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Which agencies have made it onto the £350m Government Communication Service roster?

The Government Communication Service has announced 27 media, PR, marketing and advertising agencies who will work with public sector bodies on campaigns over the next four years.

by Sam Burne James / December 16, 2016

New work for roster agencies is just around the corner (Credit: Alex Segre/Alamy Stock Photo)

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.

"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."