- Scope of the procurement
- Lot 1 - Strategic Business Services and One NIHR hub
- Lot 2 - Research Commissioning: Individual Level & Global Health Programmes
- Lot 3 - Research Commissioning: Population and Policy Level Programmes
- Lot 4 - Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Translational and Delivery
- Lot 5 - Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Applied, Public Health and SC
- Lot 6 - Research Commissioning: Career Development and Capacity Building
Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Contact
Martin Robbins
Telephone
+44 1132546070
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
Buyer's address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
DHSC: CSA: NIHR Research Commissioning and Management Services (2027-2032)
Reference number
C326411
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 73110000 - Research services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
NIHR’s mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Today, NIHR is the nation’s largest funder of health and care research and it invests over £1.5bn annually in domestic and international research. NIHR’s core workstreams, operating principles and areas of strategic focus are set out in the document Best Research for Best Health: The Next Chapter (2021).
The day-to-day operations of the NIHR are carried out by coordinating centres - the NIHR Coordinating Centre (NIHRCC) and the NIHR Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre (RDNCC). The NIHRCC is currently made up of the following five DHSC contracts, which went live on 1st April 2018:
• NIHR Evaluations, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC)
• Central Commissioning Facility (CCF)
• NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure (NOCRI)
• NIHR Academy
• NIHR Centre for Engagement and Dissemination (CED)
These contracts will end on 31st March 2027 and through this procurement, the Authority will put in place contracts in May 2026, with Operational Services under those contracts due to commence on 1st April 2027, in order to ensure continuity of operational services for the NIHRCC.
This procurement will however seek to reconfigure the services provided by the NETSCC, CCF, NOCRI and NIHR Academy contracts when they come to an end on 31st March 2027 into a new NIHRCC structure comprised of contracts procured across six Lots.
The Services going forward are divided into the following lots:
Lot 1 – Strategic Business Services and One NIHR hub
Lot 2 – Research Commissioning: Individual Level and Global Health Programmes
Lot 3 – Research Commissioning: Population and Policy Level Programmes
Lot 4 – Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Translational and Delivery
Lot 5 – Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Applied, Public Health and Social Care
Lot 6 – Research Commissioning: Career Development and Capacity Building
The Authority is seeking to appoint a range of suppliers to ensure that it maximises resilience across NIHR and brings to NIHR the benefits of implementing ways of working and best practice from multiple organisations.
Therefore, whilst there is no limitation on a single Tenderer submitting a bid for multiple Lots, the Authority is placing restrictions on the number of Lots any single Tenderer can win, and the Authority will only allow an entity to be involved in one bid submission per Lot. More information on this is set out in the procurement documents.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £364,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 4
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 1 - Strategic Business Services and One NIHR hub
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73110000 - Research services
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79994000 - Contract administration services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79315000 - Social research services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Deliver the following Strategic Business Services:
• Communications and partner engagement
• Impact monitoring and evaluation
• Programme Management and Assurance
• Intellectual property (IP) and Contracting
• Open research and publication
• Research Inclusion
• Climate, health and sustainability
• Business development
• Commission and manage the NIHR Horizon Scanning Centre
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £101,900,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 May 2026
End date
31 March 2032
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 - Research Commissioning: Individual Level & Global Health Programmes
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73110000 - Research services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
- 79315000 - Social research services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79994000 - Contract administration services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
• End-to-end commissioning, management and oversight of domestic research programmes, with an expected annual budget of approximately £300 million;
• End-to-end commissioning, management and oversight of the global health research (GHR) programme, with an expected annual budget of approximately £170 million; and,
• Coordination and management of the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) and UK Vaccine Network.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £127,260,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 May 2026
End date
31 March 2032
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 3 - Research Commissioning: Population and Policy Level Programmes
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73110000 - Research services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
- 79315000 - Social research services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79994000 - Contract administration services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
• End-to-end commissioning, management and oversight of domestic research programmes, with an expected annual budget of approximately £170 million; and
• Coordination and management of the following functions on behalf of NIHR:
o James Lind Alliance
o Liaison with NHSE, ALBs and the devolved administrations, ensuring their contributions are effectively managed.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £45,480,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 May 2026
End date
31 March 2032
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 4 - Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Translational and Delivery
Lot No
4
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73110000 - Research services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79994000 - Contract administration services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79315000 - Social research services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
• End-to-end commissioning and monitoring of infrastructure and infrastructure-like schemes, focussed on individual level interventions, with an expected annual budget of approximately £350 million; and,
• Provide the Research Capability Funding (RCF) function on behalf of NIHR.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £28,380,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 May 2026
End date
31 March 2032
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 5 - Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Applied, Public Health and SC
Lot No
5
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73110000 - Research services
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79315000 - Social research services
- 79994000 - Contract administration services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
End-to-end commissioning and monitoring of infrastructure and infrastructure-like schemes, focussed on population, policy, service and public health investments, with an expected annual budget of approximately £170 million.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £13,320,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 May 2026
End date
31 March 2032
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 6 - Research Commissioning: Career Development and Capacity Building
Lot No
6
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73110000 - Research services
- 79994000 - Contract administration services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79315000 - Social research services
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
• End-to-end administration and monitoring of domestic academic training schemes, with an expected annual budget of almost £300 million;
• End-to-end administration and monitoring of global research academic training schemes; and,
• Deliver NIHR research capacity building services.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £47,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 May 2026
End date
31 March 2032
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Optional 4 year extension
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Optional 4 year extension
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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Please refer to procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive dialogue
four.1.4) Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-025178
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
5 March 2025
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
17 March 2025
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 9 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
six.3) Additional information
This Tender process will be issued by in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015 ( as amended). Competitive Dialogue Procedure will be used for this procurement.
The opportunity will be available on the Authority's e-Sourcing Portal. Select this link to access and register your organisation to the Authority's e-Sourcing Portal: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome, if you have not already done so.
To find this opportunity in the e-Sourcing system, select “Find Opportunities” and then search by project number or title. Once you have found the Opportunity, press the ‘Register Interest’ button to register your interest. This will make the project to appear on ‘My proposals and quotes’. From there you can review documents, send clarification messages, submit the response, or decline to respond, if you decide not to participate in the opportunity. For full details on the instruction for the selection stage, please refer to the SQ Guidance Document.
Earlier this year a PIN was issued relating to this procurement, as an early market engagement only. The link is as follows: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025178-2024
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom