UKRI CS19429 Expert Advisory Services for ESRC's Education - Improving Outcomes Research Priority

*** This tender requirement was abandoned prior to a Contract award decision. ***

The final date and time for the submission of bids is Monday 10th August 2020 at 14:00.

DO NOT apply directly to the buyer.

All tender information MUST be submitted through the Delta eSourcing Portal.

Brief Description of Requirement:

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which brings together the UK's seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England to create the best environment for research and innovation to flourish. Its vision is to ensure that the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

ESRC is the UK's largest funder of research on economic and social issues, supporting world-class research advancing the frontiers of social science and contributing to a more prosperous economy, more effective public services and a more sustainable, healthy and secure society.

There is a specific commitment to research focused on Education - ESRC's Delivery Plan 2019 sets out a number of research and innovation priority areas where it will be investing in the short and longer term, with one of the themes being research that contributes to designing and delivering the next generation of public services.

The education research landscape is complex, incorporating a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches and a range of stakeholders with different interests. Against this backdrop ESRC is seeking to commission expert advice and intellectual leadership to deliver an evidence base to inform and support ESRC's future commissioning activity in the priority area of Education: Improving Outcomes.

The contract deliverables will be achieved through scoping work, as well as other activities including stakeholder engagement, resulting in a report to the ESRC.

The aim of this contract will be to help the ESRC identify specific gaps and opportunities in its portfolio, and to design and implement funding schemes in this priority area. Key challenges that need to be engaged with as part of this activity include considering how best to build capacity, pursue interdisciplinarity, exploit large data innovations, engage with practitioners and policy makers in education, and achieve impact.

The Contract duration shall be for a period of one year, from October 2020 to September 2021.

For full details of the requirement please refer to the Invitation to Quote documentation available to download from Contracts Finder and the Delta eSourcing Portal.

This contract will be awarded based on the evaluation criteria set out in the ITQ document.

Additional information: DO NOT APPLY DIRECTLY TO BUYER

Please disregard any content in this notice that requests your organisation "to apply directly to the buyer" as this unfortunately a system generated error that is outside of the Contracting Authority's control.

How to Apply:

UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) will be using the Delta eSourcing Portal for this procurement.

To register on the Delta eSourcing portal please use the link https://uksbs.delta-esourcing.com and follow the instructions to register.

If you are already registered on the Delta eSourcing Portal and wish to participate in this procurement, please use the link: https://uksbs.delta-esourcing.com and the follow the instructions to 'Login'

Once you are logged into the system you will be able to link yourself into this procurement using the Access Code: 32VQ8X967Z

Responses must be received by the date in the tender documentation; responses received outside of the deadline or not sent via the Delta eSourcing portal will not be accepted or considered further for this opportunity.

As a user of the Delta eSourcing Portal you will have access to the Delta messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific tender event. Please note it is your responsibility to access these messages on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information applicable to this opportunity.

All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for procurement values that exceed Regulation 5 (Threshold amounts).

The contracting authority expressly reserves the right:

i. not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice;and

ii. to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the procurement; and in no circumstances will the contracting authority be liable for any costs incurred by any supplier. If the contracting authority decides to enter into a contract with the successful supplier, this does not mean that there is any guarantee of subsequent contracts being awarded. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of bidders.

About UK Shared Business Services

UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) brings a commercial attitude to the public sector; helping our contracting authorities to improve efficiency, generate savings and modernise.

Where UK SBS is not named as the Contracting Authority within the documentation, UK SBS will be acting as an agent on behalf of the Contracting Authority.

Our broad range of expert services is shared by our customers. This allows our customers the freedom to focus resources on core activities; innovating and transforming their own organisations.