Tender

Consult on the participation of U18 and Adults at Risk in the highest levels of senior international high-performance sport, and the options available to policy makers to ensure a safe environment is provided.

  • THE UNITED KINGDOM SPORTS COUNCIL

UK4: Tender notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-028506

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0528f4

Published 29 May 2025, 2:53pm

Last edited 30 May 2025, 10:31am

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Scope

Reference

U1829052025

Description

The purpose of this consultation is to examine the breadth and experience of youth participation in the highest levels of elite international sport, and to make policy recommendations to ensure their safeguarding and welfare remains paramount. reas for consultation should include:

• The breadth of athletes for which competing in senior top level international sport as a minor, is commonplace.

• For the purposes of this project, we are looking to explore athlete's experiences at, but not limited to, Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cups/Championships, European Championships, overseas training camps.

• The current measures in place to support and protect these individuals as they engage with such experiences.

• Identification of key risks

• Recommendations for risk mitigation and potential levels of support which should be put in place.

• The level of time commitment to training to compete at international competition and for participation on their World Class Programme.

Methodology

Whilst there is not a fixed view on the methodology which should be used, a solely quantitative approach is unlikely to provide the richness of insight required. Therefore, we would expect qualitative methods to be deployed either solely or as part of a mixed methods approach. We welcome suggestions on the optimal approach to this project.

Sample

We anticipate the research will explore the experiences of those competing whilst U18 (both current and retired), their families and support staff, with a focus on early specialisation sports (e.g. Aquatics, Gymnastics, Ski & Snowboard, Skateboarding).

Areas to consider:

• Differences across Olympic and Paralympic sports

• Any circumstances which may increase an athlete's risk e.g. family circumstances.

• Any differences within demographics

• Experience at international competitions

• Are experiences at competition with anti-doping as expected and sufficiently supported?

• Cost implications of widening this research to U25s.

• Alignment with UK Sport's Safe Sport Project - undertaken by an independent project lead, to consult partners and set out recommendations on how we - as a system- could fundamentally reshape the culture, functions and services underpinning the provision of safe sport in the future. The selected supplier will be expected to align with the findings from this work to ensure no duplication of work and to understand the landscape of work which has taken place.

Risks:

Appointed supplier needs to have demonstrable experience in interviewing young people and dealing with sensitive topics with a clear understanding that the safeguarding of the research participants is top priority.

Athlete recruitment: we welcome innovative suggestions on how we may engage with our athletes to ensure the optimum breadth of insight, especially those who may not engage with traditional survey methods.

Key Deliverables:

• Establish a relevant body of evidence, taking into consideration the professional sporting landscape alongside Olympic and Paralympic sports.

• Identify key source information required and stakeholder groups for consultation

• Design and deliver an appropriate consultation process, with the youth athlete voice at the heart and detail of the optimal engagement strategy for this cohort.

• Deliver a report of findings with policy recommendations.

Timeframe

This research is related to the Whyte Review recommendations and therefore is a priority piece of work.

Total value (estimated)

  • £41,667 excluding VAT
  • £50,000 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 August 2025 to 31 March 2026
  • Possible extension to 31 July 2026
  • 1 year

Description of possible extension:

Extension could be made if there are delays due to athlete availability for consultation or if identified from the outset that a supplier requires additional time

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Submission

Enquiry deadline

17 June 2025, 11:59pm

Tender submission deadline

30 June 2025, 12:00pm

Submission address and any special instructions

Tenders may be submitted electronically

No


Award criteria

This table contains award criteria for this lot
Name Type Weighting
Understanding of requirements, technical expertise, experience in similar projects, type and style of reporting, project management Quality 50%
Value for money Price 25%
EDI, Sustainability, Added Value Quality 25%

Procedure

Procedure type

Below threshold - open competition


Contracting authority

THE UNITED KINGDOM SPORTS COUNCIL

  • Companies House: RC000765
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDHV-6143-RRMX

10 South Colonnade

LONDON

E14 4PU

United Kingdom

Region: UKI42 - Tower Hamlets

Organisation type: Public authority - central government