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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

PR Agency Services

COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST · Tender notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 20 Sept 2026, 07:43.

Opportunity overview

Synchronicity Care Limited on behalf of Fresh and Balance are seeking a provider of PR Agency Services. Fresh and Balance is the North East's integrated programme for reducing tobacco and alcohol harm in the region. They are one single joint programme carrying out much of the public and partner facing work under the two separate, well recognised brands of Fresh and Balance. Fresh and Balance remit is to reduce smoking rates and the harm caused by tobacco and alcohol amongst the local population and key audiences using a multi-strand approach based on best national and international evidence. This includes mass media campaigns, campaigning and advocacy, effective internal communications, and making voices heard on the national stage to politicians and decision makers. A key element of their work and priority of local funders is the delivery of all year round news and social media reach/engagement to ensure issues and messages in the public eye all year round on the channels that people see, read and hear, providing a highly cost effective return on investment. This also involves working with a range of senior stakeholders for messengers and champions, building support for measures to reduce smoking and harmful drinking, motivating and triggering behaviour change, and engaging and motivating key partners to prioritise these agendas regionally and nationally. Communications cover three main strands: • Behaviour change - highlighting the risks and signposting positive behaviour change around quitting smoking, reducing second hand smoke and reducing drinking - via campaigns, socials and two key websites FreshQuit.co.uk and ReduceMyRisk.tv. • Highlighting the harm - the cost of tobacco and alcohol across the region and nationally to motivate regional stakeholders and the public • Campaigning for change - a strong policy focus to call for more action nationally on tobacco and alcohol, increasing public and partner support for this. This also includes an increasing focus on building partnerships across the health system, local communities and community and voluntary sector. Fresh and Balance are looking for a PR agency with the experience, skills and knowledge to develop communications across the increasing range of available media channels to secure content - both traditional and online. Since we are a joint programme, this will be one contract serving both campaign brands, while still requiring the insight and experience in social marketing approaches to plan campaigns and approaches around both tobacco and alcohol. The successful agency will be expected to provide PR support to support the programme from 1st April 2027 with the potential for contract extensions and subject to satisfactory performance and reviews and funding.

Classification

  • CPV79416000 — Public relations services

Lots

  • Lot 1£1.2m

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
C471281
Status
active
Procurement Method
selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
Yes
Expression Of Interest Deadline
12 Oct 2026, 12:00

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Procedure

Features
Synchronicity Care Limited is facilitating this Completive Flexible Procedure Opportunity on behalf of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. The contract is for the provision of PR Services for a duration of 48 months, subject to the right of the Authority (at its sole discretion) to exercise its right to extend the Contract by up to 2 x 24 months. The maximum length of the Contract is therefore 8 years subject to funding. The Contracting Authority will undertake a Competitive Flexible Procedure two stage process in accordance with (Section 20, Procurement Act 2023). The Contracting Authority reserve the right to shortlist a maximum of 4 suppliers at the Participation Stage (Stage 1), suppliers will be notified if they will be invited to the Tender Stage (Stage 2) which is estimated for 30th October 2026.

Covered By

GPA

Submission terms

Electronic Submission Policy
allowed

Languages

en

Enquiry period

Ends
5 Oct 2026, 12:00

Expected award period

Ends
23 Oct 2026, 23:59

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
1,440,000
Amount
1,200,000
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
quality
Name
Service Delivery - Demonstrated Experience

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
30
Weight
percentageExact
Criterion 2
Type
quality
Name
Service Delivery - Relevant Contracts and Impact

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
40
Weight
percentageExact
Criterion 3
Type
quality
Name
Service Delivery - Demonstrated Supporting Partnerships

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
30
Weight
percentageExact

Second Stage

Maximum Candidates
4

Selection criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Description
The final weighted technical score obtained by each Supplier(s) will be ranked in respect of their evaluation score from highest to lowest. The Contracting Authority reserve the right to shortlist a maximum of 4 Supplier(s) at the Participation Stage (Stage 1) based upon the four highest ranking tenderer(s). Supplier(s) will be notified at the end of Participation Stage (Stage 1) if they will be invited to the Tender Stage (Stage 2). The Tender Stage (Stage 2) is estimated to be published on 30th October 2026, the tender critiera will be detailed at Stage 2 however the Trust expect it to be Quality 70% and Price 30%.
For Reduction
Yes

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Apr 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2031, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2035, 23:59

Renewal

Description
Please note the intitial contract duration and extensions is dependent on funding.

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
79416000
Description
Public relations services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKC
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
conflictOfInterest
Document Type
conflictOfInterest
Description
Not published
Entry 2
Id
088465-2026
Document Type
tenderNotice
Notice Type
UK4
Description
Tender notice on Find a Tender
Published
18 Sept 2026, 08:58
Format
text/html

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Id
GB-NHS-RXP

Identifier

Scheme
GB-NHS
Id
RXP

Additional Identifiers

Entry 1
Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PQLT-2871-PCJY

Address

Street Address
Hollyhurst Road
Locality
Darlington
Postal Code
DL3 6HX
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKC13

Contact

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthorityCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - central government

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Darlington · UKC13 · DL3 6HX · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKC · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

3 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

3 VERSIONS
  1. 087957-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·
  2. 087961-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·
  3. 088465-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·