Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Water
The Bridge, 6 Buchanan Gate, Stepps
Glasgow
G33 6FB
Contact
Amy Phillips
amy.phillips@scottishwater.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKM - Scotland
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.6) Main activity
Water
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Provision of Media Buying
Reference number
SW26/CON/1540
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Scottish Water is establishing a framework for Media Planning and Buying Services to support paid advertising and communications across Scotland. The appointed supplier will work in partnership with Scottish Water to identify, plan, buy, manage, and evaluate media activity across national and regional audiences. Services will span TV/On‑Demand, audio including radio, digital, social, out‑of‑home, and press.
The supplier will provide expert media planning advice, high‑performing media schedules, campaign setup and optimisation, and full monitoring, reporting, and insights. They will also offer value‑added services such as audience profiling, industry and competitor analysis, account management, and production of digital, social, and radio advertising assets. Close collaboration with Scottish Water’s Corporate Affairs team and other departments is required to support proactive and reactive communication needs.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £17,600,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Scotland Wide
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Scottish Water provide vital water and waste water services, essential to daily life, to over 2.6 million households and more than 160,000 business premises across Scotland, and therefore need to be able to plan and carry out paid-for advertising/comms which have the scope to reach and engage with customers at both a pan-Scotland level and a regional/local level. In order to identify, plan and use the most effective platforms/channel mix to reach the target customer audience/base Scottish Water would like to source a framework for the supply of Media Planning & Buying Services that reflects a full range of media planning and buying capabilities underpinned by flexible, reliable, cost effective and customer focused service.
The scope of the contract is to work in partnership with Scottish Water, supplying the media planning and buying services, which will include:
- providing high quality technical advice and proposals for the most effective platforms and advertising/media channel mix to be considered for the campaign paid-for advertising activity
- proposing media schedules which will deliver effective/high performing campaigns at both national (Scotland-wide) and/or regional/local level that offer Scottish Water the maximum potential reach, engagement and value.
- providing monitoring, evaluation, campaign analysis & insights and reporting pre, during and post any campaign/advertising activity.
The media buying services will be for both proactive and reactive activity and will include, but are not limited to, campaign/advertising activities across the following platforms/channels:
- AV including TV and On Demand services
- Audio including Radio
- Digital
- Social
- Out Of Home
- Press
It is expected that the selected supplier will work closely with the Corporate Affairs team as the primary contact but will also be able to maintain and manage relationships and work independently with other Scottish Water departments who are considering a paid-for advertising media schedule to deliver either proactive and/or reactive comms activity as appropriate. The supplier will be expected to provide a number of value added services to SW including but not limited to:-
• Industry-specific market analysis, updates and advice and provision of information including competitor monitoring, consumer, industry and channel analysis and insight
• Reporting & insights (pre, during and post campaign/advertising analysis activity)
• Dedicated Account Manager
• Audience profiling
• Planning, buying and management of all media proposed
• Optimisation and management including set up of campaigns/advertising activity (inclusive of ASBOF levy and any media commission/copyright licence, but excluding adserving if required)
• Management of SW account, including all meetings, travel and expenses in the servicing of the account.
• Ability to create, set up and deliver digital and social adverts
• Ability to source voiceover artists, produce and deliver finalised radio adverts (including appropriate RACC clearance) and supply final file to radio station
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £17,600,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
96
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates: 4
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
To access the following opportunity, please register using the following link: https://atamis-scottishwater.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_PublicLandingPage?SearchType=Projects
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation
List and brief description of rules and criteria
See Procurement Documents or further information
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
See Procurement Documents or further information
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
23 March 2026
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
To access this opportunity, please register using the following link: https://atamis-scottishwater.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_PublicLandingPage?SearchType=Projects
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Glasgow Sheriff Court
1 Carlton Place
Glasgow
G5 9DA
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Scottish Water
The Bridge, 6 Buchanan Gate, Stepps
Glasgow
G33 6FB
Country
United Kingdom