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Education Recruitment Advertising and Resourcing Services

SUPC Ltd

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

22 Oct 2026 at 16:34

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

22 Oct 2026 at 12:06

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Southern Universities Management Services (SUMS), operating the Southern Universities Procurement Consortium, is seeking suppliers for education recruitment advertising, marketing, attraction and student recruitment services. The framework is intended to help participating organisations recruit students and staff across UK and international markets. Its five lots cover education recruitment advertising and resourcing; UK student recruitment marketing and attraction; UK student recruitment platforms and marketplaces; international student recruitment marketing and attraction; and international recruitment platforms, agencies and partnerships. Services range from campaign planning, media buying and creative development to course-search platforms, enquiry and application referrals, student counselling, admissions support and recruitment analytics. Higher and further education institutions are the main intended users, alongside eligible public and third-sector bodies. Delivery may support recruitment across the UK and international markets.

The buyer invited offers through an open competitive flexible procedure for a framework agreement, using a two-stage evaluation: an initial supplier assessment and shortlisting, followed by a lot-specific assessment for shortlisted suppliers. Enquiries were due by 6 November 2026 at 12:00; offers were due by 19 February 2027 at 12:00. The framework is scheduled to run from 1 March 2027 to 28 February 2029, with two possible 12-month extensions. The stated total framework value is £80 million excluding VAT (£100 million including VAT); each of the five lots is valued at £16 million excluding VAT (£20 million including VAT). Suppliers may bid for and be awarded no more than two lots. Each lot is evaluated on quality (60%) and price (40%).

This opportunity suits agencies and recruitment specialists able to deliver education-focused campaigns, from planning and media negotiations to optimisation and performance reporting. UK-focused lots also suit providers of student recruitment platforms, course discovery and comparison tools, lead generation, and application or enrolment referrals. International lots call for suppliers with international market knowledge, country-specific campaign capability, multilingual content and localisation, or established education-agent and recruitment-partner networks. Providers able to support in-country representation, student counselling, offer-holder engagement, application assistance and admissions processing may fit the international partnership lot. The breadth of services creates distinct routes for campaign agencies, digital platforms, marketplace operators and recruitment networks; small and medium-sized enterprises are explicitly considered suitable for the advertising and resourcing, UK platform and international marketing lots. Stage 2 requires shortlisted bidders to present or provide creative work demonstrating their proposed approach and capability.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Education Recruitment Advertising and Resourcing Services

Notice Description

For the supply of Education Recruitment Advertising, Marketing, Attraction and Student Recruitment Services

Lot Information

Lot 1 - Education Recruitment Advertising & Resourcing

2.2 Services may include, but shall not be limited to: * Advertising planning; * Advertising placement; * Media buying; * Media negotiations; * Recruitment advertising consultancy; * Advertising scheduling; * Advertising optimisation; * Recruitment campaign management.

Renewal: 2, 12 month extensions

Lot 2A -UK Student Recruitment Marketing and Attraction Services

Services Included Within this Lot Recruitment marketing strategy and campaign planning Media planning, buying and optimisation Digital and offline advertising Creative campaign development and content Audience targeting, engagement and attraction Campaign analytics and performance reporting

Options: 2, 12 month extensions

Renewal: 2, 12 month extensions

Lot 2B -UK Student Recruitment Platforms and Marketplace Services

Services Included Within this Lot Institution and course listings Student marketplaces and discovery platforms Course search, comparison and recommendation services Enquiry, lead and application referral Cost-per-application or cost-per-enrolment models Marketplace data, reporting and insight

Renewal: 2, 12 month extensions

Lot 3A - International Student Recruitment Marketing and Attraction Services

Services Included Within this Lot International recruitment strategy and campaign planning Country- or region-specific marketing campaigns International media planning, buying and optimisation Digital advertising and audience targeting Creative development, multilingual content and localisation Campaign analytics and performance reporting

Renewal: 2, 12 month extensions

Lot 3B - International Student Recruitment Platforms, Agency and Partnership Services

Services Included Within this Lot Education agent and recruitment partner networks In-country representation and student counselling Direct enquiry-to-enrolment support Offer-holder engagement and conversion Application support and admissions processing Success-fee and volume-based recruitment models

Renewal: 2, 12 month extensions

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078dc8
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100165-2026
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

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

CPV Codes

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

79300000 - Market and economic research; polling and statistics

79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

79341000 - Advertising services

79341100 - Advertising consultancy services

79341200 - Advertising management services

79341400 - Advertising campaign services

79341500 - Aeral advertising services

79342000 - Marketing services

79342100 - Direct marketing services

79342200 - Promotional services

79342300 - Customer services

79342310 - Customer survey services

79342311 - Customer satisfaction survey

79342320 - Customer-care services

79342400 - Auction services

79342410 - Electronic auction services

79600000 - Recruitment services

79800000 - Printing and related services

79810000 - Printing services

79811000 - Digital printing services

79820000 - Services related to printing

79821000 - Print finishing services

79821100 - Proofreading services

79822500 - Graphic design services

79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£80,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£80,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
19 Feb 20274 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2027 - 28 Feb 2029 2-3 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
SUPC Ltd
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG6 6BU
Postcode Area
Reading
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Wokingham
Electoral Ward
Hillside
Westminster Constituency
Earley and Woodley

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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