This public procurement record has 10 releases in its history.

Award

13 Aug 2026 at 11:30

Award

13 Aug 2026 at 11:30

Award

13 Aug 2026 at 11:29

Award

13 Aug 2026 at 11:29

Award

13 Aug 2026 at 11:29

Award

13 Aug 2026 at 11:29

TenderUpdate

06 Feb 2025 at 18:09

Tender

03 Feb 2025 at 16:21

TenderUpdate

09 Aug 2024 at 10:42

Planning

09 Aug 2024 at 09:53

Summary of the contracting process

The Department of Health and Social Care procured research commissioning and management services for the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), under the service category “research services” (CPV 73110000). The requirement covers six service areas: strategic business services and a central NIHR hub; individual-level and global health research programmes; population and policy-level programmes; translational and delivery research infrastructure; applied, public health and social-care infrastructure; and career development and capacity building. The work includes commissioning, administration, monitoring and oversight of research programmes and infrastructure, coordination of health research functions, and delivery of training, fellowship, career development and research-capacity services. The services are associated with the Department’s London base and the wider UK health and care system.

The procurement is complete and has reached award and contract stages. It used a selective competitive dialogue procedure with successive reduction, under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The original estimated value was £364,000,000 for the initial five-year term, later amended to £671,000,000; lot values exclude optional four-year extensions. Six active contracts were signed on 20 or 21 July 2026: LGC Limited (£88,802,511), University of Southampton (£89,056,782 and £39,482,053), LGC Limited (£24,746,534 and £11,618,809), and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (£41,369,111). The published service period runs from 1 May 2026 to 31 March 2032, with optional extensions of up to four years. Evaluation weighted quality at 65%, social value at 10% and cost at 25%.

This procurement shows demand for large-scale suppliers able to combine research commissioning, programme administration, contract management and monitoring across national health and care programmes. Credible competitors would need experience managing complex domestic and global research portfolios, academic training and fellowship schemes, research infrastructure, and capacity-building or workforce-development programmes. The requirement also favours organisations able to coordinate multiple stakeholders, including universities, NHS bodies, public health organisations, government departments and devolved administrations, while maintaining robust governance and oversight. The successful supplier group included a large research standards organisation, a large university and a large NHS trust, indicating that specialist expertise, institutional credibility and the capacity to manage substantial, multi-disciplinary operations are relevant strengths for future opportunities from this buyer.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

DHSC: CSA: NIHR Research Commissioning and Management Services Lot 6

Notice Description

Lot 6, Research Commissioning for Career Development and Capacity Building

Lot Information

Lot 1 - Strategic Business Services and One NIHR hub

Lot 6, Research Commissioning for Career Development and Capacity Building, is responsible for developing the current and future health and care research workforce through the commissioning and management of NIHR training, fellowship and career development programmes. It builds research capacity and capability across professions, disciplines and care settings by providing structured career pathways, skills development and leadership opportunities, ensuring that NIHR has a diverse, highly skilled workforce capable of delivering high-quality research and driving innovation across the health and care system.

There are options to extend the contract by up to 4 years.

Options: There are options to extend the contract by up to 4 years.

Renewal: Optional 4 year extension

Lot 2 - Research Commissioning: Individual Level & Global Health Programmes

* End-to-end commissioning, management and oversight of domestic research programmes, with an expected annual budget of approximately PS300 million;
* End-to-end commissioning, management and oversight of the global health research (GHR) programme, with an expected annual budget of approximately PS170 million; and,
* Coordination and management of the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) and UK Vaccine Network.

Options: Optional 4 year extension

Renewal: Optional 4 year extension

Lot 3 - Research Commissioning: Population and Policy Level Programmes

* End-to-end commissioning, management and oversight of domestic research programmes, with an expected annual budget of approximately PS170 million; and
* Coordination and management of the following functions on behalf of NIHR:
o James Lind Alliance
o Liaison with NHSE, ALBs and the devolved administrations, ensuring their contributions are effectively managed.

Options: Optional 4 year extension

Renewal: Optional 4 year extension

Lot 4 - Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Translational and Delivery

* End-to-end commissioning and monitoring of infrastructure and infrastructure-like schemes, focussed on individual level interventions, with an expected annual budget of approximately PS350 million; and,
* Provide the Research Capability Funding (RCF) function on behalf of NIHR.

Options: Optional 4 year extension

Renewal: Optional 4 year extension

Lot 5 - Research Infrastructure Commissioning: Applied, Public Health and SC

End-to-end commissioning and monitoring of infrastructure and infrastructure-like schemes, focussed on population, policy, service and public health investments, with an expected annual budget of approximately PS170 million.

Options: Optional 4 year extension

Renewal: Optional 4 year extension

Lot 6 - Research Commissioning: Career Development and Capacity Building

* End-to-end administration and monitoring of domestic academic training schemes, with an expected annual budget of almost PS300 million;
* End-to-end administration and monitoring of global research academic training schemes; and,
* Deliver NIHR research capacity building services.

Options: Optional 4 year extension

Renewal: Optional 4 year extension

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-048940
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077152-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive dialogue
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

73110000 - Research services

73210000 - Research consultancy services

75120000 - Administrative services of agencies

79315000 - Social research services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79411000 - General management consultancy services

79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services

79994000 - Contract administration services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£364,000,000 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
£363,840,000 £100M-£1B
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£295,075,800 £100M-£1B

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
5 Mar 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
2 Dec 2024Expired
Award Date
20 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
1 May 2026 - 31 Mar 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Active, Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department of Health & Social Care
Additional Buyers

Department of Health and Social Care

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1H 0EU
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
TLI32 Westminster

Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

LGC LIMITED

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

Loading OCDS record...