Awarded contract

Creative Agency

  • Northern Trains Limited

F06: Contract award notice – utilities

Notice reference: 2022/S 000-022527

Published 16 August 2022, 9:48am



Section one: Contracting entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Northern Trains Limited

Albany House, Floor 8, 94-98 Petty France, London, England SW1H 9EA

London

Email

alexander.wildash@northernrailway.co.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKE2 - North Yorkshire

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.northerailway.co.uk

one.6) Main activity

Production, transport and distribution of gas and heat


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Creative Agency

Reference number

NTL-CA-0001

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Description: Northern Trains invites tenders for the provision of strategic brand creative and advertising services for ongoing brand development. Northern Trains is seeking to appoint an innovative and strategic creative agency which shares our values and will help us to communicate effectively with our customers whilst achieving targets around journeys and revenue. Northern Trains is also seeking to appoint a creative, efficient artwork production agency which shares our values and will help us to deliver the plethora of customer communication touch points from digital assets for the website through to print assets for our customer communications and advertising.The appointed creative agency will be responsible for developing our brand, including concept design, copywriting, and brand developmentThe generative campaign marketing budget (Yr21/22) is £4m. We use a multi channel approach across all relevant media including TV, Radio, OOH, Digital etc.This tender is split into

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot 1 – Strategic Brand Creative Services

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKE2 - North Yorkshire

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

This tender procedure is for strategic and ongoing brand and advertising development, covering all media and customer touchpoints.The winning agency will be expected to undertake strategic design and advertising development of the current "Go Do Your Thing" positioning and brand platform in-line with business needs.Northern’s new ‘recovery’ campaign is now underway, encouraging Leisure and Commuter customers back to rail after the pandemic. In a typical year, Northern operates a mix of brand-led, seasonal, and tactical campaigns, utilising the sophisticated pricing, targeting and customer persona data at its disposal. Work will often involve collaboration with Northern’s other agencies.Northern is the largest rail company in the North of England, carrying 1 million passengers daily to over 540 destinations. With a fleet of new and refurbished trains, a pipeline of innovations across the entire customer journey and recent gains in brand measures, Northern has fertile ground for growth and a compelling story to tell.We strive to be outstanding in everything we do. We want to work with people who are committed to delivering the highest possible level of performance in everything that they do. We want to work with a partner who is open to ideas, to collaboration, to challenges and to new ways of thinking. We are seeking to appoint a partner who will: • Work with the Marketing and wider Customer & Commercial Team to plan, design and deliver creative marketing campaigns across the breadth of the organisation;• Work with us to help us to be relevant and appealing to our varied target audience base and ensuring that it reflects the best possible demographic messaging.• Work with us to help us to secure the emotional engagement of customers to increase customer satisfaction levels and customer loyalty through the Northern Brand experience.• Provide creative concept development proposals, in response to verbal or written briefs from Northern covering rough layouts and designs, promotional concepts, and some core artwork templates• Input, advise and recommend on the efficient planning and evaluation of marketing media campaigns, working in association with the specialist media buying agencies as required by the Northern.• Provide consultancy services in relation to the effective marketing of Northern’s business or businesses, liaising with other special service providers if required, as nominated by Northern.• Preparation of budgets and cost estimates for key elements of each promotional campaign as requested by Northern.• Involvement in preparation, execution and analysis of market research and other investigative analyses.

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) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot 2: Creative, Artwork & Production Services / Graphic Design Services

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKE2 - North Yorkshire

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

This tender procedure is for the provision of ‘Graphic Design’ services to Northern Trains. The services will include creating artwork for paid and owned channels to enable Northern to communicate with a range of audiences.Services may include the design of posters, newsletters, leaflets, infographics, advertisements (print and online) and internal collateral, as well as any other visual media that may be agreed between Northern & NTL. Given the complex nature of Northern’s network and targeting precision, it will also involve multiple geo-variations of core templates. Work will often involve collaboration with Northern’s other agencies.Northern Trains places particular importance on the graphical and artistic presentation of collateral at speed. For this reason, tenderers must prove their creativity and capacity of high-quality execution within a fast-paced trading environment.We strive to be outstanding in everything we do. We want to work with people who are committed to delivering the highest possible level of performance in everything that they do. We want to work with a partner who is open to ideas, to collaboration, to challenges and to new ways of thinking. We are seeking to appoint a partner who will: • Work with the Marketing, its Lead Creative Agency and wider Customer & Commercial Team to plan, design and deliver creative marketing campaigns across the breadth of the organisation;• Work with us to be relevant and appealing to our varied target audience base and ensuring advertising and marketing reflects the best possible demographic messaging.• Work with us to secure the emotional engagement of customers to increase customer satisfaction levels and customer loyalty through the Northern Brand experience.• Provide creative concept development proposals, in response to verbal or written briefs from Northern covering rough layouts and designs, promotional concepts and draft copies, or working with initial designs provided by the Lead Agency• Upon approval of concepts by Northern, the progression of these proposals to artwork, mechanicals, computer files or similar materials in advance of production or printing. Thereafter, the production of commercials for broadcast media, advertisements, and printed materials for other campaign requirements.• The production or print of specific executions, campaigns, items, or similar materials to a commercially acceptable standard.• Preparation of budgets and cost estimates for key elements of each promotional campaign as requested by Northern, • Provide assistance with other projects involved with the development of Northern’s business or businesses that are not necessarily directly related to the provision of advertising services. Additional project fees may be negotiated between Northern and the Agency in these instances, but shall always be approved by Northern in advance of such fees being incurred. 

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


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition

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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2021/S 000-029650


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-029650

Lot No

1

Title

Lot 1 - Strategic Brand Creative Services

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

11 August 2022


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-029650

Lot No

2

Title

Lot 2 Creative, Artwork & Production Services/Graphic Design Services

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

11 August 2022


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Northern Trains Limited

York

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Northern Trains Limited

York

Country

United Kingdom