TenderSignal is the UK's most complete source of live marketing and communications tenders.
We aggregate creative and comms procurement from 145+ portals — Cabinet Office, every central-government department, councils, NHS trusts, universities, regulators and arms-length bodies. Buyers include high-volume comms spenders like DHSC, DfE, Home Office, Defra, the NHS, public-health teams and the devolved governments.
Whether you're a sole-trader copywriter chasing council content contracts, an SME PR agency bidding for ALB comms work, or a major creative network targeting integrated multi-channel campaigns, TenderSignal surfaces opportunities daily. Sub-sectors include creative campaigns, PR, content production, media buying, social media, brand strategy, video and design.
Comms contracts typically run 2–4 years with continuous mini-competitions. Pro users see PIN and forecast notices — useful for engaging with departmental heads of comms before formal procurement opens.
What's covered
UK public-sector marcomms spend exceeds £500m annually and runs primarily through Crown Commercial Service frameworks: Campaign Solutions 3 (creative and behaviour change), Media Buying, Marketing and Print Services. NHS uses CCS plus its own NHS SBS frameworks. Councils typically use ESPO or YPO marketing frameworks, or run direct ITTs below threshold.
The Procurement Act 2023 governs above-threshold buying; below £213k, departments use framework mini-competitions or direct awards. The Government Communication Service (GCS) sets standards every supplier must follow — including OASIS planning, accessibility and value-for-money methodology.
Notable drivers include rolling public-health campaigns (NHS childhood vaccinations, smoking cessation, mental health), Defra environmental behaviour change, Home Office immigration and policing comms, NHS recruitment campaigns, and the devolved governments' nation-branding and tourism work (VisitBritain, VisitScotland, Visit Wales).
Marcomms procurement uses single-stage tenders for under-threshold work and full PQQ + ITT for major framework call-offs. Quality is heavily weighted (typically 70–80%) — covering strategic approach, creative response, named team and CVs, prior campaign outcomes, evaluation methodology and social value. Many buyers run pitch days as part of evaluation.
Framework presence is essential. Campaign Solutions 3 covers creative and behaviour change; Media Buying handles paid; Marketing covers wider integrated work; specialist routes exist for video (PSBT) and digital. GCS Outcome Star training, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials are increasingly required, particularly for data-led campaigns.
Common pitfalls: generic creative response that doesn't address the buyer's specific behaviour-change challenge, missing OASIS planning, weak evaluation methodology, over-relying on senior staff who don't deliver day-to-day, and bland social-value commitments. Strong bids show measurable prior outcomes (reach, attitude shift, conversion), named team with day allocations, and credible accessibility/inclusion approach.
Most public-sector marketing work is delivered hybrid or remotely, so geography matters less. TenderSignal still lets you filter by buyer region — useful for council comms and devolved-government work that often prefers UK-based agencies.
Single-campaign creative briefs typically £25k–£250k. Multi-channel integrated campaigns £250k–£2m. Media-buying contracts often £1m–£30m depending on department and channel mix. Brand-strategy and identity refresh £50k–£500k.
For central government, increasingly yes — Campaign Solutions 3 and Media Buying handle the bulk of departmental spend. Below threshold, councils and NHS trusts still run direct ITTs and use approved-supplier lists, so non-framework SMEs can still compete.
TenderSignal ingests around 75–150 marcomms opportunities per week. Volume peaks in Q1 (new financial year campaign briefs) and around major public-health awareness moments (autumn/winter NHS, spring environmental).
ISO 9001 widely required; Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 for data-led campaigns; GCS Outcome Star training expected; accessibility expertise (WCAG 2.2); evidence of past behaviour-change outcomes essential. SC clearance occasionally required for sensitive policy work.
Yes — SMEs win significant shares of CCS Campaign Solutions and Media Buying spend. Specialist boutique agencies are particularly competitive in behaviour change, community engagement and digital-first campaigns. The Procurement Act 2023's lotting requirements help SMEs further.
Services above £213,477 (central government) or £164,176 (sub-central) must be advertised on Find a Tender. Below threshold, departments use framework mini-competitions or direct awards. Many discovery and campaign-development phases fall under threshold by design.
Critical. Under PPN 06/20, social value must be weighted at least 10% in central-government procurement. Strong bids show measurable commitments — diverse hiring and supplier spend, sustainable production, accessibility-by-default creative, and tangible community engagement.
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