Official UK procurement notice
Global Media & Marketing Services Ecosystem (Media, Performance & Creative Services)
Authority: British Council (Local council)·Consortium: 2 public authorities
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe British Council is seeking a single Global Lead media agency, with the ability to deploy approved specialist partners under an Exception Policy including China carve-out arrangements, to deliver global paid media services across English, Exams and Cultural Engagement.
- How the procedure runs: 2.4 This particular stage is intended to confirm supplier eligibility and shortlist a number of capable agencies to proceed to the full Invitation to Tender (Phase 2). Phase 1 will focus on mandatory pass/fail requirements and a number of scored questions on technical capability to rank suppliers. The Authority expects to shortlist five (5) top scoring suppliers who meet all PASS/FAIL requirements to Phase 2. 2.5 The shortlisted suppliers will be invited to submit a full tender response using the ITT pack following by signing a confidentiality agreement (NDA). Details of the procurement process will be provided in the ITT. This procurement is not divided into lots.
CPV: Advertising and marketing services · Market research services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£125,000,000
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).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Quality and Methodology: 60%
- Commercial: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality and Methodology: Details will be provided in the Invitation to tender stage
- Commercial: Details will be provided in the Invitation to tender stage
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible 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
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 18 Mar 2026, 11:37 GMT
- Last source update
- 11 Sept 2026, 13:45 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Sept 2026
- Authority reference
ITT1032909- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-024487- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-066d46Find a Tender
- How it runs
2.4 This particular stage is intended to confirm supplier eligibility and shortlist a number of capable agencies to proceed to the full Invitation to Tender (Phase 2). Phase 1 will focus on mandatory pass/fail requirements and a number of scored questions on technical capability to rank suppliers. The Authority expects to shortlist five (5) top scoring suppliers who meet all PASS/FAIL requirements to Phase 2. 2.5 The shortlisted suppliers will be invited to submit a full tender response using the ITT pack following by signing a confidentiality agreement (NDA). Details of the procurement process will be provided in the ITT. This procurement is not divided into lots.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 17 Apr 2026, 14:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 17 Apr 2026, 14:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 27 Mar 2026, 14:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
18 Mar 2026 → 1 Oct 2026 · 8 dates- Tender notice published222 days ago18 Mar 2026, 11:37 GMT
- Clarification questions by213 days ago27 Mar 2026, 14:00 GMT
- Submission deadline192 days ago17 Apr 2026, 14:00 BST
- Award decision expected by55 days ago1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent46 days ago11 Sept 2026
- Latest notice published45 days ago11 Sept 2026, 13:45 BST
- Standstill ends33 days ago24 Sept 2026, 00:59 BST
- Contract starts26 days ago1 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
9 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 Mar 2026- Tender notice published18 Mar 2026, 11:37 GMTUK4
- Tender notice published18 Mar 2026, 14:59 GMTUK4
- Published value updated to £125,000,00018 Mar 2026, 14:59 GMTwas £125
- Contract award notice published11 Sept 2026, 13:18 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete11 Sept 2026, 13:18 BST
- Contract award notice published11 Sept 2026, 13:45 BSTUK6
- Buyer details updated11 Sept 2026, 13:45 BST
- Contract signature expected12 Oct 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract signature expected13 Oct 2026, 00:59 BSTscheduled
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2026-03: 1 release · 18 Mar 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omnicom Media Group Europe Limited23 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2028 · up to 23 Oct 2031Extensions: Up to 3x12 month optional extensions | £15 inc. VAT | 11 Sept 2026standstill to 24 Sept 2026 | Standstill |
| Omnicom Media Group Europe Limited23 Oct 2026 – 22 Oct 2028 · up to 22 Oct 2031Extensions: Up to 3x12 month optional extensions | £150,000,000 inc. VAT | 11 Sept 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4final-stage tenders · 6 at stage one | 1 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonOmnicom Media Group Europe Limited · Greater London
- did not winANYTHING IS POSSIBLE MEDIA LIMITEDSME · South East England
- did not windentsu
- did not winHAVAS MEDIA LIMITED · South East England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- British CouncilContracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government
Bidders & participating suppliers
4 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded- ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE MEDIA LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- HAVAS MEDIA LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- Omnicom Media Group Europe LimitedAwarded supplier
- dentsuBidder / tenderer
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Technical specifications Please register our procurement portal and search for the event reference ITT1032909
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender