Provision of International Digital Student Recruitment Campaign Services

AI-generated analysis of the documents. Check the official notice and any amendments for current submission details.

1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

This tender seeks a single supplier to establish a framework agreement for the provision of international digital student recruitment campaign services for the University of Galway. The estimated maximum spend under this framework is €250,000 excluding VAT over a maximum of 4 years. Historical expenditure has been approximately €50,000 per annum. The services are to be performed solely online, with regular online meetings.

The contractor will be responsible for:

• Brand Awareness and Content Promotion:
• Promoting the University through dedicated content, editorial features, programme showcases, student and alumni stories, and institutional profiles.
• Distributing content to relevant international student audiences via digital platforms.
• Executing branded campaigns highlighting the University's strengths, rankings, research impact, graduate outcomes, and student experience.
• International Student Lead Generation:
• Generating high-quality prospective student enquiries from targeted international markets.
• Segmenting audiences and targeting markets based on programme interests, study level, and geographic location.
• Delivering GDPR-compliant lead data and associated campaign performance metrics.
• Digital Marketing and Recruitment Campaigns:
• Developing and executing targeted recruitment campaigns for postgraduate taught and research programmes.
• Providing access to digital advertising opportunities, including native advertising, display advertising, and other online engagement activities.
• Optimising campaigns and managing performance on an ongoing basis.
• Reporting and Market Intelligence:
• Providing regular campaign performance reports and analytics.
• Offering insights into international student trends, recruitment opportunities, audience behaviour, and market demand.
• Making recommendations to support strategic recruitment planning and market diversification.
• Providing a bespoke online hub for real-time campaign performance monitoring.
• Conducting formal campaign close-out reviews.

The contract requires a dedicated team including an Account/Contract Manager, campaign strategy and planning personnel, digital advertising and lead generation specialists, content development and optimisation personnel, and data analytics and market intelligence specialists. A nominated Account Manager and deputy are required to ensure service continuity.

3. Background & buyer context

University of Galway, established in 1845, is a research-led university with over 19,000 students and approximately 2,700 staff. It aims to increase its international profile and attract high-quality students from priority recruitment markets globally. This procurement supports the University's strategy to strengthen international recruitment through targeted digital marketing, brand awareness, and lead generation. The University seeks a supplier with proven experience in international higher education marketing to enhance visibility and generate interest from prospective students worldwide, ultimately increasing awareness, engagement, enquiries, applications, and enrolments. The University operates under a Supplier Charter based on values of openness, respect, excellence, and sustainability.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Turnover exceeded €250,000 per annum in one of the last three financial years.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €13m (Ireland) or minimum local equivalent.
• Professional Indemnity: €1m.
• Cyber Insurance: €1m.
• Motor Insurance (if applicable): Third party cover with a property damage limit of €6.5 million per claim or series of claims arising from one event.
• Public/Products Liability: €2.6m (This figure is listed under "DO-NOT-USE-AS-BINDING" but is a specific insurance type mentioned, so included for completeness; bidders should verify its mandatory status).
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender, but bidders must provide information on quality assurance, health & safety, business continuity, and environmental management systems.
• Past experience: At least three comparable projects delivered within the last five years, demonstrating experience in international student recruitment, higher education marketing, lead generation, and digital advertising.
• Personnel:
• Account/Contract Manager: Minimum 5 years' experience in client account management and international marketing campaigns.
• Campaign Lead/Strategist: Minimum 3 years' experience in digital marketing and international student recruitment campaigns.
• Analytics/Reporting Specialist: Demonstrated experience in campaign analytics, KPI reporting, and performance optimisation.
• All personnel must have excellent written and spoken English and experience with higher education institutions or comparable international recruitment campaigns.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Services are performed online. No specific geographic or facility constraints are stated for the bidder's location.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded to the most economically advantageous compliant tender. Each qualitative criterion (B and C) will be scored using a system ranging from "Excellent" (90-100%) to "Poor" (below 50%). A minimum score of 50% is required for criteria B and C to remain eligible.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit their tender response via eTenders and adhere to the following:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): Bidders must use the provided TRD and other associated documents.
• Pricing Schedule: Must be submitted in the format specified in the TRD.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) is accepted.
• Art. 57 Declaration (exclusion grounds).
• Statutory Obligations Declarations.
• Article 5K Declaration (EU Regulation 2022/576 on restrictive measures).
• General Data Protection Regulations declaration.
• Bona Fides declarations.
• Tax clearance.
• Conflict of Interest declaration.
• Case studies: Details of at least three comparable projects delivered within the last five years.
• Personnel Information: Brief biographies or CV summaries for key personnel.
• Proposed Service Level Agreement (SLA): A draft SLA detailing project management, KPIs, service credits, communication plan, escalation procedures, and a formal complaints procedure.
• File Format: All documents must be uploaded as a PDF file in a Zip file on eTenders.
• Naming Convention: Include company name in the title of each document.

7. Key dates & process

The tender validity period is 12 months from the submission deadline.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: Maximum 4 years. The Contracting Authority may terminate with one month's notice. Contracts awarded under the framework may extend beyond the expiry date.
• Payment terms: Not specified in detail, but prompt payment is a general requirement.
• SLAs/KPIs: A Service Level Agreement with agreed Key Performance Indicators will be used to measure performance. KPIs will be agreed with the successful tenderer. Service credits are a mechanism for compensation for failure to meet deadlines or performance standards.
• Liquidated damages: Not explicitly detailed, but service credits are mentioned as a compensation mechanism.
• Termination: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to collapse/terminate the framework with one month's notice.
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting: Not specified.
• Parent-company guarantee/bond: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Low Estimated Value: The maximum estimated spend of €250,000 over 4 years (€62,500 per year) is relatively low for a comprehensive international recruitment campaign service, suggesting a focus on specific markets or programmes, or a desire for highly cost-effective delivery. Historical spend of €50,000 per annum reinforces this.
• Single Party Framework: The establishment of a single-party framework limits competition for subsequent contracts awarded under it.
• No Guaranteed Expenditure: The €250,000 figure is indicative, with no guaranteed expenditure.
• Tight Reporting/Optimization Requirements: The demand for a bespoke online hub for real-time monitoring and the ability to amend campaigns mid-flight requires a technically capable and agile supplier.
• Pass/Fail Technical Criteria: While there are scoring weights for award criteria, the selection criteria (financial, technical capacity) are assessed on a pass/fail basis, meaning failure to meet any one can lead to exclusion.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is open to experienced suppliers in international digital student recruitment marketing. A credible bidder would likely be a medium-sized enterprise with a demonstrated track record in higher education marketing and a global reach. Small businesses might be able to bid if they specialise in a specific niche market or region that University of Galway is targeting, or if they form a consortium with other SMEs or a larger entity to meet the experience and personnel requirements. Consortiums and sub-contracting are permitted, provided the structure and reliance on other entities are clearly demonstrated. The bid preparation effort is likely moderate to high, given the detailed strategy, experience, and SLA requirements. The single-party framework and the relatively low total value might suggest a preference for an incumbent or a supplier with a highly competitive cost structure.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CMNHS1875-26-RFT Single Party FA_11_September_2026.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: 9042768
• Contact / Clarification Portal: eTenders only
• Key Attachments:
• CMNHS1875-26-Tender Response Document (TRD)
• University of Galway Terms and Conditions
• Appendix 1 - Tender Response Document