Press release

Government awards media buying contract

The government has awarded its 4-year media buying agreement to Carat.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The deal is expected to contribute to delivering savings of over £100 million for taxpayers, through a combination of tighter spending controls across public sector campaigning and smarter purchasing.

Conducted by the Crown Commercial Service, a competitive tender exercise was run to secure a new agreement which will be available to all government departments and public sector organisations.

The exercise included thorough engagement with suppliers, customers, trade bodies and private sector organisations as government worked to secure the best deal for taxpayers and for the public sector customers who use the agreement.

Executive Director of Government Communication Alex Aiken said:

Securing a new agreement to ensure we can continue to communicate some of government’s important messages while ensuring the best possible deal has been our priority throughout this process.

With a continued focus on ensuring value for money for taxpayers, the success of our campaigns, which affect the lives of millions of people and communities throughout the UK, depend strongly on the competitive rates achieved under this agreement and we look forward to working with Carat over the next 4 years.

Sally Collier, CEO of the Crown Commercial Service said:

The Crown Commercial Service is pleased to have led and delivered a competitive award process which has resulted in an excellent deal for both the customer and taxpayers. A thorough and robust procurement process with input from a wide range of stakeholders ensured that value for money was at the heart of this deal.

The new agreement will cover media requirements from 1 January 2015, following a planned transition to the new provider.

Published 10 November 2014