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Strategy

Selling demand generation to UK public sector buyers through Crown Commercial Service frameworks

How a demand generation agency can join Crown Commercial Service (now Government Commercial Agency) routes such as the Communications Marketplace, and what public sector buyers check.

Editorial Desk · · 6 min read

What to take away

  • Crown Commercial Service (CCS) became the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) on 1 April 2026. Older documents still say CCS, and the agreements themselves stay valid.
  • The most open route for a demand generation agency is the RM6124 Communications Marketplace, a dynamic purchasing system (DPS). Registration is free, there is no cap on supplier numbers, and agencies can apply at any time.
  • The larger RM6364 Media and Creative Services framework is closed to new suppliers, so it matters mainly as a competitor landscape or a subcontracting route.
  • Since 24 February 2025 you register on the central digital platform (Find a Tender) and keep your core supplier information up to date there.
  • Central government buyers need Cabinet Office approval before committing advertising, marketing and communications spend of £100,000 or more, which shapes how and when they buy.
  • Win work by matching your service description to the categories buyers filter on, not by pitching a generic "lead generation" offer.

What "selling through a framework" means

A framework or DPS is a pre-approved list of suppliers. A public body that wants marketing support does not run a full open tender. It picks the agreement, filters the approved suppliers and then either awards directly or runs a short further competition. Your job is first to be on the list, and second to be visible and credible when a buyer filters it.

Being on a framework is not a contract. It is permission to be invited to bid.

The route that is open: RM6124 Communications Marketplace

The Communications Marketplace (RM6124) is a DPS for marketing and communications services. The agreement page shows a start date of 6 September 2021 and an expiry of 23 February 2029. It has one lot and covers services such as creative development, PR, events, data science and marketing strategy.

For suppliers the key facts are:

  • Agencies can apply at any time during the agreement.
  • Registration is free and there is no limit on the number of agencies that can join.
  • You apply through the Cabinet Office supplier registration site.
  • On application you indicate the categories and services you can provide. Buyers later filter by services, audience, outcome and location.

For buyers the process is a further competition. They register, accept the DPS terms, filter the supplier list, export it and invite the listed agencies to bid, allowing at least 10 days for standard responses. The exported list is only current for 2 working days. A buyer must therefore regenerate it if the competition is not issued quickly.

GCA guidance describes the Marketplace as suited to lower-value, smaller, niche or one-off requirements, and notes that suppliers were vetted for financial and background checks, mandatory certifications and insurances, and verified contract examples.

Demand generation is not named as a service on the pages checked here, so read the live category list on the registration site before you apply. Choose the services that truthfully describe what you deliver, such as marketing strategy or data-led work, and the audiences and outcomes you can evidence.

The route that is closed: RM6364 Media and Creative Services

RM6364 launched in January 2026 and combines the former Media Services and Campaign Solutions 2 frameworks. It has eight lots, covering media planning and buying, creative development, content production, events, integrated campaigns and marketing audit. Lots 3 to 8 are available from 15 January 2026 to 14 January 2030.

It is a closed framework, so a new agency cannot join. Some lots have a single supplier and can be awarded directly. Others, such as creative strategy and development with nine suppliers, require a competition. Lot 7 is limited to requirements with a media budget under £500,000.

If you cannot join, you can still sell into it as a specialist partner to a listed agency. Standalone specialist services are not intended for RM6364 and sit under the Communications Marketplace.

Register on the central digital platform first

The Procurement Act 2023 changed the supplier side on 24 February 2025. Find a Tender now acts as the central digital platform. You register once and store four kinds of core supplier information: basic details, economic and financial standing, connected persons and exclusion grounds. You share that information with a buyer only when you choose, and you must keep it current. If you correct it before award, the buyer must receive fresh confirmation that it was shared.

Searching for opportunities and setting alerts costs nothing. Having your accounts and connected person details ready saves time when a buyer's deadline arrives.

What public sector buyers will check

Expect questions in the following areas.

Spend approval. Central government bodies and arm's length bodies must get Cabinet Office approval before committing advertising, marketing and communications spend of £100,000 or more in a financial year. The threshold looks at the total campaign or programme, not just your fee. A buyer who aggregates three small activities may therefore need approval you did not expect. Ask early whether approval is in place.

The management charge. Government bodies pay a 1% Government Communication Service charge on the total net contract value excluding VAT. It is collected by the agency appointed, so check how it appears in your invoicing.

Cyber security. PPN 014 sets out when Cyber Essentials may be required. GCA says it is for higher-risk contracts and that not every contract requires it. Suppliers without it can still bid if an independent third party verifies equivalent controls. GCA gives starting prices of £320 plus VAT for basic certification and about £1,400 plus VAT for the Plus level for a micro organisation. Certification lasts 12 months. If you will handle citizens' personal data for a campaign, certification is worth having ready.

Data protection. Demand generation involves contact data, so buyers will ask about lawful basis, processor terms and suppression. Prepare a clear answer using the same material you would give a private client, as set out in B2B demand generation data protection in England.

Prompt payment and subcontracting. The Act extends 30-day payment terms to a broader range of public sector contracts through the supply chain. Know your own payment terms to any subcontractors before you bid.

Making your registration work

  1. List the services you can prove with real contract examples, and drop those you cannot.
  2. Describe outcomes in terms buyers use, such as awareness among a defined audience or enquiries from a named sector, rather than a count of leads.
  3. Set realistic day rates and fixed-scope packages. The pricing models guide shows how agencies structure fees.
  4. Prepare a short evidence pack with two or three case summaries, your measurement approach and your insurance certificates. The return on investment page covers how to state results without overclaiming.
  5. Have your contract terms reviewed. The clauses in B2B demand generation commercial contracts apply to public bodies as well.

Common questions

Do I need to be on a framework to sell to the public sector?

No. Public bodies can also run their own tenders, and low-value purchases may follow different rules. A framework or DPS makes you eligible for invitations without a full tender each time, but it does not guarantee any work.

Can a small agency join?

Yes for the Communications Marketplace, which accepts agencies of all sizes and has no cap on numbers. The closed RM6364 framework cannot take new suppliers.

How long does a buyer need to run a competition?

The Marketplace guidance asks buyers to allow at least 10 days for standard responses. Your capacity to respond quickly is therefore part of your offer.

Does the CCS name change affect existing agreements?

The GCA page says all contract documents remain valid for existing and new contracts and that there are no changes to how you work with the agency.

Official sources

Filed underpublic sectorCrown Commercial Servicedemand generation agencyUK procurement

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