---
title: "Search services prevalence research - sale of prohibited items"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-3a8d1456-fd98-4acb-91c2-c611648b8135"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-3a8d1456-fd98-4acb-91c2-c611648b8135"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-3a8d1456-fd98-4acb-91c2-c611648b8135.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-3a8d1456-fd98-4acb-91c2-c611648b8135.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "OFCOM"
published: "2023-04-12"
---

# Search services prevalence research - sale of prohibited items

Buyer: OFCOM  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-3a8d1456-fd98-4acb-91c2-c611648b8135

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## Summary

OFCOM has awarded a contract for "Search services prevalence research - sale of prohibited items" to Public Group International Ltd. The contract falls under market research services with a value of £108,000. The procurement method used was 'Other - Under threshold - sub - OJEU competitive procurement'. The tender period ended on 20th February 2023, with the contract period running from 21st March 2023 to 30th July 2023. The project is located in London, United Kingdom, with a focus on preventing the sale of prohibited items via online search services.

This tender by OFCOM presents opportunities for businesses in the services sector, especially those involved in market research. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are well-suited to compete. By engaging in this tender, businesses can contribute to improving online safety measures related to the sale of prohibited items, as outlined in the Online Safety Bill. The contract allows for a significant research opportunity to assess the prevalence and accessibility of content offering prohibited items via search services in the UK.

## Notice

Ofcom has a requirement for research that will generate a robust evidence base regarding the existence, prevalence and ease of access to content that contains an apparent offer to sell or supply a range of prohibited items or articles, accessible via online search services. Specifically, we are interested in content that contains an apparent offer to sell or supply: - Prohibited knives/bladed weapons; - Prohibited offensive weapons (not bladed); - Controlled drugs; - Psychoactive substances; and/or - Articles used in the commission of fraud. The sale or supply of these items or articles may relate to a series of 'Priority Offences' contained within Schedule 7 of the Online Safety Bill. Under the Bill, search services have a duty to take or use proportionate measures relating to the design or operation of the service to: (a) prevent individuals from encountering priority illegal content by means of the service; and (b) effectively mitigate and manage the risk of the service being used for the commission or facilitation of a priority offence, as identified in the most recent illegal content risk assessment of the service. By understanding how accessible this content is to UK users via search services, Ofcom should be able to more accurately reflect the scale and type of risks relevant to these platforms in the upcoming Register of Risk, codes of practice and industry guidance, and to recommend suitable mitigations.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65202f13-2bfc-4a37-8c56-bc3faa305672 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - Under threshold - sub - OJEU competitive procurement |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 12 Apr 2023 |
| Submission deadline | 20 Feb 2023 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 14 Mar 2023 |
| Contract period | 21 Mar 2023 - 30 Jul 2023 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £108,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £108,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | OFCOM |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South East London |
| Postcode | SE1 9HA |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East |
| ITL 3 | TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark |
| Local authority | Southwark |
| Electoral ward | Borough & Bankside |
| Westminster constituency | Bermondsey and Old Southwark |
| Delivery location | TLI London |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | PUBLIC GROUP INTERNATIONAL |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79310000 - Market research services

## Release History

- 12 Apr 2023 at 09:45 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65202f13-2bfc-4a37-8c56-bc3faa305672

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65202f13-2bfc-4a37-8c56-bc3faa305672
  12th April 2023 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- https://ofcom.bravosolution.co.uk

## Provenance

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