Award

SME Finance Monitoring

DEVELOPMENT BANK OF WALES

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

31 Mar 2026 at 14:50

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Development Bank of Wales, located in Cardiff, has concluded the procurement process for its "SME Finance Monitoring" project, focusing on services within the data industry category. This direct award contract, valued at £50,000, has been granted to IPSOS MORI UK LIMITED for their specialised expertise without competition, in line with Welsh devolved regulations and Procurement Category 2023 procedures. The contract period spans from 7 April 2026 to 6 April 2029, dedicated to providing insight into finance access and performance for SMEs in Wales. The contract completion aligns with the scheduled signature milestone set for 6 April 2026.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in data services, especially those familiar with SME finance market research. IPSOS MORI UK LIMITED's proven track record in this field underpins the continuity of longitudinal data which is crucial for the Development Bank of Wales. Businesses that can demonstrate expertise in bespoke survey data products, alongside an understanding of regional and national data acquisition processes, would have been well-positioned to benefit from similar opportunities. This process highlights potential growth avenues for SMEs that can deliver high-quality, timely, and consistent services that meet the strategic data needs of government bodies.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

SME Finance Monitoring

Notice Description

The strategy team and Economic Intelligence Wales require a source of insight into how Welsh SMEs view, use and experience finance in a way which is comparable to a wider UK and regional dataset. This data should keep consistent sample sizes, question set and stratification to better track access to funding, growth ambitions and business performance through shifting economic conditions. This data must have the quality and repeatability for authoritative and reliable use which requires sufficient samples into sub-questions on finance uses. A key test of this is the use of datasets by our peers. Previously, the SME Finance Monitor has fulfilled this need. SME Finance Monitor is the largest quarterly survey in Wales without requirement for accredited researchers and project authorisation to access the granular data. Over the year, we will have access to a sample of 1,000 SMEs in Wales compared to the 500 typically achieved in the UK Government's Longitudinal Business Survey. The instruction from DBW to the Consultants for these specific services relating to the service is as follows: a) Include "Development Bank of Wales" as a response option to an existing survey question for SMEs in Wales according to eligibility criteria according to DBW's own guidelines indicated below. - Employing up to 250 employees - Annual turnover not exceeding EUR50million - Be located in Wales b) Provide DBW with the raw data tables, in Microsoft Excel format, at the half year and full year period for those SMEs within the eligibility criteria outlined above. Justification for Direct Award: Continuity and Consistency of Longitudinal Data The SME Finance Monitor forms a longitudinal dataset where consistency in methodology, questionnaire design, sampling approach, and data processing is essential. Changing supplier would introduce: Variability in sampling and weighting methods Changes in question phrasing or sequencing Analytical discontinuity preventing reliable year on year comparison Maintaining the same provider ensures methodological integrity and protects the value of the dataset built over several years. Supplier Uniqueness and Specialist Expertise: BDRC/Ipsos has highly specialised capability in SME finance market research and is the long standing producer of the UK wide SME Finance Monitor. Their expertise includes: Proprietary data processing structures Bespoke table formats already embedded in DBW workflows Deep understanding of SME finance behaviour methodologies Alternative providers would lack the ability to replicate the existing dataset format without recreating methodology at significant cost and risk to continuity. Proven Track Record and Performance: The supplier has delivered reliably since 2021 with: High data quality Timely delivery No recorded performance issues Strong working knowledge of DBW requirements Changing a successful supplier introduces operational risk and is not justified where performance remains strong. Proportionality and Value for Money: represents good value relative to: The provider's specialist research expertise Time and cost required for onboarding a new supplier Avoided duplication in methodology redevelopment Market norms for bespoke survey data products The direct award maintains cost efficiency and avoids unnecessary procurement overhead. Regulatory and Policy Considerations (Procurement Category 2023): Under Procurement Category 2023, a Direct Award may be justified where: There is a proven, continuous requirement A change of supplier would compromise service integrity The supplier holds unique specialist knowledge There is a clear operational or technical reason preventing competition This requirement meets all criteria. A Direct Award to BDRC Continental/Ipsos for the 2026 SME survey data is justified based on: Need for continuity of longitudinal data Specialist capability and established methodology Proven track record and value for money Alignment with Procurement Category 2023 direct award provisions

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0679bd
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029897-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

72300000 - Data services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£50,000 Under £100K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Mar 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
31 Mar 20263 days ago
Contract Period
6 Apr 2026 - 6 Apr 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEVELOPMENT BANK OF WALES
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CARDIFF
Postcode
CF10 4BZ
Post Town
Cardiff
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL52 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cardiff
Electoral Ward
Butetown
Westminster Constituency
Cardiff South and Penarth

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

IPSOS MORI

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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