MediaCom has retained the sought after multi-million dollar media account for Queensland Government.
The WPP-owned business, which has been the government’s agency of record since 2004 for campaign requirements, has also extended the scope of the work by winning non-campaign requirements.
It's thought that OMD was also involved in the latter stages of the pitch.
MediaCom’s new remit now combines campaign, non-campaign and recruitment requirements and is for the provision of strategy, planning and buying services for all media.
In May last year AdNews revealed the Queensland Government had invited agencies to tender for its master media advertising placements contract. Annual billings were thought to be $60 million each year, making it one of the biggest media reviews of 2018.
Queensland is the third-largest state government account in Australia behind NSW and Victoria, and one of the largest media accounts in the sunshine state.
It was initially thought the tender would have been awarded in September for a 1 October start, but it has run significantly behind.
MediaCom Australia and New Zealand CEO Willie Pang said: "We’re thrilled to be continuing our highly successful partnership with the Queensland Government into its fifteenth year.
“Throughout our tenure with Queensland Government, we have continuously propelled them forward. In response to their tender, our offering showed a unique combination of technology, data, insights and understanding of behaviour change. I couldn’t be prouder of our team.”
MediaCom also won the $90m Victorian Government master agency media services contract in 2017, which was the biggest victory during then CEO Sean Seamer's tenure.
In the initial pitch documents, it noted that in addition to the main needs, the successful agency will be marked on transparency, brand safety and the provision of education, training and research.
Agencies needed to provide specific examples and in relation to transparency, for example, agencies had to “outline their approach and systems in maintaining transparency across all media transactions, particularly in regard to pricing transparency and ensuring ongoing access for customers to competitive pricing”.
They also had to “detail how your organisation ensures advertising fee transparency, including advertising fee breakdown between agency and third parties involved”.
Although the pitch document stressed the winning bid would not come down to price, the government said it will be a consideration, alongside “value adds and bonus activity” that “enhance and optimise campaign development and delivery”.
A new requirement listed in the standing offer arrangement document was that a supplier’s parent company guarantee to the government, which includes a performance guarantee and indemnity as security, to meet ‘performance obligations’.
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