This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

19 Jun 2026 at 14:16

Summary of the contracting process

Kent County Council is inviting bids for the contract titled "A Kentish Ceremony" under the industry category of Advertising and Marketing Services, located in Maidstone, United Kingdom (region UKJ45). The procurement is in the tender stage, with an open method using a competitive flexible procedure. Key dates include the expression of interest deadline on 20th July 2026, the enquiry period ending on 10th July 2026, and the award period concluding on 9th November 2026. The contract period is set from 18th January 2027 to 17th January 2030, with the project focusing on brand marketing and service delivery in various media channels without direct payment from the council.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specializing in marketing, advertising, and media services, particularly those adept at integrated brand management across print and digital. SME-friendly, the contract requires a single supplier to manage and grow the brand presence while generating advertising revenue through various channels such as magazines, websites, and social media. This opportunity is ideal for companies that possess strong capabilities in strategic brand positioning, content planning, digital marketing, and advertising sales, offering a chance for substantial business growth in collaboration with a governmental authority.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

A Kentish Ceremony

Notice Description

Kent County Council is procuring a single supplier to deliver services related to the A Kentish Ceremony brand. The brand is delivered through a mix of print and digital channels, including a quarterly magazine, a website, social media activity. These channels are used to promote ceremony services, licensed venues and relevant suppliers, while maintaining a clear and trusted Council voice. A Kentish Ceremony sits within the Libraries, Registration and Archives service. The supplier will be expected to work closely with Council officers, including Marketing and Insight, Registration and Commercial colleagues, to ensure activity under this contract aligns with service priorities. This contract covers the delivery of a joined up brand and marketing service for A Kentish Ceremony, delivered on behalf of Kent County Council. The service brings together seven connected areas of work which support how the Council promotes its ceremony services and licensed venues to customers: *Brand stewardship and strategic positioning *Annual brand and content planning *Magazine production and growth *Website management and SEO improvement *Social media management and digital marketing *Advertising sales and income generation The supplier is expected to manage these areas as a single, integrated service, rather than as separate or disconnected activities. The focus is on consistency, quality and alignment across all channels. The Council will not pay the Supplier to facilitate this contract. The Supplier will provide the service, as defined in Schedule 2 Specification, free of charge to the Kent County Council. This is a revenue-based contract; the Supplier will sell advertising to be featured in the Rrequired publications and platforms. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Newspapers%2C-journals%2C-periodicals-and-magazines./B3H2233349 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/B3H2233349

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b96b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058202-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

22 - Printed matter and related products

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


CPV Codes

22200000 - Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines

22213000 - Magazines

79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

79341000 - Advertising services

79342000 - Marketing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£150,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£150,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Jun 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
10 Jul 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
18 Jan 2027 - 17 Jan 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
KENT COUNTY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MAIDSTONE
Postcode
ME14 1XQ
Post Town
Rochester
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ45 Mid Kent
Delivery Location
TLJ4 Kent

Local Authority
Maidstone
Electoral Ward
Penenden Heath
Westminster Constituency
Maidstone and Malling

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06b96b-2026-06-19T15:16:28+01:00",
    "date": "2026-06-19T15:16:28+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06b96b",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PLDL-8938-YGYW",
            "name": "Kent County Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PLDL-8938-YGYW"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Sessions House, County Road",
                "locality": "Maidstone",
                "postalCode": "ME14 1XQ",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKJ45"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Laura Garay",
                "email": "laura.garay2@kent.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PLDL-8938-YGYW",
        "name": "Kent County Council"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "CN250548",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "A Kentish Ceremony",
        "description": "Kent County Council is procuring a single supplier to deliver services related to the A Kentish Ceremony brand. The brand is delivered through a mix of print and digital channels, including a quarterly magazine, a website, social media activity. These channels are used to promote ceremony services, licensed venues and relevant suppliers, while maintaining a clear and trusted Council voice. A Kentish Ceremony sits within the Libraries, Registration and Archives service. The supplier will be expected to work closely with Council officers, including Marketing and Insight, Registration and Commercial colleagues, to ensure activity under this contract aligns with service priorities. This contract covers the delivery of a joined up brand and marketing service for A Kentish Ceremony, delivered on behalf of Kent County Council. The service brings together seven connected areas of work which support how the Council promotes its ceremony services and licensed venues to customers: *Brand stewardship and strategic positioning *Annual brand and content planning *Magazine production and growth *Website management and SEO improvement *Social media management and digital marketing *Advertising sales and income generation The supplier is expected to manage these areas as a single, integrated service, rather than as separate or disconnected activities. The focus is on consistency, quality and alignment across all channels. The Council will not pay the Supplier to facilitate this contract. The Supplier will provide the service, as defined in Schedule 2 Specification, free of charge to the Kent County Council. This is a revenue-based contract; the Supplier will sell advertising to be featured in the Rrequired publications and platforms. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Newspapers%2C-journals%2C-periodicals-and-magazines./B3H2233349 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/B3H2233349",
        "status": "active",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "22200000",
                        "description": "Newspapers, journals, periodicals and magazines"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "22213000",
                        "description": "Magazines"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "79340000",
                        "description": "Advertising and marketing services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "79341000",
                        "description": "Advertising services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "79342000",
                        "description": "Marketing services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKJ4",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 150000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "procurementMethod": "open",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Competitive flexible procedure",
        "procedure": {
            "features": "The procurement steps that shall be followed will be Participation Stage, Initial Tender Stage (ITT), Negotiation Stage (optional), Invitation to Submit Final Tender Stage (ISFT) and Contract Award Stage."
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "coveredBy": [
            "GPA"
        ],
        "submissionMethodDetails": "https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/",
        "submissionTerms": {
            "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "allowed",
            "languages": [
                "en"
            ]
        },
        "expressionOfInterestDeadline": "2026-07-20T12:00:00+01:00",
        "enquiryPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-07-10T12:00:00+01:00"
        },
        "awardPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-11-09T23:59:59+00:00"
        },
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "active",
                "value": {
                    "amountGross": 150000,
                    "currency": "GBP"
                },
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "type": "price",
                            "name": "Lowest price",
                            "description": "Lowest Price",
                            "numbers": [
                                {
                                    "number": 100,
                                    "weight": "percentageExact"
                                }
                            ]
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2027-01-18T00:00:00+00:00",
                    "endDate": "2030-01-17T23:59:59+00:00"
                }
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            },
            {
                "id": "058202-2026",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK4",
                "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058202-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-06-19T15:16:28+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "language": "en"
}