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PR Agency Services

COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

18 Sep 2026 at 08:58

UK4 - Tender Notice
TenderUpdate

16 Sep 2026 at 16:51

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

16 Sep 2026 at 16:45

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a public relations agency for Fresh and Balance, the North East’s integrated programme to reduce tobacco and alcohol harm. The single contract covers both campaign brands and supports behaviour-change communications, including campaigns, social media and content for FreshQuit.co.uk and ReduceMyRisk.tv. It also covers communicating the health, social and economic harms of tobacco and alcohol, campaigning for policy change, and building support among politicians, decision-makers, health partners, communities and the voluntary sector. The agency will provide year-round news and social media reach, secure content across traditional and online media, and support internal communications, advocacy and stakeholder engagement. The work is delivered across the North East and nationally, within public relations and social marketing services.

The procurement has reached tender: the buyer invited offers through a selective, competitive flexible procedure with two stages. Expressions of interest are due by 12:00 on 12 October 2026; enquiries close at 12:00 on 5 October 2026. The authority expects to shortlist up to four suppliers for the tender stage, estimated for 30 October 2026, and expects evaluation at that stage to be 70% quality and 30% price. The current participation-stage quality assessment is based on demonstrated experience (30%), relevant contracts and impact (40%), and supporting partnerships (30%). The estimated contract value is £1,200,000 excluding VAT, or £1,440,000 including VAT. The contract runs from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2031, with extensions potentially taking it to 31 March 2035, subject to funding and performance reviews. Award decisions are due by 23 October 2026.

This opportunity suits PR agencies with proven experience developing and delivering communications across traditional, digital and social media, particularly campaigns designed to influence behaviour and public policy. Strong candidates will be able to secure news and online content, maintain year-round audience engagement, and translate evidence about smoking, second-hand smoke, alcohol use and related harms into effective public-facing messages. The requirement also favours agencies able to work with senior stakeholders, politicians, health systems, local communities and voluntary-sector organisations, while building partnerships and identifying credible messengers and champions. Experience of social marketing across both tobacco and alcohol agendas is important, as is the ability to serve two established brands through one coordinated service. The opportunity is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

PR Agency Services

Notice Description

Synchronicity Care Limited on behalf of Fresh and Balance are seeking a provider of PR Agency Services. Fresh and Balance is the North East's integrated programme for reducing tobacco and alcohol harm in the region. They are one single joint programme carrying out much of the public and partner facing work under the two separate, well recognised brands of Fresh and Balance. Fresh and Balance remit is to reduce smoking rates and the harm caused by tobacco and alcohol amongst the local population and key audiences using a multi-strand approach based on best national and international evidence. This includes mass media campaigns, campaigning and advocacy, effective internal communications, and making voices heard on the national stage to politicians and decision makers. A key element of their work and priority of local funders is the delivery of all year round news and social media reach/engagement to ensure issues and messages in the public eye all year round on the channels that people see, read and hear, providing a highly cost effective return on investment. This also involves working with a range of senior stakeholders for messengers and champions, building support for measures to reduce smoking and harmful drinking, motivating and triggering behaviour change, and engaging and motivating key partners to prioritise these agendas regionally and nationally. Communications cover three main strands: * Behaviour change - highlighting the risks and signposting positive behaviour change around quitting smoking, reducing second hand smoke and reducing drinking - via campaigns, socials and two key websites FreshQuit.co.uk and ReduceMyRisk.tv. * Highlighting the harm - the cost of tobacco and alcohol across the region and nationally to motivate regional stakeholders and the public * Campaigning for change - a strong policy focus to call for more action nationally on tobacco and alcohol, increasing public and partner support for this. This also includes an increasing focus on building partnerships across the health system, local communities and community and voluntary sector. Fresh and Balance are looking for a PR agency with the experience, skills and knowledge to develop communications across the increasing range of available media channels to secure content - both traditional and online. Since we are a joint programme, this will be one contract serving both campaign brands, while still requiring the insight and experience in social marketing approaches to plan campaigns and approaches around both tobacco and alcohol. The successful agency will be expected to provide PR support to support the programme from 1st April 2027 with the potential for contract extensions and subject to satisfactory performance and reviews and funding.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Please note the intitial contract duration and extensions is dependent on funding.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0773de
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088465-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79416000 - Public relations services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,200,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,200,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
18 Sep 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
DARLINGTON
Postcode
DL3 6HX
Postcode Area
Darlington
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC3 Tees Valley
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC33 Darlington
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England)
Local Authority
Darlington
Electoral Ward
Pierremont
Westminster Constituency
Darlington

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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