Official UK procurement notice
Classified Advertising Framework Agreement for the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies
Authority: Department of Finance (Central government)·On behalf of: CPD
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: Northern Ireland (UKN)
Framework ceiling (notional)£4,000,000framework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Submissions closed 7 Jul 2025awarded 5 Aug 2025
Awarded to ANDERSON SPRATT GROUP LTD
Framework period 4 yrsends 22 Sept 2029 · starts 23 Sept 2025
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Northern Ireland Civil Service's Executive Information Service's Government Advertising Unit (GAU) established an Advertising Framework Agreement for Classified Advertising which will provide classified advertising on behalf of the Northern Ireland Public Sector.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 4 Jun 2029, 23:59 BST.
CPV: Advertising campaign services · Advertising management services · Advertising services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs are awarded directly to appointed suppliers, without further competition
- Bids received
- 1 bids received · 1 suppliers appointed
- Framework period
- 4 yrs from 23 Sept 2025
Who may buy through it
Contracting authorities that may use the framework are listed in Annex of 'Schedule 2 Specification'.
Published description of the framework
The Buyer will initiate contact with the Supplier to advise that work is required.
Contact to include in the subject bar of the e-mail:
- Authority GovAd Reference number
- Title of advert
In the body of the e-mail to be included:
- Complete Placement Request form
- Word version of advert text
- What we are requesting (e.g. - Please forward proof and costs)
The Supplier is then to return to a proof of the advert in PDF format with the costs for each publication attached.
For Buyers other than GAU, the above process will largely remain the same however, they must clearly communicate to the Supplier their Security Clearance process as well as the invoicing process to ensure that prompt payment for the services is possible.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedPublished value£4,000,000
79341000 Advertising services79341200 Advertising management services79341400 Advertising campaign services
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)1
- Technical & professional ability
Company Experience and Fair Work Practices. Full details of these conditions can be found within the Instructions to Tender document.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
How bids were scored
Published sub-criteria (11)
- AC1 Methodology: 13.5%
- AC3 Internal Systems: 7.65%
- AC4 Key Personnel Experience: 6.75%
- AC5 Contingency Planning and Business Continuity: 6.75%
- AC5 Total Costs for Public Notices: 20%
- AC6 Total Costs for Run of Paper: 10%
- AC7 Total Costs for Recruitment Ads: 15%
- AC8 Total Costs for Non-Commission Fee: 5%
- AC9 Account Manager Hourly Rate: 2.5%
- AC10 Graphic Designer Hourly Rate (must include format, design and placement of adverts): 2.5%
- AC2 Social Value: 10.35%
Published award criteria (11)
- AC1 Methodology: Suppliers must detail how they will provide the service as outlined in the specification. The response must include how they will deal with the following: • the handling of the approval process; • quality control; • dealing with urgent and/or high profile requests; and • providing media advice and guidance demonstrating an application of knowledge of the Northern Ireland media.
- AC2 Social Value : As detailed in Annex E of ‘Schedule 2 Specification’, the Supplier must provide social value to a minimum value of 40 social value points for every £1 million (and pro-rata) of the invoiced value. For the purposes of evaluation, Suppliers must submit their responses based on a minimum indicative value of 160 social value points. Suppliers are required to complete and submit with their tender response a Social Value Delivery Plan (excel spreadsheet) identifying which social value initiatives they will deliver to fulfil the minimum indicative social value points stated above. Suppliers must only complete the cells highlighted in yellow within the plan. Any additional information included within the plan will not be evaluated as part of the tender response. Suppliers must also provide a written response that details how they will deliver the social value initiatives and must address the following: • The timescales for delivery of the social value requirements; • The resources, both internal and external, they will use to plan and deliver the social value requirements (including details of suppliers in your supply chain on the contract); • The activities they will undertake to deliver the social value initiatives selected within their completed Social Value Delivery Plan; • How they will engage with key stakeholders (including the Authority, social value beneficiaries, organisations within the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector etc.); • Confirmation that the activities included in the response are forward looking activities which are directly related to this contract; and • How they will monitor and report on the delivery of the social value requirements and address any performance issues.
- AC3 Internal Systems: Suppliers must provide details of the internal systems that will be in place to deliver the requirement including records management, workflow management, cost control and reporting.
