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Pre- Applicant Communications

Student Loans Company

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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20 Oct 2026 at 14:47

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Student Loans Company commissioned pre-applicant communications for Student Finance England. The work supports information for prospective students and their parents about available student finance, eligibility and how to apply, as well as communications to new and returning students promoting products and services. It covers communications before services launch, while services are operating and after students apply for funding. This is higher education information and communications work, rather than the provision of student loans themselves. The buyer is the Student Loans Company, a central government organisation. The procurement is recorded as one lot, with UCAS Media Limited named as the supplier. The work is associated with England through Student Finance England; no more specific delivery location is identified.

The procurement is complete and the contract is active. The Student Loans Company made a direct award below the relevant threshold, without competition. UCAS Media Limited was selected as supplier; the awarded value is not separately stated. The contract was signed on 21 November 2025 and runs from 1 December 2025 to 31 March 2027. Its stated value is £240,000 excluding VAT (£288,000 including VAT). The procurement was evaluated and awarded as a single lot. The published information does not set out eligibility requirements or award criteria, so the basis on which the supplier was chosen beyond the direct-award route cannot be described.

For suppliers seeking comparable future work, this contract shows demand for student finance communications spanning the full customer journey: informing prospective students and parents about support, eligibility and application steps, and promoting services to new and returning students across academic years. A credible competitor would need to combine higher education communications experience with the ability to reach these distinct audiences and deliver coordinated communications before, during and after application. The requirement also calls for marketing capability across multiple products and services, rather than a single one-off campaign. UCAS Media Limited, an education-focused supplier, was selected through a below-threshold direct award, indicating the type of provider used for this requirement. Businesses with relevant education-sector reach and capacity to manage sustained, multi-audience communications would be best placed to compete if similar work returns to market.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Pre- Applicant Communications

Notice Description

Student Finance England delivers information for pre-applicants, applicants and their parents to help inform them of available financial support, if they are eligible and how they apply for it. SLC are responsible for the provision of information to students before (prior to services launching), during (when services have launched) and after they apply for funding (post application). Customer Communications and Marketing deliver communications for new and returning students across multiple academic years and promote a number of products and services

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078bff
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099073-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80300000 - Higher education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£240,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Dec 2025 - 31 Mar 2027 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Student Loans Company
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
DL1 1RW
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Darlington
Electoral Ward
Red Hall & Lingfield
Westminster Constituency
Darlington

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

UCAS MEDIA 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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