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Research relating to the impacts of the minimum wage, 1-year projects (open call)

LOW PAY COMMISSION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

13 Jul 2026 at 14:23

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Low Pay Commission, a public authority under the UK central government located in London, is currently in the tender stage for a project titled "Research relating to the impacts of the minimum wage, 1-year projects (open call)". This tender, with the procurement reference LPC 2026/01, falls under the services category, specifically focusing on research and development services. Interested parties have until 1st September 2026 to submit their proposals, while the enquiry period closes on 11th August 2026. The projects, aimed at evaluating the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage's impacts, are slated to commence on 4th November 2026 and conclude by 31st March 2028. The maximum budget for each project is £60,000, excluding VAT, with the overall competition being below the threshold open method.

This tender offers a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in research and consultancy services to engage in high-impact work that could influence minimum wage policy both in the UK and globally. The Low Pay Commission seeks innovative research proposals, especially from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), that can utilise new data sources and methodologies. The focus on the Most Advantageous Tender evaluation maximises quality and value for money, creating an environment where high-standard, cost-effective proposals are rewarded, providing a platform for businesses aiming to expand their reach and reputation in the realm of public policy research.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Research relating to the impacts of the minimum wage, 1-year projects (open call)

Notice Description

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) invites tenders for new or innovative research in relation to the National Living Wage (NLW) and the National Minimum Wage (NMW). This call is for projects that would deliver results in September 2027, with a final report due in November 2027. It is published alongside a call for larger-scale projects (LPC 2026/03), which would deliver final results by September 2028. Please carefully consider which is most suitable for your project. The Low Pay Commission is a non-departmental public body that advises the government about the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW) and the minimum wage rates for young workers and apprentices. We are responsible for evaluating the effects of the NMW and NLW and making recommendations on future rates. To carry out these functions, our work involves: * carrying out extensive research and consultation with employers, workers and their representatives and taking written and oral evidence from a wide range of organisations; * analysing relevant data to understand the state of the economy and labour market and the impact of the minimum wage; * commissioning research projects into these questions. This research will fill gaps in our current understanding of the impacts of the minimum wage, particularly the increases in the minimum wage rates since 2019. It will complement the LPC's own analysis of pay, the labour market and the broader economy and sit alongside other pieces of commissioned research. We are aware that the pandemic and its aftermath have disrupted many of the usual data sources upon which we rely. However, there have also been recent developments in new data sources, and in data linking. We are keen to consider tenders that can take advantage of these. A list of suggested topics for research is provided in Section A2 of the Invitation to Tender document. However, we recognise that there may be areas of investigation worth pursuing that we have not yet identified, or which have not previously been considered in great depth. Researchers who believe that they have a worthwhile proposal that would fall into these categories are welcome to submit it for consideration. We would also encourage proposals from those who wish to extend current research on the impact of the minimum wage, whether that original research was funded by us or another organisation. We will fund up to three projects under this call. The maximum estimated budget for each project is PS60,000 excluding VAT (PS75,000 including VAT); however, we welcome tenders for smaller projects. Please note that we are only able to evaluate complete tenders. The components of a complete tender are detailed in Section 5, Part E of the Invitation to Tender document. They include written responses addressing the three quality criteria: understanding the requirements and context (A01), methodology and approach (A02) and ability to deliver (A03); a detailed pricing schedule and completion/provision of relevant documents to fulfil the commercial criteria. There is global interest among policymakers in the impact of the NLW. The findings from this research will directly inform policy decisions touching the lives of millions of workers and thousands of businesses as well as contributing to policy formation in the UK and beyond.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c9b7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/065709-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 Jul 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
1 Sep 20262 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 Nov 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LOW PAY COMMISSION
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
E14 4PU
Post Town
East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI42 Tower Hamlets
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Tower Hamlets
Electoral Ward
Canary Wharf
Westminster Constituency
Poplar and Limehouse

Further Information

Notice Documents

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. 

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