The government will use the money to launch the first stage of the campaign in the autumn. The opening stage of the campaign will see the government department take bids from media, PR and creative agencies to partner with it on a series of communications campaigns designed to educate consumers and small businesses on how to protect themselves against cyber crime.
Applicants can submit bids now using the Government Procurement Service's online portal. The Home Office will lead the campaign, though experts from the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills and partners from the business sector including Get Safe Online will also help oversee its implementation.
UK Security Minister James Brokenshire said the campaign said the initiative is an essential step in the country's ongoing bid to arm businesses against cyber attacks.
"The digitisation of the UK economy has made our lives easier and has created huge opportunities, but it has also created individual security risks as well. If we are to meet these new challenges it's essential we step up our efforts to stay safe online," he said.
"The threat of cyber crime is real and the criminals involved are organised and driven by profit. By making small changes British businesses can remain competitive in the global economy and consumers can have greater confidence using the internet."
The campaign is a part of the UK government's wider National Cyber Security Programme. The Programme is one of many initiatives launched by the UK government designed to improve the country's cyber defences.
The government launched its main Cyber Strategy in 2011, pledging to invest £650m to improve the nation's defences and train a new generation of security experts. Most recently the initiative saw the government pledged to invest £7.5m to create two new cyber security higher education centres Oxford University and Royal Holloway, University of London.
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