Education Recruitment Advertising and Resourcing Services

Southern Universities Management Services (SUMS), acting on behalf of the UK Universities Procurement Consortia (UKUPC), is establishing a Framework Agreement for Education Recruitment Advertising, Marketing, Attraction, and Student Recruitment Services. The scope of work is designed to support the recruitment of both students and staff across UK and international markets, primarily for Higher Education and Further Education institutions. The framework is divided into five lots, each with an estimated value of 16,000,000 GBP excluding VAT, bringing the total estimated framework value to 80,000,000 GBP excluding VAT or 100,000,000 GBP including VAT. The lots cover a range of services including recruitment advertising and resourcing, UK and international student recruitment marketing, and recruitment platforms and marketplace services. The contract is scheduled to run from 1 March 2027 to 28 February 2029, with the possibility of two 12-month extensions extending the term to 28 February 2031. Awarding will be conducted via a Competitive Flexible Procedure consisting of a two-stage evaluation process. Stage 1 involves a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire followed by quality and commercial evaluations to create a shortlist. Stage 2 requires shortlisted suppliers to provide lot-specific assessments, which may include presentations or creative work, followed by potential final price negotiations. The deadline for tender submissions is 19 February 2027 at 12:00pm, with all proposals required to be submitted electronically in English.