Public Sector: Government unveils post-COI framework

Agencies will now be able to compete for The Creative Content, Delivery, Execution and Related Services roster, the creation of which was overseen by the Government's soon-to-be-departing director of comms Jenny Grey. The roster will cover four years and could be worth up to £520m.

Open to those across the marcoms spectrum, it will be followed by a second framework set to go live in October.

As part of a new comms set-up, agencies are being asked to feed into the process through new online tool Solutions Exchange.

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: 'We want agencies to register online and pitch in their views, and give us feedback on the service as we develop it.' Applicants have until 19 September to apply for the first framework, with 30 agencies expected to be chosen. The framework follows the launch of the Agile Route to Market, which aims to offer a quick route to lower-value work.

The spokeswoman played down fears raised by some senior agency figures that it would lead to smaller agencies having less of a chance to get on the larger-budget framework. She said: 'The Agile Route to Market is designed for smaller contracts, not smaller businesses.'