- AC4 Key Personnel Experience: Suppliers must nominate a team of key personnel who will be assigned to deliver this requirement upon contract award. The individuals must demonstrate experience by way of examples, in the following areas: 1. Delivered and designed classified advertising requirements as required from the specification; 2. Experience of working to urgent deadlines; and 3. Delivered out of hours service. Members of the proposed team can use different example(s) provided their collective experience meets all the requirements set out above. The example(s) must include: • Job title/ grade of team member; • The programme title and details; and • The individual’s roles and responsibilities within that programme including methodology used. Examples should focus on individual input as opposed to programme delivery. For the avoidance of doubt, it is the experience of the team proposed that will be assessed under this award criterion. For example, one team member could meet 1 but not 2 or 3 but another member of the team could meet 2 and not 1 or 3 etc. Provided all requirements are met by the combined team, you have addressed this criterion. Suppliers must note that names of individual team members must not be stipulated within their tender response for this criterion. Grades will suffice.
- AC5 Contingency Planning and Business Continuity: Suppliers must provide a response to demonstrate their ability to ensure the continued delivery of a quality service in the event of unplanned events including the delivery of an emergency contact and out of hours service if required; fluctuations in the volume of work at key times of the year; changes in staff resourcing and the absence or unavailability of key personnel for any reason. The response must also include details of any processes for cancellation or errors, including the process for ensuring notices aren’t published in error.
- AC5 Total Costs for Public Notices
- AC6 Total Costs for Run of Paper
- AC7 Total Costs for Recruitment Ads
- AC8 Total Costs for Non-Commission Fee
- AC9 Account Manager Hourly Rate
- AC10 Graphic Designer Hourly Rate (must include format, design and placement of adverts)
Conditions of participation1
- Technical & professional ability
Company Experience and Fair Work Practices. Full details of these conditions can be found within the Instructions to Tender document.
What this means for your bid
- Price carries 55 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 5.5 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- “Classified Advertising Framework Agreement for the Northern Ireland…” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract, and call-offs are awarded directly: getting appointed is the whole game.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Contracting authorities that may use the framework are listed in Annex of 'Schedule 2 Specification'.
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 4 Jun 2029
- First published
- 5 Jun 2025, 12:06 BST
- Last source update
- 4 Sept 2025, 15:27 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 28 Jul 2025
- Authority reference
ID 5827064- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-030185- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05436fFind a Tender- Contract terms summary
In line with the Northern Ireland Executive’s commitment to pay contractors as quickly as possible, payment will be made in respect of a valid invoice (submitted with all necessary supporting documents/information) within ideally 10 working days and no longer than 30 days.
How it was run
Official noticeRun through: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI
Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration
- Appointment period ends
- 7 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 30 Jun 2025, 15:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: (URL) etendersni.gov.uk/epps ↗
This is also the submission address.
Timeline
5 Jun 2025 → 23 Sept 2025 · 8 dates- Tender notice published5 Jun 2025, 12:06 BST
- Clarification questions by30 Jun 2025, 15:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown7 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Award decision expected by28 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent5 Aug 2025, 00:00 BST
- Standstill ends15 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
- Latest notice published4 Sept 2025, 15:27 BST
- Contract starts399 days ago23 Sept 2025, 00:00 BST
Notice history
5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 5 Jun 2025- Tender notice published5 Jun 2025, 12:06 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published6 Aug 2025, 13:57 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete6 Aug 2025, 13:57 BST
- Contract signature expected18 Aug 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published4 Sept 2025, 15:27 BSTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecastSuppliers appointed 11 award · see the list ↓
Bids received 11 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 18 Aug 2025
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANDERSON SPRATT GROUP LTDSME23 Sept 2025 – 22 Sept 2029 | £4,000,000 | 5 Aug 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Classified Advertising Framework Agreement for the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies · ANDERSON SPRATT GROUP LTDSME
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2025
- Value
- £4,000,000
- Period
- 23 Sept 2025 – 22 Sept 2029
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1final-stage tenders | 1 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- CPDBeneficiary authority
- CPD - Supplies & Services DivisionProcess contact pointProcuring entityConstruction and Procurement Delivery - Supplies and Services Division, is a Centre of Procurement Expertise and provides a central procurement function for central government in Northern Ireland
Framework contractors & participating bidders
1 commercial party on the notice- ANDERSON SPRATT GROUP LIMITEDFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender