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Fostering - Lead Creative and Strategic Agency 2026

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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16 Oct 2026 at 12:26

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education commissioned a lead creative and strategic agency for its National Fostering Recruitment campaign. The work covers ongoing campaign strategy and creative development, production of campaign assets for paid channels and formats, and guardianship of the campaign brand. The agency also provides creative input for low- or no-cost content on the department’s owned and shared channels, and works with WPP 650, the department and other contracted campaign agencies. This is advertising and marketing services work, focused specifically on recruiting foster carers through a national campaign. The buying organisation is the Department for Education, a central government department; delivery is for its national fostering recruitment activity.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Accenture on 16 October 2026. The award value is £2,550,000. The contract period runs from 12 November 2026 to 12 November 2028, with a single optional one-year extension, potentially taking it to 12 November 2029. The department used a below-threshold limited competition. There was one lot, and six bids were received, including six at the final stage. The award was for services and is recorded as active. The published information does not provide a separate evaluation weighting or award-criteria description.

This award demonstrates demand from the Department for Education for an integrated lead agency able to combine strategic campaign planning with creative development and delivery. A credible competitor would need to produce campaign assets across paid media channels and formats, maintain a consistent campaign brand, and develop creative content suitable for owned and shared channels where budgets are low or absent. The requirement also calls for effective collaboration with the department, WPP 650 and other contracted campaign agencies, so suppliers need to work within a wider agency structure rather than operate in isolation. Six bids reached the final stage, including one from an SME, showing that smaller firms competed alongside larger suppliers. Relevant campaign experience and the capacity to sustain national recruitment activity would be commercially pertinent when this specific requirement next returns to market.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Fostering - Lead Creative and Strategic Agency 2026

Notice Description

We are looking for a strategic and creative partner to lead the ongoing development and delivery of the National Fostering Recruitment campaign. The appointed agency will act as the lead agency for the campaign, working with WPP 650 to provide creative strategy and development; production of campaign assets across all paid channels and formats; brand guardianship of the campaign brand; creative input to support low/no-cost content for owned and shared channels; and collaboration with DfE and other contracted campaign agencies

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-07896e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097906-2026
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
£2,550,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
16 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
12 Nov 2026 - 12 Nov 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

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
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

Accenture (UK) Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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