Scope
Description
Aster Group is undergoing a strategic transformation aimed at enhancing public engagement, improving stakeholder relationships, and increasing visibility across its key housing sectors.
As part of this initiative, we require expert PA/PR Consultancy services to support our internal team and boost our communications strategy, manage media relations, and ensure consistent messaging across all platforms.
It is the intention of Aster Group therefore to establish a framework agreement with suitably qualified Supplier(s) who will provide selected PA/PR Consultancy Services to meet needs that cannot be met in-house by its own provision, or where additional knowledge and expertise is required.
We intend to establish a framework with 3 Lots as follows:
Lot 1 - Public Affairs (PA) Services
Lot 2 - Public Relations (PR) Services
Lot 3 - Ad hoc Special Projects
Project Objectives
•Real-time high-level counsel and insight in a period of rapid change and in a time of increased scrutiny
•Deliver media relations and 24/7 high level crisis and issues management for both media and stakeholder engagement work.
•Plan and execute creative and innovative campaigns, producing high-quality, accurate content, and effective and measurable tactical delivery
•Innovative applications of technology such as AI
•Expertise in navigating the Devolution agenda
•Strong political connections across all parties
•Nuanced understanding of the political environment
•Ways to showcase expansion in new geographies and refreshed service offers
•Create opportunities to educate and influence, as a sector leader to ensure we have a trusted and sought-after voice in the sector
•Support for M&A activity
Project Desired Outcomes
•Drive positive media coverage including key messages in key media including driving opportunities across the national and trade press
•Increased share of voice and brand awareness among key influencers and media
•Increased opportunities to build partnerships and relationships with organisations and individuals that will help us deliver our strategy
•Increased opportunities to influence and shape policy
•Creative campaigns that will support our strategy and elevate and strengthen our position in the market
Interested suppliers are invited to participate in the Tender by following this link to express interest and access the related documents: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/aster/aspx/ProjectManage/621
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £770,557 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 20 April 2026 to 19 April 2030
- 4 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79416000 - Public relations services
Lot constraints
Maximum number of lots a supplier can bid for: 2
Maximum number of lots a supplier can be awarded: 2
Lot 1. Lot 1 - Public Affairs (PA) Services
Description
PA services will focus on navigating the evolving political landscape, so we understand change and impact on our services and customers, and to help us inform and influence government policy. This includes:
• Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement: Building relationships with key stakeholders across central and local government
• Policy Monitoring and Intelligence: Monitoring political developments to anticipate and respond to change
• Strategic Counsel: Providing strategic advice for proactive and reactive engagement
• Advocacy and Representation: Providing advocacy development, consultation input, policy insight, and stakeholder representation
• Reporting and evaluation: Deliver regular, engaging reports that highlight stakeholder engagement, policy developments, and most importantly the campaign's outcomes and impact, while continuously evaluating and improving public affairs activities.
Lot value (estimated)
- £0 excluding VAT
- £321,771 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Public Relations (PR) Services
Description
PR services will focus on managing public perception and reputation of the Group, enhancing general brand awareness, and supporting our Corporate Strategy and Strategic Objectives. This includes:
• Strategic communications planning: Delivering a well-executed communications plan that is driven by campaign(s) to tell our story and maintains momentum with the right and most impactful media and key influencers.
• Creating compelling and engaging content: a focus on high-quality communications to best connect and engage with media, customers, emerging influencers and other target audiences.
• Strategic counsel: Providing strategic advice for proactive and reactive engagement to inform C-Suite level counsel.
• Crisis and issues management: Access to 24/7 reactive communications support for high-level issues management.
• Reporting and Evaluation: Deliver regular, engaging reports that evaluate PR activity effectiveness and highlight campaign engagement, outcomes, and their impact on achieving business objectives.
Lot value (estimated)
- £0 excluding VAT
- £303,998 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Ad Hoc Special Projects
Description
From time to time and as need may arise, Aster Group will require support for ad-hoc projects that extend beyond our day-to-day PA and PR programmes. These projects would be delivered over fixed time periods and may need to pull on skills across the full comms mix: PR, PA, research, social media, placemaking, event support, rich media content creation, among others. Results would need to be tracked, measured with impacts and outcomes played back to the business in a compelling and engaging way. These can include but not limited to:
• Research e.g. consumer, market, perception studies, economic impact reports.
• Roundtable / events support e.g. thought leadership campaigns
• M&A activity e.g. to support growth ambitions
• Social media support e.g. strategic guidance, measurement and evaluation
Lot value (estimated)
- £0 excluding VAT
- £127,014.71 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
8
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
The Framework will be operated and managed by Aster Group for internal use
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
Establishing party only
Submission
Enquiry deadline
7 January 2026, 12:00pm
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
16 January 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
23 March 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Technical (Stage 1 Evaluation) | Quality | 70% |
| Cost (Stage 1 Evaluation) | Price | 30% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
2 stage Procedure involving Interview
Contracting authority
ASTER GROUP LIMITED
- Companies House: IP29573R
Sarson Court
Devizes
SN10 2AZ
United Kingdom
Contact name: Victor Ayaga
Region: UKK15 - Wiltshire CC
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government