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Open for bidsUnited KingdomServices£80,000,000Add to pipeline

Education Recruitment Advertising and Resourcing Services

Southern Universities Management Services (SUMS)(buyer)

Published
Published 22 October 2026
Deadline
Deadline: 19 February 2027 (97 days left)
See 1 live opportunityHow Skim finds tendersView original notice ↗

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Overview

Southern Universities Management Services (SUMS) is procuring education recruitment advertising, marketing, attraction, and student recruitment services. The contract has an estimated total value of £80,000,000. The opportunity is currently open for bids, with submissions due by 19 February 2027.

Contracting authority

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Reveal decision makers

Lots (5)

  • Lot 1 – Education Recruitment Advertising & Resourcing

    2.2 Services may include, but shall not be limited to: • Advertising planning; • Advertising placement; • Media buying; • Media negotiations; • Recruitment advertising consultancy; • Advertising scheduling; • Advertising optimisation; • Recruitment campaign management.

    £16,000,000

  • Lot 2A –UK Student Recruitment Marketing and Attraction Services

    Services Included Within this Lot Recruitment marketing strategy and campaign planning Media planning, buying and optimisation Digital and offline advertising Creative campaign development and content Audience targeting, engagement and attraction Campaign analytics and performance reporting

    £16,000,000

  • Lot 2B –UK Student Recruitment Platforms and Marketplace Services

    Services Included Within this Lot Institution and course listings Student marketplaces and discovery platforms Course search, comparison and recommendation services Enquiry, lead and application referral Cost-per-application or cost-per-enrolment models Marketplace data, reporting and insight

    £16,000,000

  • Lot 3A - International Student Recruitment Marketing and Attraction Services

    Services Included Within this Lot International recruitment strategy and campaign planning Country- or region-specific marketing campaigns International media planning, buying and optimisation Digital advertising and audience targeting Creative development, multilingual content and localisation Campaign analytics and performance reporting

    £16,000,000

  • Lot 3B - International Student Recruitment Platforms, Agency and Partnership Services

    Services Included Within this Lot Education agent and recruitment partner networks In-country representation and student counselling Direct enquiry-to-enrolment support Offer-holder engagement and conversion Application support and admissions processing Success-fee and volume-based recruitment models

    £16,000,000

Key details

Country
United Kingdom
Status
Open for bids
Category
Services
Estimated value
£80,000,000
Procedure
Competitive flexible procedure
Rules
Procurement Act 2023
SME suitable
Yes
Published
22 October 2026
Questions by
6 November 2026
Deadline
19 February 2027
Classification (CPV)
Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and securityMarket and economic research; polling and statisticsAdvertising and marketing servicesAdvertising servicesAdvertising consultancy servicesAdvertising management servicesAdvertising campaign servicesAeral advertising services+18 more

Competition and scoring criteria

Expected competition

4

Median bids on comparable tenders

Open and restricted tenders in Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security drew a median of 4 bids over the last 24 months; 21% received only one.

How bids will be scored

Price 40% · Quality 60%

  • Commercial40%
  • Quality60%

Price and cost criteria in black, quality in blue.

Market context

Typical award in Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

£73,982

Median of 18,935 awards in the last 24 months

Recent awards in Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

The latest contracts other buyers awarded under the same classification.

Notice history

Every published notice in this contracting process, newest first.

  1. Tender Update

    22 October 2026

  2. Contract Notice

    22 October 2026

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