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CR_5551 Employer Skills Investment

Department for Business and Trade

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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08 Oct 2026 at 12:08

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Business & Trade commissioned research and analysis on employer investment in skills. The work is intended to build a clearer picture of what drives employers’ skills investment and how those factors differ across the eight sectors in the UK Industrial Strategy. Establishing the current baseline is intended to inform recommendations for targeted interventions to improve the UK skills system. The work is delivered in the United Kingdom.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded in February 2026 to Aston University. The Department used a below-threshold direct award without competition. The contract was signed on 20 February 2026 and runs from 23 February to 31 March 2026. Its value is £29,775 excluding VAT (£35,730 including VAT). The procurement was a single lot. The published evaluation criteria are not stated in the available process details.

For a future requirement of this kind, credible suppliers would need strong research and analytical capability, including the ability to assess what drives employer investment in skills and compare findings across the Industrial Strategy’s eight sectors. They would also need to establish a robust baseline and turn evidence into practical recommendations for targeted interventions in the UK skills system. This award shows that the Department bought a focused, short-term analytical research service from a university supplier. The work is relevant to organisations able to deliver policy-facing research and present findings that can inform decisions about skills provision.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

CR_5551 Employer Skills Investment

Notice Description

This contract was awarded back in February 2026 and is being published for transparency purposes. The Industrial Strategy Advisory Council Secretariat (ISAC) needs to build a more robust understanding of the employer-skills investment landscape, specifically on the determinants of it, and how these may vary across the Industrial Strategy 8 sectors (IS-8). Understanding the current baseline/state of play is a critical step needed to provide recommendations and ideas for targeted interventions that will improve the UK' skills system. The work is predominantly analysis and producing findings.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-07839d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095147-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
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
Not specified
Contracts Value
£29,775 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Oct 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
23 Feb 2026 - 31 Mar 2026 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Business and Trade
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
SW1A 2DY
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

Aston University

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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