This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

31 Jul 2026 at 15:20

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education, located at Sanctuary Buildings, London, has completed the procurement process for the "Best Start in Life (BSiL) - Creative and Strategic Agency 2026". This public procurement falls under the industry category of advertising and marketing services. The contract was awarded to AMV (BDDO), a large supplier based in London, on 31st July 2026 and is slated to commence on 27th August 2026. The procurement was carried out utilising a limited competition method, fitting below threshold criteria, with the contract spanning three years and an optional extension for a fourth year. The contact person for the Department for Education is Christopher Maidment.

This contract award presents substantial opportunities for entities in the strategic and creative advertising sectors. Particularly, businesses specialising in large-scale campaigns, brand guardianship, and digital asset production across channels will find this contract beneficial. The total contract value is up to £2 million over four years. The opportunity is particularly favourable for companies with the capability to meet high KPIs and work effectively within cross-departmental collaborations, as the contract requires joint efforts with other governmental departments and agencies. This environment may appeal to businesses aiming for growth in public sector partnerships and those capable of providing strategic input and creative solutions.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Best Start in Life (BSiL) - Creative and Strategic Agency 2026 - con_32044

Notice Description

Contract for a strategic and creative partner to lead the ongoing development and delivery of the Best Start in Life (BSiL) campaign. The appointed agency will act as the lead BSIL agency, working with WPP to provide creative strategy and development, evolving the existing 'Any Questions' creative platform across all campaign themes and life stages; production of campaign assets across all paid channels and formats; brand guardianship of the Best Start in Life brand; creative input to support low/no-cost content for owned and shared channels; and collaboration with DfE, DHSC, and other contracted campaign agencies. The contract will be awarded as a three-year contract (with an optional extension to a fourth year) with annual break clauses. Continuation beyond year one is dependent on Cabinet Office and DfE spend approvals and supplier performance against agreed KPIs. The contract value is up to PS2 million over four years excluding VAT, with no commitment to spend. Note: a portion of the annual maximum value is contingency spend.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d938
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072880-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - limited competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£2,000,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
30 Jul 20266 days ago
Contract Period
26 Aug 2026 - 26 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
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
SW1P 3BT
Post Town
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

AMV (BDDO

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.

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