Liverpool City Council (LCC) delivers a wide range of communications, marketing, engagement and insight activities to support city priorities, service delivery, behaviour change campaigns and community engagement. This includes planned programmes as well as reactive or time-sensitive work requiring rapid mobilisation of specialist suppliers. Liverpool City Council requires access to a flexible and scalable supplier framework to deliver communications, marketing, research and engagement services. This includes both planned and reactive work that requires rapid mobilisation of specialist suppliers, often within tight timescales and across diverse communities. The objective of this framework is to provide LCC with a compliant procurement route for accessing a range of communications, marketing, creative, media, and research suppliers to deliver high-quality and impactful services.

Suppliers will provide strategic and operational communications services to support Liverpool City Council's corporate and service priorities. This includes, but is not limited to: • Strategic communications planning and campaign development • Brand strategy, positioning and identity development • Public relations, media relations and reputation management • Stakeholder engagement and messaging frameworks • Digital marketing, including social media strategy, content creation and channel management • Behaviour change campaigns using audience insight and segmentation • Crisis communications support and rapid response activity • Internal communications and change communications Suppliers will be expected to work closely with Council teams to ensure alignment with organisational priorities and values.

Suppliers will provide high-quality design and creative services to support campaigns, corporate communications and engagement activity. This includes: • Graphic design for print and digital materials • Branding and visual identity development • Campaign creative concepts and execution • Video production, animation and motion graphics • Photography and visual storytelling • Creative content for social media and digital platforms Suppliers will be expected to deliver outputs that are accessible, engaging and aligned to the Council's brand guidelines.

Suppliers will provide media planning, buying and optimisation services to support the effective delivery of campaigns. This includes: • Media strategy development based on audience insight • Planning and buying across channels, including digital, social, print, radio, outdoor and broadcast • Campaign optimisation and performance management • Reporting and evaluation of media effectiveness • Advice on emerging channels and media opportunities

Suppliers will deliver research, behavioural insight, consultation and engagement services to support evidence-based decision-making and community involvement. This includes: • Quantitative and qualitative research • Public consultation design and delivery • Stakeholder and community engagement • Focus groups, surveys and deliberative engagement activity • Data analysis, insight generation and reporting • Behavioural insight and evaluation Suppliers must support inclusive engagement approaches, ensuring that representative target audiences and diverse communities are reached effectively.

Procurement Act 2023

Open procedure

Pricing will be determined through competition at framework establishment, with suppliers submitting pricing against the pricing schedule for the relevant Lot(s). The framework will be awarded to the highest-scoring bidders based on the published evaluation criteria of 80% Quality and 20% Price. Contracts may subsequently be awarded through either Direct Award or competitive selection process (mini-competition). Direct Awards may be used where the requirement is straightforward, low risk and value for money can be demonstrated. Mini-Competitions may be undertaken where additional competition is required or where requirements need further refinement.

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