D3 Tenders | Provision of Short-Term Interviewer Capacity for ONS Surveys

Notice Information

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Notice Title

Provision of Short-Term Interviewer Capacity for ONS Surveys

Notice Description

About the Office for National Statistics (ONS) The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK's largest independent producer of official statistics and the National Statistical Institute. We collect, analyse, and publish high-quality data about the UK's economy, population, and society to support decision-making across government, academia, and the private and voluntary sectors. ONS surveys-including flagship household and social surveys-play a critical role in providing robust evidence that informs public policy, resource allocation, and national understanding of social and Introduction ONS is exploring potential commercial options to meet a short-term capacity requirement for experienced interviewers to support ongoing ONS survey operations. The requirement spans a 12-month period and is expected to involve approximately 100 interviewers located across the UK (locations will be refined during further design and engagement). The interviewer roles will include a mixture of: - "Knock to Nudge" field engagement-encouraging selected households to participate in ONS surveys; - Social Survey Interviewers-undertaking structured interviews to ONS standards. ONS will provide survey-specific training; however, to ensure quality and reduce attrition, we are seeking individuals with prior interviewing experience, ideally within large-scale social or household surveys. At this exploratory stage, ONS is interested in all potential delivery models, including but not limited to: - Agencies or organisations supplying experienced interviewer staff - Freelance or self-employed interviewers - Survey organisations with capacity to second field staff - Consortia or hybrid models combining different sources of capacity ONS may fulfil this requirement through one or multiple suppliers and welcomes innovative and scalable solutions that can be deployed rapidly. Detailed Scope of Requirement 1. Workforce Requirement Approx. 100 interviewers, subject to refinement Interviewer profiles required: - Engagement-focused staff (Knock to Nudge) - Survey-delivery interviewers (conducting structured interviews) Interviewers must be: - Experienced in household or social survey interviewing - Comfortable with face-to-face engagement - Able to work flexibly, including evenings/weekends when needed - Willing to complete mandatory ONS training and assessments 2. Coverage and Deployment UK-wide coverage, including urban, rural and hard-to-reach areas Supplier must demonstrate capacity to deploy and redeploy staff as sampling needs evolve Ability to scale coverage regionally at short notice Ability to maintain service levels during: - seasonal fluctuations - interviewer attrition - regional surges in response-chasing 3. Training and Onboarding ONS will provide: Survey-specific training on content and protocols Mandatory learning for: data protection, safeguarding, field safety and quality standards Suppliers will be expected to: - Ensure interviewer attendance and completion of training - Provide additional induction on employment/agency processes - Certify readiness of interviewers before deployment - Monitor learning compliance throughout the contract 4. Technology & Equipment Requirements Interviewers must be able to: - Use ONS-provided laptops/tablets and secure data-collection software - Adhere to strict data-handling and home-working protocols - Complete digital reporting of outcomes, productivity and operational issues Suppliers may need to support interviewers with: - Basic IT troubleshooting - Secure storage arrangements -Return of equipment at end of engagement 5. Management, Quality and Oversight Depending on the delivery model, suppliers may be required to provide: - Day-to-day performance management - Supervision of interviewer conduct and adherence to procedures - Quality assurance checks (e.g., validation calls, shadow visits) -HR, payroll and welfare support - Incident reporting pathways - MI reporting to ONS, including workforce levels, productivity and completion rates 6. Compliance Requirements All interviewers must meet ONS standards for: - Safeguarding and lone-working - Data protection and confidentiality - Respect, impartiality and ethical conduct - Secure storage and handling of respondent information - Health and safety requirements for field-based work - Suppliers may be required to support DBS checks or equivalent vetting. 7. Commercial & Operational Considerations The solution should enable: - Rapid mobilisation - Consistent workforce availability - Scalable support, including contingency capacity - Clear cost models (e.g., hourly, per-interview, blended rates, day rates) - Efficient communication and issue escalation ONS is particularly interested in innovations that reduce operational risks, improve staff retention or streamline field deployment. Questions for Potential Suppliers To shape our commercial approach, suppliers are invited to respond to the following: - What delivery model(s) would you recommend for supplying up to ~100 experienced interviewers for 12 months? - How would you provide UK-wide coverage, including hard-to-reach areas, with flexible deployment? - What strategies would you use to attract, train and retain experienced interviewers, including freelancers or loaned staff? - What are the key operational risks, and what mitigation approaches would you propose? - What lead-in time would your organisation require before interviewers could become fully operational? - How would you manage performance, quality assurance and compliance to ONS standards? - What innovative or alternative solutions (e.g., hybrid staffing models, shared resourcing) should ONS consider? How to Register Please register on the ONS e-tendering portal: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons/aspx/Home Once registered: Express interest under Current Tenders Respond via the Correspondence function, including: Summary of your organisation or freelance capability Potential delivery model(s) Relevant experience in survey fieldwork Initial responses to the questions listed above Additional Information This market engagement exercise is for information-gathering only. It is not: - part of any pre-qualification process - a commitment to purchase - a guarantee of future procurement activity Participation does not affect eligibility for any future tender.

