency
Oxford West and Abingdon

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

FORTITUDE COMMUNICATIONS 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...