Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Consumer Scotland
Meadowbank House, 153 London Road
Edinburgh
EH8 7AU
Contact
Caroline Little
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA30592
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Consumers in Vulnerable Circumstances Research
Reference number
CASE/699715
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79315000 - Social research services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Consumer Scotland wishes to commission a single supplier to deliver a number of social research projects where the focus of the research is the experience of consumers living in vulnerable circumstances. The contract may also be used to seek support with Consumer Scotland’s other engagement activities with specific communities of vulnerable consumers such as organising an Expert by Experience workshop or input to a specific group or activity.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £400,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Consumer Scotland, Meadowbank House, 153 London Road, Edinburgh, EH8 7AU
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Consumer Scotland wishes to commission a single supplier to deliver two to four social research projects per year relating to the experiences of consumers a range of different vulnerable circumstances in Scotland. The contract may also be used to provide support with Consumer Scotland’s other engagement activities with consumers in vulnerable circumstances such as organising and facilitating lived experience input to a specific activity such as a workshop.
Lived experience is central to all these requirements and ensuring that consumers from a range of different experiences can participate effectively in any research or other activities will be essential. The contractor must work collaboratively with Consumer Scotland, stakeholders and consumers with lived experience to ensure this and have experience of participatory action research.
The objectives of the contract are to:
a. Work collaboratively with Consumer Scotland, stakeholders and consumers with lived experience to design, deliver, analyse and report on specific research projects focused on the experiences of consumers living in vulnerable circumstances in Scotland
b. Ensure that the research is designed and delivered taking account of the lived experience of consumers in a range of vulnerable circumstances.
c. Increase understanding of current experiences of consumers living in vulnerable circumstances in Scotland
d. Help identify appropriate policy interventions and responses to any issues identified by the research.
While the specific projects are still being scoped and developed the projects set out below provide an indicative guide to the research projects that we may want to commission as part of this contract in 2024/2025:
- Qualitative research focusing on the experiences of disabled consumers and consumers living with health conditions living in rural and island communities in Scotland across a range of markets.
- Qualitative research identifying how consumers with no fixed address access postal services and the impact this has and exploring how this issue could be addressed
- Qualitative research examining the impact of the costs of energy on consumers in vulnerable circumstances who are at greater risk of harm. In 2023/2024 we completed some initial work on the impact of energy costs on disabled consumers and consumers with health conditions. As well as building on this work, we are currently exploring whether to extend this work to other consumer groups in vulnerable circumstances where they may be similar issues such as Prepayment Meter customers or other low income groups.
two.2.14) Additional information
The initial contract will be for a period of one year with further option to extend by a further two x one year periods, to a maximum of three years.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
27 May 2024
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The initial contract will be for a period of one year with further option to extend by a further two x one year periods, to a maximum of three years.
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=763816.
(SC Ref:763816)