Scope
Reference
LPC 2025/04
Description
The Low Pay Commission (LPC) invites tenders for research relating to the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage.
This call for research is for projects that would deliver their final results by September 2026 (with a final report after this). Researchers with projects that require a longer timeframe may wish to consider bidding on LPC 2026/07
The Low Pay Commission is a non-departmental public body that advises the Government about the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW) and the minimum wage rates for young workers and apprentices. You can view our most recent published remit for 2025 here. We are responsible for evaluating the effects of the NMW and NLW and making recommendations on future rates. To carry out these functions, our work involves:
• carrying out extensive research and consultation with employers, workers and their representatives and taking written and oral evidence from a wide range of organisations;
• analysing relevant data to understand the state of the economy and labour market and the impact of the minimum wage;
• commissioning research projects into these questions.
The current government has an ambition to move to a single adult minimum wage rate for all workers aged 18 and above. Our most recent remit asked the LPC to balance this ambition with the Government's concern about current levels of youth unemployment when making our recommendations on the 18-20 Year Old Rate.
We have previously noted the importance of the interactions between the youth and apprentice rates of the minimum wage (see, for example, the LPC's Beyond 2024 Report) and are considering the full range of options for the future of the Apprentice Rate. We have also recommended considerable increases to the Apprentice Rate in recent years, but the data available to evaluate these increases are limited.
This research will support our understanding of the impacts of the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage on employer and/or worker decisions and outcomes. It will complement the LPC's own analysis of apprenticeship starts, vacancies and pay (including later salaries of those have completed apprenticeships).
The estimated maximum value for the contract is £40,000 (excluding VAT; £48,000 including VAT). However we welcome proposals for smaller projects and anticipate bids in the range £20,000 to £40,000 exclusive of VAT.
The project will deliver findings for September 2026.
Total value (estimated)
- £40,000 excluding VAT
- £48,000 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 2 March 2026 to 31 December 2026
- 9 months, 30 days
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
12 January 2026, 2:00pm
Tender submission deadline
2 February 2026, 2:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders should be submitted to tim.butcher@lowpay.gov.uk, copying LPC@lowpay.gov.uk.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
No
Award criteria
Tenders shall be evaluated using the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) methodology. This is where the Authority assesses a Tender based on a combination of commercial, quality, and price elements. The Authority chooses to award the Contract, the Authority shall award the Contract to the Tenderer which submits the highest scoring Tender.
The MAT ratio for this Tender is as follows:
Commercial: Pass/Fail
Quality: 80%
Value for Money: 20%
Any non-weighted elements shall be evaluated as pass/fail and any Tenders which receive a 'Fail' will be excluded from further participation in the Procurement.
Quality will be assessed on three dimensions:
Understanding the requirements and context (A01): 25%
Methodology and approach (A02): 30%
Ability to deliver (A03): 25%
Value for money will be scored based on total contract price, the scale and quality of the proposed deliverables and the staffing resource required to complete the project.
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - open competition
Documents
Associated tender documents
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-pay-commission-call-for-research-2026
A detailed description of the project requirements is provided in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document published on the Low Pay Commission website.
The pricing schedule template can be found alongside the ITT document.
Contracting authority
Low Pay Commission
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDDW-8983-PTPH
Ground Floor, 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf
London
E14 4PU
United Kingdom
Email: lpc@lowpay.gov.uk
Region: UKI42 - Tower Hamlets
Organisation type: Public authority - central government