Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Business and Trade
London
Contact
Kelly Stanard
commercialresearchandconsultancy@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-and-trade
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Research
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Consumer Personal Care Product Usage Survey
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 73300000 - Design and execution of research and development
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (” the customer”) has a potential requirement for the provision of Consumer Personal Care Product Usage Survey.The aim of this project is to assess the usage of selected personal care products via an online consumer usage survey and generate an up to date and representative data set examining patterns of use for personal care products in the UK. This will also involve generating a data set examining the difference in use of personal care products between demographic groups.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £100,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73110000 - Research services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The aim of this project is to assess the usage of selected personal care products via an online consumer usage survey and generate an up to date and representative data set examining patterns of use for personal care products in the UK. This will also involve generating a data set examining the difference in use of personal care products between demographic groups.
By undertaking the research, we would be beginning a process that will potentially allow OPSS, the SAG-CS and industry to deliver more accurate chemical risk assessments by improving the accuracy of the exposure assessments used. By measuring demographic characteristics against personal care product usage, it will provide OPSS a clearer picture as to the influence demographic characteristics have on personal care product usage. Diversity and inclusion is core to all the actions we take as regulators. By undertaking this research, it will allow OPSS to better understand consumer behaviour regarding personal care product usage across different groups of consumers and we can consider this evidence in future actions we take on personal care product safety (policy development, campaigns etc). It will also help us to fulfil our mission of protecting people and places through more inclusive assessment of exposure.
What are the precise research questions that will be answered?
Primary research questions:
• What personal care products do consumers use and how are they used?
• How do demographic characteristics influence consumers personal care product usage habits? We are particularly interested in children, adults over 65 and comparisons between ethnic groups.
• The survey questions being asked to answer these questions:
• How often do consumers use a product (multiple times a day/ how many times a day/week/month)?
• Where on the body is a product used?
• How much (amount)?
• How much skin surface area/mouth surface area/hair do consumers apply it to?
• Do consumers use multiple products (of different and similar types)
• How consumers decide on the product they purchase?
• Are there any considerations around the safety or the ingredients of the product consumers have?
• Have they ever experienced negative effects when using the personal care products?
We would like the contractor to familiarise themselves with the methodologies used in (Hall et al., 2007 and Hall et al., 2011) before designing their methodologies, as we wish to be able to compare the results from both surveys.The project will be an online consumer survey in which approximately 8000 people (from a representative range of ethnicities, ages and socioeconomic groups) will record their normal personal care product usage over a 1-month period. This will include details of the product type, an estimate of the amount used, where it was applied and how frequently it was applied, as well as other criteria. In addition to this, demographic data will also be recorded to correlate usage patterns with demographic groups. OPSS would like to use the data generated from the demographic aspect of the survey, to identify trends related to certain groups’ usage of personal care products. This will allow for a more proactive approach to identifying areas for future research and identifying any potential risks. The accuracy of survey respondents' recollection will be validated with an online diary of approximately 200 respondents. Any trends in under or over-estimating use, would add to the interpretation of survey findings.
two.2.14) Additional information
If you would interested in bidding for the requirement or finding out more information, please respond to this Prior Information Notice by emailing commercialresearchandconsultancy@businessandtrade.gov.uk by 14:00 on the 29 November 2023. We will be holding market engagements calls with interested suppliers as responses are received.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
27 January 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