The Department of Social Development's (DSD) Social Security Agency (SSA) wishes to appoint a supplier to provide an advertising campaign and strategic advice on engagement activity and related services to support the delivery of information on Welfare Reform.

The contract will support the Department's overall mission of “together tackling disadvantage, building sustainable communities” and help deliver one of the Department's key priorities – “to meet the needs of the most vulnerable by tackling disadvantage through a transformed social welfare system, the provision of focused support to the most disadvantaged areas and encouraging social responsibility.”

Specifically, the SSA wishes to:

— Position DSD as the trusted source of information on welfare change by making information easy to understand, timely, accurate and consistent,

— Prepare, inform and support all of our stakeholders through the forthcoming changes,

— Have well informed customers and staff in a state of readiness and acceptance,

— Utilise all available communications channels, including advertising, to encourage understanding of the changes taking place,

— Help bring about a longer term change in attitude and behaviours towards the welfare system amongst the people of Northern Ireland.