Contract

102135 - Rapid Evidence Assessment of Loot Boxes and Microtransactions in Video Games

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2021/S 000-002560

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-029167

Published 9 February 2021, 9:32am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

www.gov.uk/dcms, 100 Parliament Street

London

SW1A 2BQ

Email

commercial@dcms.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 2072116000

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - UNITED KINGDOM

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.culture.gov.uk

Buyer's address

www.culture.gov.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

102135 - Rapid Evidence Assessment of Loot Boxes and Microtransactions in Video Games

Reference number

102135

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The call for evidence will examine a range of issues including the size and variation of the market, the design of mechanisms, the context in terms of other types of in-game spending, the impact on consumers and particularly young people including links to problem gambling, and the effectiveness of the current statutory and voluntary regulation.

The rapid evidence assessment specified in this Invitation to Tender will produce a literature review to support the public call for evidence, making a vital contribution to our analysis of loot boxes and wider microtransactions, and help us develop an effective and proportionate response that represents the best outcome for DCMS's aims. These are: protecting consumers - particularly children - and promoting business growth and innovation.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £40,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - UNITED KINGDOM
Main site or place of performance

UNITED KINGDOM

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The government takes concerns around harms in video games very seriously and in December 2019, committed to review online video games loot boxes alongside a wider review of the Gambling Act 2005.

To support this review of the Gambling Act 2005 and our wider programme of research about video games, and to ensure government policy is based on a sound understanding of the issue and its place in the wider policy framework, the government will run a public call for evidence on loot boxes. This was announced on 8 June 2020 in the government's response to the DCMS Select Committee Immersive and Addictive Technologies Inquiry report. The call for evidence will be launched during the summer with emerging conclusions expected by the end of 2020.

The call for evidence will examine a range of issues including the size and variation of the market, the design of mechanisms, the context in terms of other types of in-game spending, the impact on consumers and particularly young people including links to problem gambling, and the effectiveness of the current statutory and voluntary regulation.

The rapid evidence assessment specified in this Invitation to Tender will produce a literature review to support the public call for evidence, making a vital contribution to our analysis of loot boxes and wider microtransactions, and help us develop an effective and proportionate response that represents the best outcome for DCMS's aims. These are: protecting consumers - particularly children - and promoting business growth and innovation.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Skills, Expertise and Capacity / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Methodology / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Project Management / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Understanding of the Sector / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Data Protection / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 30

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below

  • The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations

Explanation:

The total value of this procurement was £40,000. This contract was advertised on Contracts Finder in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

102135

Title

102135 - Rapid Evidence Assessment of Loot Boxes and Microtransactions in Video Games

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

11 January 2021

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 5

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 5

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

InGAME, Abertay University

Kydd Building, Bell Street

Dundee

DD1 1HG

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - UNITED KINGDOM
National registration number

N/A

The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £40,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £40,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

To view this notice, please click here:

https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=568448515

GO Reference: GO-202128-PRO-17761243

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Department of Culture, Media and Sport

100 Parliament Street

London

SW1A 4BQ

Country

United Kingdom