Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
London
SW1A 2EG
Contact
Kerry Hart
ProfessionalServices@UKSBS.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
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
1800000.00
Reference number
PS24030
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
Framework Overview
UKSBS on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) (the Contracting Authority) wishes to establish a framework to procure the Energy and Net Zero Behavioural Science Framework. This Framework will replace the current Energy and Climate Change Behavioural Science Framework.
The current Framework agreement acts as a mechanism for colleagues working across the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to commission small-scale behavioural science research in the energy and net zero space at pace. It has proved very useful thus far; since launching in August 2022, we have already commissioned 15 projects through it for a range of teams across DESNZ and we anticipate this high level of interest to continue.
Due to popular demand, the current framework is set to shortly meet its maximum spend and so we are reprocuring to avoid a period without this mechanism in place.
UK SBS is managing this procurement process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as may be amended from time to time) (the “Regulations”).
The award of this Framework will be based on 3 Lots:
Lot 1 – Applying innovative behavioural thinking to a policy problem.
Lot 2 – Policy development and testing with the general population.
Lot 3 – Policy development and testing with complex samples.
This Framework will be made accessible for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) (The Contracting Authority) and it is intended that 3 Suppliers will be appointed for each of the Lots detailed above.
Potential bidders / consortia are invited to tender for one or more Lots on an individual basis.
The Framework duration shall be for a maximum period of 5 years.
The Framework is expected to run from June 2024 until 31st June 2027. However, the Contracting Authority will be implementing a break clause within the Framework, placed at the end of June 2028 and June 2029. The break clause will enable the Contracting Authority to ensure that Government priorities and budget availability are still aligned. Therefore, this Framework is being let on a 3, +1, +1 basis.
The break clauses must be formally instructed by the Contracting Authority prior to moving into the next year of the Framework Agreement.
The Framework will have a maximum value cap of £1,800,000.00 across the full potential duration.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1,800,000
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 1: Applying innovative behavioural thinking to a policy problem.
Energy & Net Zero policy often faces new difficult problems which require original perspectives. These might be knotty complex problems and cut across a range of policy areas which would benefit from joined up thinking and taking a wide perspective. It may also be useful to further understand the behavioural processes or unintended consequences which affect green choices (e.g. social identity, co-benefits).
Projects like this would require thinking innovatively and challenging existing thinking or approaches. This might involve approaches such as: applying behavioural models, evidence and techniques in new ways; drawing from other fields to inform behavioural problems; or bringing new theoretical or methodological perspectives to the issue. Example projects could be drawing on historical or international trends to outline potential behavioural impacts of future events; anticipating any behavioural spillover effects of green choices; and understanding the impact of uncertainty relating to future Net Zero policies on green choices.
We would generally not expect these projects to involve primary research. Instead, they may include workshops (generally online or in person) and/or reviewing the literature to provide a behavioural perspective. Ideally, they should bring together a range of experts (e.g. from academia) to work on these problems innovatively and progress our thinking.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 2: Policy development and testing with the general population.
This lot includes two requirements: (a) understanding end users to inform policy development and (b) testing the impact of policy proposals.
For (a), research will focus on policy areas in early stages of development which require further understanding and engaging the general population. This will require translating problems into behavioural terms, conducting primary and/or secondary research and applying behavioural analysis to the findings (e.g. barriers analysis, consumer journey mapping, solution generation). This could include qualitative research, quantitative research, or mixed methods. This should be able to cover owner occupiers and tenants across a range of ages, environmental views and heating types. Note that projects may require additional small components with other samples too (e.g. stakeholder interviews). We would expect these projects to draw on the findings to present a range of behavioural solutions to the issues raised to help inform the design and delivery of policy.
For (b), research will focus on policy areas in later stages of development that might need to test policy proposals or behavioural interventions to identify their potential impact at scale. This could include trialling different communication and implementation techniques or experiments to test the impact of different policy ideas against each other. This will likely require experimental methods or qualitative / user testing if experimental methods are inappropriate. Experimental research might involve randomised controlled trials and/or quasi-experimental methods, although they may have to be conducted online given the rapid nature of the framework. We may also ask the supplier to provide expert behavioural review of policy proposals or provide expert advice such as developing methodologies to support testing of behavioural interventions.
For quantitative research (both surveys and experiments), suppliers should be able to draw on random probability samples, which are the default requirement for projects. Alternatives such as adding questions to omnibus surveys and quota samples will occasionally be considered where appropriate for individual projects. We ask that bidders detail their sampling approaches in their application, including detailed information on panels and their risk of bias.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 3: Policy development and testing with complex samples.
This lot includes the same two requirements as Lot 2: (a) understanding end users to inform policy development and (b) testing the impact of policy proposals, but specifically focuses on complex and hard to reach samples.
For (a), the research will focus on policy areas in early stages of development which require further understanding and engaging with complex and hard to reach groups. This will require translating problems into behavioural terms, conducting primary and/or secondary research and applying behavioural analysis to the findings (e.g. barriers analysis, consumer journey mapping, solution generation). This could include qualitative research, quantitative research, or mixed methods. We expect suppliers to be able to sample from a range of groups, including SMEs, large businesses, installers, private landlords, and owner occupiers and tenants who are harder to reach (e.g. individuals with disabilities, digitally excluded). This would include being able to work with sampling frames provided by the Contracting Authority and the ability to contact match and address match.
For (b), the research will focus on policy areas in later stages of development that might need to test policy proposals or behavioural interventions to identify their potential impact at scale. This could include trialling different communication and implementation techniques or experiments to test the impact of different policy ideas against each other. This will likely require experimental methods or qualitative / user testing if experimental methods are inappropriate or difficult given sampling requirements. Experimental research might involve randomised controlled trials and/or quasi-experimental methods, although they may have to be conducted online given the rapid nature of the framework. This could also involve providing expert behavioural review of policy proposals or providing expert advice such as developing methodologies to support testing of behavioural interventions.
For quantitative research (both surveys and experiments), suppliers should be able to draw on random probability samples, which are the default requirement for projects. Alternatives such as adding questions to omnibus surveys and quota samples will occasionally be considered where appropriate for individual projects. We ask that bidders detail their sampling approaches in their application, including detailed information on panels and their risk of bias.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
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
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
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 000-006301
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
Lot 1 and 2
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
7 August 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 31
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Behavioural Insights Ltd
London
EC4Y 0DS
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
08567792
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,800,000
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
1, 2 and 3
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
7 August 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 31
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Verian UK Ltd
London
SW1P 3JA
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,800,000
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
1 and 3
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
7 August 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 31
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Ipsos (Market Research) Ltd
London
E1W 1YW
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
00948470
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,800,000
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
Lot 2 and 3
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
7 August 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 31
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
National Centre for Social Research
London
EC1V 0AX
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
04392418
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,800,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
UK Shared Business Services Ltd
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1FF
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
UK Shared Business Services Ltd
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1FF
ProfessionalServices@UKSBS.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom