---
title: "Higher Education Marketing Agency to Support the Implementation of UK Student Recruitment Campaigns (Media Planning and Buying)"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-6bb3d375-bcae-42f4-bda4-06b200ccb4c5"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-6bb3d375-bcae-42f4-bda4-06b200ccb4c5"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-6bb3d375-bcae-42f4-bda4-06b200ccb4c5.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-6bb3d375-bcae-42f4-bda4-06b200ccb4c5.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER"
published: "2026-01-14"
---

# Higher Education Marketing Agency to Support the Implementation of UK Student Recruitment Campaigns (Media Planning and Buying)

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-6bb3d375-bcae-42f4-bda4-06b200ccb4c5

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## Summary

The University of Chester has awarded a contract for a Higher Education Marketing Agency to support the implementation of UK student recruitment campaigns, focusing on media planning and buying. This tender falls under the advertising and marketing services category and is part of the Education Recruitment Advertising and Resourcing Services (National) NERARS 2022 Framework Agreement, designated as Lot 2. The procurement utilised a selective method through a call-off from a framework agreement, with the contracting process now in the award stage. The contract, valued at approximately £200,000 for the management fee and potentially £2.5m for media spending over four years, officially began on 17th December 2025 and will run until 31st January 2030, with opportunities for yearly extensions. The University, located in Chester in the North West of England, emphasizes collaboration with the successful agency on campaign strategies.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specialising in advertising, marketing, and creative services, especially those with experience in the higher education sector. It is particularly suitable for SMEs and VCSEs given the nature of the procurement approach. The winning supplier, Havas People, a large entity based in Maidstone, was selected to drive the University’s student recruitment efforts. This contract provides a platform for agencies to leverage their expertise in media planning, audience analysis, and strategic insight, thereby enabling them to enhance the University's competitive positioning in recruitment. Engaging in such a contract could lead to substantial business growth by aligning with a prominent educational institution known for its expansive recruitment campaigns.

## Notice

The University of Chester invited tenders from specialist Higher Education marketing agencies on Lot 2 - Student Recruitment Marketing of the Education Recruitment Advertising and Resourcing Services (National) NERARS 2022 Framework Agreement (Reference: PFB4051 SU). The appointed agency will primarily support media planning and buying for UK student recruitment campaigns, with a clear focus on driving the University's growth agenda and increasing home undergraduate student numbers. This will be a two-year contract, with the option to extend for up to a further 24 months on a year-by-year basis. While the core requirement is media planning and buying, the University expects the successful agency to work collaboratively on campaign strategy, providing audience, market and competitor insights to strengthen our competitive position. Additionally, the University may occasionally draw on the agency's creative services to support the development of campaign assets and messaging. The total contract value in this notice is an estimate of the Management Fee payable in relation to the full potential four years of this contract, if extension periods are taken up. The subsequent spend through media organisations is estimated to be around PS2.5m over that time.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5987bbde-4491-4757-97ce-f16698a58c8e |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Call-off from a framework agreement |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 21 Nov 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 16 Dec 2025 |
| Contract period | 17 Dec 2025 - 31 Jan 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £200,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £200,000 |
| 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 | UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER |
| Locality | CHESTER |
| Post town | Chester |
| Postcode | CH1 4BJ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD6 Cheshire |
| ITL 3 | TLD63 Cheshire West and Chester |
| Local authority | Cheshire West and Chester |
| Electoral ward | Chester City & the Garden Quarter |
| Westminster constituency | Chester North and Neston |
| Delivery location | TLD North West (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | HAVAS PEOPLE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services
- 79600000 - Recruitment services

## Release History

- 14 Jan 2026 at 10:53 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5987bbde-4491-4757-97ce-f16698a58c8e

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5987bbde-4491-4757-97ce-f16698a58c8e
  14th January 2026 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- http://www.chester.ac.uk

## Provenance

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