Award

Strategic Communications

  • BORDER TO COAST PENSIONS PARTNERSHIP LIMITED

UK6: Contract award notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-057082

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-051366 (view related notices)

Published 16 September 2025, 4:53pm



Scope

Description

Border to Coast Pensions Partnership is seeking a corporate communications agency to work with its Policy & Communications team. The appointed agency will act as a day-to-day extension of Border to Coast's team, helping it evolve its long-term communications strategy, spot and navigate issues that might affect the organisation or its partners, and carry out communications and public affairs activity and stakeholder engagement.

The selected agency will ideally know the asset management and LGPS ecosystem and understand how regulatory, political and societal factors might impact our business. It will have experience engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and have excellent communications and thought leadership capabilities in both national and trade media

(financial and business).

22 tenders were received and 3 suppliers were shortlisted to the final stage


Contract 1. Strategic Communications

Supplier

Contract value

  • £560,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Award decision date

16 September 2025

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

16 September 2025

Standstill period

  • End: 25 September 2025
  • 8 working days

Earliest date the contract will be signed

30 September 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2027
  • Possible extension to 30 September 2029
  • 4 years

Description of possible extension:

Initial contract term of 24 months, with 1x 24 month extension available

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 79416200 - Public relations consultancy services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Information about tenders

  • 22 tenders received
  • 3 tenders assessed in the final stage:
    • 3 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
    • 0 submitted by voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
  • 1 supplier awarded contracts
  • 2 suppliers unsuccessful (details included for contracts over £5 million)

Submission

Submission type

Tenders


Procedure

Procedure type

Competitive flexible procedure


Supplier

APELLA ADVISORS LIMITED

  • Companies House: 11664779
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMLJ-3835-QVJT

11-12 Manchester Mews

London

W1U 2DX

United Kingdom

Region: UKI32 - Westminster

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Supported employment provider: No

Public service mutual: No

Contract 1. Strategic Communications


Contracting authority

BORDER TO COAST PENSIONS PARTNERSHIP LIMITED

  • Companies House: 10795539
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PZTH-6472-NGDG

5th Floor Toronto Square

Leeds

LS1 2HJ

United Kingdom

Region: UKE42 - Leeds

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government