---
title: "CSP26480 - Media Strategy, Planning and Buying"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-07872e"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-07872e"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07872e.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07872e.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION"
published: "2026-10-14"
---

# CSP26480 - Media Strategy, Planning and Buying

Buyer: UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-07872e

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-07872e)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07872e.json)

## Summary

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) procured media strategy, planning and buying services to support activity aligned with its organisational priorities. The work covers strategic campaigns, public engagement activity and thematic communications programmes, including the planning and purchase of media. The services are for UKRI, with delivery across the United Kingdom. UK Shared Business Services Ltd managed the procurement on UKRI’s behalf. The requirement is classified as advertising and marketing services. This is a central government research organisation’s communications requirement, rather than a general marketing brief: the appointed supplier supports UKRI’s organisational priorities and programme of public-facing activity through media strategy, planning and buying.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded to WAVEMAKER LIMITED trading as WPP650. The award was made on 14 October 2026, with a value of £4 million excluding VAT (£4.8 million including VAT). The contract period runs from 2 November 2026 to 14 June 2030. It was a selective procurement awarded under a framework agreement, with one lot. The process is recorded as non-competitive. The award is shown as pending, and a contract signature was scheduled for 26 October 2026. The successful supplier was selected for media strategy, planning and buying services; the published procurement information does not set out a detailed evaluation basis.

For suppliers considering comparable work for UKRI in future, this award demonstrates demand for an integrated media service: strategy, planning and buying tied to organisational priorities, strategic campaigns, public engagement and thematic communications. A credible competitor would need to show it can connect campaign objectives with effective media plans and purchasing, and deliver across UKRI’s UK-wide remit. The scope is broad enough to call for coordinated support across different types of communications activity, rather than media buying for a single campaign. The buyer used a framework route for this procurement, so suppliers seeking similar work should understand how to compete through relevant framework arrangements. The selected supplier provides evidence of the kind of established media-services provider that won this requirement.

## Notice

***** THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE, NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION ***** United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) are seeking to procure media strategy, planning, and buying services. The appointed supplier will support UKRI in delivering activity aligned to organisational priorities, strategic campaigns, public engagement activity and thematic communications programmes.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096850-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Award under framework |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Contract period | 2 Nov 2026 - 14 Jun 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £4,000,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION |
| Locality | SWINDON |
| Postcode area | Swindon |
| Postcode | SN2 1FL |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon |
| Local authority | Swindon |
| Electoral ward | Rodbourne Cheney |
| Westminster constituency | Swindon North |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | WAVEMAKER LIMITED |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

## Release History

- 14 Oct 2026 at 10:42 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096850-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096850-2026
  14th October 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://wavemakerglobal.com/uk/
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsReleasePackages/ocds-h6vhtk-0502d0
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-h6vhtk-07872e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07872e.json.