The successful agency will work with the broadcaster’s media engagement team to assist in the media planning and buying of all non-BBC media, according to the corporation.The contract is for the BBC’s marketing & audiences and licence fee units, with the winning bidder having to demonstrate strong digital and specialist media capabilities.

Simon Lloyd, BBC’s director of media engagement and marketing & audiences, north, said, “The type of media bought by the BBC has changed over the past few years, with a steady rise in digital space and outdoor media.

“More than half of the media bought by BBC Marketing & Audiences last year was digital, giving us the opportunity to communicate with our audiences using display and mobile channels.”

Peter Kirk, BBC TV Licensing’s head of sales and marketing, said the decision to announce a joint tender process was a move intended to make sure licence fee payers get better value for money.

“The appointed agency will be required to negotiate and buy media for the licence fee unit across paid-for media channels including display, video on demand and search marketing,” he said.

The closing submission date for initial bids is 25 January 2012, with the subsequent shortlist of agencies asked to file formal offers in March 2012.