CCCC16A80 - Provision of Consultancy for Technical Peer Review (Pre Consultation) - Airport Capacity

Any consultation on airport capacity for an additional runway is likely to attract high levels of interest. It will be essential to effectively consider local sensitivities and the high profile nature of these issues when engaging with the public.

The purpose of this procurement would be to ensure that DfT has the necessary expert resources to peer review the consultation on a draft national policy statement for airports for the development of an additional runway, to reduce the prospect of bias and potential for legal challenge on the consultation questions and the way the responses have been analysed.

This invitation to tender relates to the commissioning of peer review services for before the consultation is launched. Post consultation peer review services (i.e. to review coding and analysis procedures and the final report) shall be commissioned later in the consultation process.

While contractors are welcome to bid to undertake both the pre-and post – consultation peer reviews, if they are selected to undertake the pre-consultation services, they will be ineligible to undertake the post-consultation services. The supplier already selected to undertake the main consultation delivery/analysis work will also be ineligible to deliver peer review services.

We envisage that pre- and post-consultation peer review services will be of similar financial value and levels of resource commitment. We would particularly welcome bids from organisations specialising in social research methods (e.g. questionnaire design and qualitative analysis). We envisage that one contractor will be commissioned to provide this service.

The consultation will be digital by default with an ambition to encourage as many people as possible to participate using digital channels specifically hard to reach and vulnerable groups and the young e.g. 16 to 34 year olds who live and work in the local area or at the relevant airport and those with reduced online access.

The key objectives for the peer review would be to: - Review and advise on the consultation questions. - Review and advise on the response routes / channels for the consultation to ensure they are accessible - Review the suitability of the background materials which accompany the main consultation questions. - Compile two short and focussed reports which recommend any changes to the consultation and indicate whether or not sufficient action was taken to ensure it is free and fair. Responses to this tender must be flexible enough to reflect the variables within the programme particularly:

- The potential uncertainty on when the consultation may begin; - The duration of the consultation which has not been decided and could be 16 weeks;

Additional information: How to apply Instructions to Potential Providers:

Potential Providers must first be registered on the Crown Commercial Service e-Sourcing Suite in order to respond to the Procurement. If you have not yet registered on the e-Sourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link ‘Register for CCS e-Sourcing’.

Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so at the Invitation to Tender stage. Potential Providers should note that it could take up to 10 working days to obtain a DUNS number. Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at: http://gps.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/i-am-supplier/respond-tender

Once you have registered on the e-Sourcing Suite, you will need to express your interest by emailing [email protected]

Your email must clearly state: - name/reference of this procurement - the name of the registered supplier; and - the name and contact details

Crown Commercial Service will then process your registration and assign your organisation to the opportunity. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done.

It is advised however that Potential Providers register as soon as practically possible in order to receive the Invitation to Tender and have a sufficient amount of time to respond. Crown Commercial Service is not able to offer any extensions to the advertised procurement timetable.

For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact the Helpdesk: Freephone: 0345 010 3503 Email:Â [email protected]