---
title: "University Public Relations Agency"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-315aa3d5-adca-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-315aa3d5-adca-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-315aa3d5-adca-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-315aa3d5-adca-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "ASTON UNIVERSITY"
published: "2017-02-16"
---

# University Public Relations Agency

Buyer: ASTON UNIVERSITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-315aa3d5-adca-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b

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## Summary

Aston University, located in Birmingham, is conducting a procurement process for a University Public Relations Agency. The tender, titled "University Public Relations Agency," is classified under public relations services and is being executed through a selective procurement method, specifically a restricted procedure. The tender period concluded on 17th October 2016, and the contract is scheduled to commence on 1st February 2017, lasting until 1st February 2021. The estimated budget for this initiative is £312,000, and the internal goal is to bolster the university's media presence and reputation as part of its strategic vision for 2020.

This tender presents significant opportunities for PR agencies focused on enhancing public relations and media engagement. Agencies that are experienced in working alongside educational institutions and have a track record of successfully managing similar campaigns will find themselves well-suited to compete. With Aston University aiming to amplify its national visibility, particularly through major media outlets, there is potential for all sizes of businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), to contribute to and benefit from the university's ambitious public relations goals.

## Notice

You are invited by Aston University to submit a Pre-qualification Questionnaire response to this requirement via the DueNorth ProContract portal https://procontract.due-north.com/SupplierPreLoginHome. Where full details including the specification are held. The award of this requirement will be based on a TWO stage processes. At PQQ stage Aston will be looking to shortlist approximately a maximum of 8 tenderers to take to the tender stage. To meet its 2020 vision, Aston University will require focused, bold and thoughtful strategic marketing. We are a "challenger brand". Unlike the Russell Group universities, we are not content with the status quo. We are the "incumbent newcomer" - fresh, dynamic and inclusive, breaking the mould of traditional universities - already established and positioned to grow. As a member of the Midlands Innovation group of six research intensive universities, we will continue to promote high quality and applicable research led by areas of real strength, such as photonics and entrepreneurship, and to position ourselves as "Excellent, Different and Distinctive" - a university where ordinary but talented people come and achieve great things. We wish to work with an agency that will help us to expand our media coverage, grow our reputation amongst new audiences, remain top of mind with academics and opinion leaders and develop a vibrant research narrative leading to REF2020. We have a small internal PR function which is successful at dealing with the regional media and incoming national media queries. This tender is to identify a PR agency with the expertise, contacts and empathy to work alongside the internal team in order to build and place significant national stories - especially in the broadsheets, on BBC television and radio and within appropriate digital channels and communities. We have an established pool of media friendly academics but we wish to encourage our next generation of media commentators and we are seeking an agency who will support our internal team to create a culture in which academics see engaging with the media a part of their day job.. The REF - Research Excellence Framework - will always remain a key focus. In REF 2014, we achieved our highest ever score, with 78% of research submitted evaluated as 'world leading' or 'internationally recognised'. That's up from 45% in 2008. Whilst media coverage does not count as 'impact' in the REF definition, influencing policy and creating engagements does. Promotion of Aston's research will always remain a key role of the appointed PR agency as we head towards REF 2020. In September 2016, Professor Alec Cameron, Aston's new Vice-Chancellor, joined the University. PR activities will be adapted as necessary in line with the new Vice Chancellor's priorities.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c5464bbf-497e-4fd8-a808-f56e0d399474 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Restricted procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Feb 2017 |
| Submission deadline | 17 Oct 2016 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 16 Feb 2017 |
| Contract period | 1 Mar 2017 - 28 Feb 2021 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £312,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | ASTON UNIVERSITY |
| Locality | BIRMINGHAM |
| Post town | Birmingham |
| Postcode | B4 7ET |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands |
| ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham |
| Local authority | Birmingham |
| Electoral ward | Nechells |
| Westminster constituency | Birmingham Ladywood |
| Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | JOURNALISTA |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79416000 - Public relations services

## Release History

- 16 Feb 2017 at 15:57 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c5464bbf-497e-4fd8-a808-f56e0d399474
- 18 Nov 2016 at 20:16 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e1014af5-2ece-4b44-bcad-b36a1c7b9074

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c5464bbf-497e-4fd8-a808-f56e0d399474
  16th February 2017 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e1014af5-2ece-4b44-bcad-b36a1c7b9074
  16th September 2016 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- http://www.aston.ac.uk
- https://procontract.due-north.com/SupplierPreLoginHome

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-315aa3d5-adca-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-315aa3d5-adca-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b.json.