Developed by the Crown Commercial Service, the GCS says the agencies on the 'campaign solutions' roster - see below for the list - will have access to budgets totalling £350m over the lifetime of the roster. A second smaller, tactical framework called 'communications services', will be launched in January.
Around 100 campaigns from Government departments (which must use the roster) and other public bodies (which may choose to) will delivered by the GCS in this financial year.
Read next: New roster means Government will ask rather than instruct agencies, says Alex Aiken
"Spending on government communications has reduced by £1bn since 2011 and we continue to keep costs down," a GCS press release said.
The PR firms on the list include Freuds, Kindred and Four Communications, plus holding companies such as Ogilvy and Havas, which have significant PR businesses within them. US-based MSQ Partners owns Belfast PR company Smarts Communicate.
A version of the list had been leaked last week. There is only one firm, the PR agency Munro & Forster Communications, which appears on the official list having not been listed on the leaked version.
There are also places for MHP owner Engine, and Wales-based Freshwater.
Alex Aiken, head of the GCS, said: "Our communications frameworks will, for the first time, allow us to work with agencies as partners to create integrated campaigns that solve problems, rather than just buy in pre-defined services. We have listened to industry. We involved around 600 agencies and ran five events across the country to shape the new frameworks in a way that will work better for everyone and benefit UK citizens."
The full GCS roster list:
- 23 Red
- Blue State Digital UK
- Breakthrough Media Network
- Cello Signal
- Creston Unlimited
- DDB UK
- Engine Partners UK
- FCB Inferno
- Four Communications Group
- Freshwater UK
- Freud Communications
- George & Dragon London LLP
- Grayling Communications
- Havas UK
- Kindred Agency
- Lucky Generals
- M&C Saatchi UK
- Manning Gottlieb OMD (MG OMD)
- Mediaedge:Cia Uk (MEC)
- Mother London
- MSQ Partners Group
- Mullenlowe London
- Munro & Forster Communications
- Ogilvy & Mather Group
- Oliver
- OMD UK
- RKCR/YR
