Social Mobility Commission - State of the Nation 2026 & 2027 Design
Social Mobility CommissionEstimated Value
£0 – £33,333
Deadline
1 May 2026
Published
10 June 2026
Type
services
Overview
The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) monitors progress towards improving social mobility in the UK and promotes social mobility in England. It is an independent statutory body created by an Act of Parliament.
The SMC is looking to procure a supplier to support the design elements of the SMC's statutory and annual landmark report - State of the Nation for 2026 and 2027 reports. Our aim is to work with responsive suppliers and the Social Mobility Commission is using this process as a means of finding some people we can work with - it might be more than one team to give us resilience.
The designing of the report and is usually very time sensitive, so would mean that the final copy for the 2026 report would only be shared with the winning supplier and will be in stages from 25 May to mid- July 2026, with the final design version being completed by w/c 24 August 2026, ready for the document to be printed. The Social Mobility Commission will supply all the text for the report.
Eligibility & compliance
Suppliers must work within the current Social Mobility Commission branding guidelines (a style guide will be sent to the winning supplier).
Submission
In return all we will ask from you in tendering, is any examples of your work (both reports and videos/social media graphics) which are close to the type of product we are looking for and a quote for how much you would charge for the job.
Additional details
The Social Mobility Commission will provide all charts and graphs/visualisation of the data in image format (e.g. jpeg, png). These images are not to be amended or redrawn.
Adjustments of chart colours where appropriate, are permissible if they can be made to the original image supplied. The budget for this project is up to £40k including VAT and must cover both the 2026 and 2027 reports, for example £20k including VAT for an individual report.
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
The Social Mobility Commission (an independent government body) needs a design supplier to create the visual layout and design for their annual 'State of the Nation' reports for 2026 and 2027. They're looking for a responsive designer or design team who can work to tight deadlines and follow their brand guidelines, with a budget of up to £40,000 including VAT for both years combined.
Requirements
- Must work within Social Mobility Commission's existing branding guidelines (style guide provided after selection)
- Must be able to work to tight, time-sensitive deadlines (final 2026 design due week commencing 24 August 2026)
- Must be able to handle phased delivery of content (2026 report content delivered in stages from 25 May to mid-July 2026)
- Must not amend or redraw charts and graphs supplied by SMC (colour adjustments to original images only)
- Must accept that SMC will supply all text and data visualisations in image format (jpeg, png)
- No specific qualifications or certifications mentioned in the notice — check full tender documents
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Design and layout of the 2026 State of the Nation annual report (final version by week commencing 24 August 2026)
- Design and layout of the 2027 State of the Nation annual report
- Create accompanying video content and social media graphics related to the reports
- Integrate SMC-supplied text, charts, and data visualisations into professional report layout
- Ensure all design complies with Social Mobility Commission brand guidelines
- Prepare design files ready for printing of physical reports
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is a 'design services' contract, not a data or research contract — SMC handles the content and data, you handle making it look professional and on-brand.
- 2The timeline is critical: the 2026 report content arrives in stages between late May and mid-July, and you must deliver final design by late August. Factor in revision rounds and approval time when costing.
- 3The budget of £40k is for both years combined (likely £20k per report) — this is fixed, so calculate your hourly rate and expected hours carefully, as scope creep will eat into profit.
- 4The phrase 'we might use more than one team' signals the SMC may split the work or run parallel suppliers for resilience — don't assume you'll get both years even if selected.
- 5When preparing your tender submission, portfolio examples (reports, videos, social graphics) are more important than a formal proposal — curate examples that match the style and professionalism of a government statistical report.
Tips for Small Businesses
- This is a realistic project for a small design studio or freelancer — the budget is reasonable for layout-focused design work. If you're a one-person operation, consider whether you can handle the August deadline rush with revisions, or partner with another freelancer for resilience (which also matches SMC's stated preference for working with multiple suppliers).
- SMC are explicitly looking for 'responsive suppliers' — emphasise in your submission your ability to turn around revisions quickly and adapt to feedback. Include case studies showing how you've handled time-sensitive projects with government or large organisations.
- The social media graphics and video elements may be a revenue opportunity — if you can bundle these in efficiently (e.g. repurposing report design into social tiles), you'll improve your profit margin and make your bid more attractive.
Award Details
Creative Triangle Ltd
£32,850
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
Actions
Sign up freeto open noticeA free account takes a moment and unlocks the buyer’s own notice, tender documents, fit scoring and the Bid Writer. From 1 September 2026 opening these links becomes £2/month membership.
Open Bid WriterIndependent software, web & cloud studio. We design, build and grow digital products that quietly outlast their category.
How to Apply
Step-by-step submission guide
Submission Portal
Contracts Finder
Open the original notice
Click the button below to view this tender on Contracts Finder
Find the submission method
Look for "How to apply" section — most tenders link to an eSourcing platform (e.g. In-Tend, ProContract, Jaggaer)
Create an account
Register on the eSourcing platform for free — you'll need a company email and DUNS number
Download tender documents
Download the ITT (Invitation to Tender), specification, pricing schedule, and any templates
Submit your response
Upload completed documents through the portal before the deadline — late bids are automatically rejected
Most buyers do NOT accept email submissions. You must submit through their eSourcing platform. Check the notice for the exact link.
Buyer Profile
Social Mobility CommissionKey Dates
Published
10 June 2026
Submission deadline
1 May 2026
Renewal expected40% confident
April 2027
Predicted using median duration of UK contracts in the same CPV division (11 months from contract start date → renewal expected by Apr 2027).
Notice type
Contract
Source
contracts finder
Related Contracts
EV charging infrastructure
The University of Dundee is looking for a contractor to supply, install, test, commission and maintain new electric‑vehicle charging points at all its campuses. The contract is fully funded and must replace ageing chargers that are out of warranty.
RA360100 - PHW winter gritting
Bidders are required to read, in full, the specification document. Bidders are required to upload a proposal covering how they will deliver the service as outlined in the specifica
Sheffield dementia advice service
Sheffield City Council is seeking a provider to deliver the Sheffield Dementia Advice Service, a citywide, non-clinical service acting as the single point of access for dementia in
Advice and guidance telephone support service
This is a notice to invite the market to make expressions of interest to provide a mental health advice and guidance telephone support service to the populations of Hull and the Ea