Planning Information

Questions for Potential Suppliers To shape our commercial approach, suppliers are invited to respond to the following: What delivery model(s) would you recommend for supplying up to ~100 experienced interviewers for 12 months? How would you provide UK‑wide coverage, including hard‑to‑reach areas, with flexible deployment? What strategies would you use to attract, train and retain experienced interviewers, including freelancers or loaned staff? What are the key operational risks, and what mitigation approaches would you propose? What lead‑in time would your organisation require before interviewers could become fully operational? How would you manage performance, quality assurance and compliance to ONS standards? What innovative or alternative solutions (e.g., hybrid staffing models, shared resourcing) should ONS consider? How to Register Please register on the ONS e‑tendering portal: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons/aspx/Home Once registered: Express interest under Current Tenders Respond via the Correspondence function, including: -Summary of your organisation or freelance capability -Potential delivery model(s) -Relevant experience in survey fieldwork -Initial responses to the questions listed above

Notice Details

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Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-069ec4
Publication Source: Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046919-2026
Current Stage: Planning
All Stages: Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type: UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type: Standard
Procurement Category: Services
Procurement Method: Not Specified
Procurement Method Details: Not specified
Tender Suitability: Not specified
Awardee Scale: Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79311000 - Survey services

79620000 - Supply services of personnel including temporary staff

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value: £2,100,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value: Not specified
Awards Value: Not specified
Contracts Value: Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date: 21 May 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline: Not specified
Future Notice Date: 5 Jun 20262 weeks to go
Award Date: Not specified
Contract Period: 2 Aug 2026 - 2 Aug 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence: Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status: Planning
Lots Status: Planning
Awards Status: Not Specified
Contracts Status: Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

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Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer: OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS
Contact Name: Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email: Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone: Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality: NEWPORT
Postcode: NP10 8XG
Post Town: Newport
Country: Wales
Major Region (ITL 1): TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2): TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3): TLL54 Monmouthshire and Newport
Delivery Location: Not specified
Local Authority: Newport
Electoral Ward: Tredegar Park and Marshfield
Westminster Constituency: Newport West and Islwyn

Further Information

Notice Documents

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046919-2026
21st May 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Notice URLs

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The interviewer roles will include a mixture of: - \"Knock to Nudge\" field engagement-encouraging selected households to participate in ONS surveys; - Social Survey Interviewers-undertaking structured interviews to ONS standards. ONS will provide survey-specific training; however, to ensure quality and reduce attrition, we are seeking individuals with prior interviewing experience, ideally within large-scale social or household surveys. At this exploratory stage, ONS is interested in all potential delivery models, including but not limited to: - Agencies or organisations supplying experienced interviewer staff - Freelance or self-employed interviewers - Survey organisations with capacity to second field staff - Consortia or hybrid models combining different sources of capacity ONS may fulfil this requirement through one or multiple suppliers and welcomes innovative and scalable solutions that can be deployed rapidly. Detailed Scope of Requirement 1. 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