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User research participant

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

29 Sep 2026 at 13:52

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education is buying participant recruitment and management for user research across a broad range of its policy and service areas. The supplier reviews research recruitment briefs, finds people who meet agreed criteria, screens them, schedules their attendance and manages communications. The work also includes administering participant incentives where required, reporting and management information, and supporting accessibility and inclusion, including technology tests when needed. Recruitment risks must be identified and escalated early. Research can be delivered remotely, face to face or through a hybrid model. The service is for research activity across the United Kingdom.

The procurement has been awarded, with PEOPLE FOR RESEARCH LTD selected under a framework through a selective procedure. The award is dated 28 September 2026 and is valued at £450,000 excluding VAT (£540,000 including VAT). The contract period runs from 3 December 2026 to 2 December 2028, with an option for the Department for Education to extend it by up to 12 months. It is a single-lot service. The competition was conducted competitively; the award information does not state the evaluation criteria. The planned contract signature date is 2 November 2026.

This award shows demand for a supplier able to deliver end-to-end participant recruitment for government user research across varied policy and service areas. A credible competitor would need to translate research briefs into recruitment activity, source and screen people against agreed criteria, coordinate attendance and communications, and administer incentives when required. The work also calls for dependable reporting, early identification and escalation of recruitment risks, and the ability to meet accessibility and inclusion needs, including arranging technology tests where requested. Suppliers need to support remote, face-to-face and hybrid research rather than relying on a single delivery format. The Department’s use of a framework and competitive award indicates that framework access and the ability to compete through that route matter for comparable future requirements.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

User research participant

Notice Description

DfE required a supplier to recruit and manage participants for user research activities across a broad range of policy and service areas. As part of an end-to-end recruitment process, the supplier shall: * review recruitment briefs from DfE as detailed within the Statement of Work * source participants that meet agreed criteria * screen participants against agreed screening criteria * schedule and manage participant attendance * manage participant communications throughout the recruitment process * administer participant incentives where required * provide management information and reporting * support accessibility and inclusion requirements, including tech tests where DfE has identified they are needed * identify and escalate recruitment risks at the earliest opportunity Research may be conducted remotely, face-to-face or through hybrid delivery models.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077c88
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091899-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Award under framework
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73110000 - Research services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£450,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
28 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
3 Dec 2026 - 2 Dec 2028 2-3 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
Department for Education
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
SW1P 3BT
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

PEOPLE FOR RESEARCH LTD

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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