Early Market Engagement - NIHR Research Commissioning and Management services

The Department of Health and Social Care (DSHC) funds the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

NIHR's mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. NIHR's policies and functions are directed by DHSC's Chief Scientific Advisor, who is NIHR CEO, supported by the DHSC Science, Research and Evidence Directorate.

Currently the day-to-day operations of the NIHR are carried out by two coordinating centres - the NIHR Coordinating Centre (NIHRCC) and the Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre (RDNCC) Four of the five contracts/Service Level Agreements that make up NIHRCC will come to an end on 31 March 2027 (note that the fifth contract, for Public Partnerships and Maximising Impact, is currently being procured). These are the: • NIHR Evaluations, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) • Central Commissioning Facility (CCF) • NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure (NOCRI) • NIHR Academy DHSC will seek to appoint Suppliers to continue delivering the services currently provided through these contracts from 2027/28 onwards.

Details of the specific services delivered under each contract can be found in the accompanying attachment but in brief, the purpose of these contracts is to: • Manage the end-to-end commissioning of NIHR's research funding programmes. • Manage NIHR's research infrastructure. • Manage the end-to-end commissioning of NIHR's research academic training, career development and capacity building programmes. • Manage several cross-NIHR activities including: o Communication, business intelligence and impact functions o Research inclusion and sustainability functions o Supporting the life science sector, charities and other organisations to utilise NIHR's infrastructure.

DHSC is conducting a market engagement exercise to understand more about organisations that could deliver some or all of these services, their level of interest and any potential barriers they foresee.

Feedback from suppliers via this early engagement will help inform the final specification and/or procurement approach.

If you are interested in this potential opportunity, please contact [email protected] to register to attend our supplier engagement events to be held in early July. We may subsequently arrange individual meetings with potential suppliers as needed.

Participation from public sector, SMEs, VCSEs and private entities is encouraged at all stages in this potential opportunity.

For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a call for a competition. This is Early Market Engagement for a potential opportunity, as such, DHSC is not obligated to run a procurement following this activity and is not liable for any costs associated with participating in this Early Engagement.

Please also note that any possible future procurement for these services will be run in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, not the Public Contract Regulations 2015.