---
title: "Persuasive Design and Time on Platforms"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-84167b2c-f7f1-4b51-be45-8a09c88e93f0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-84167b2c-f7f1-4b51-be45-8a09c88e93f0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-84167b2c-f7f1-4b51-be45-8a09c88e93f0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-84167b2c-f7f1-4b51-be45-8a09c88e93f0.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "OFCOM"
published: "2025-08-18"
---

# Persuasive Design and Time on Platforms

Buyer: OFCOM  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-84167b2c-f7f1-4b51-be45-8a09c88e93f0

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## Summary

OFCOM, the United Kingdom's communications regulator, has concluded a procurement process for market research services focused on understanding how persuasive design features and content types influence children's online engagement. The contract, titled "Persuasive Design and Time on Platforms," was competitively awarded to Discovery Research Limited under a mini competition via the Ofcom Market Research Framework Agreement. This service-oriented procurement, valued at £57,878, took place in London, with the contract running from 29th July 2025 to 27th February 2026. The award was finalised on 24th July 2025.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specialising in market research services, particularly those with expertise in digital behaviour analysis and child-focused research. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) may find this tender particularly well-suited, given the procurement's openness to diverse business scales. Businesses capable of delivering insights into how design and content influence user engagement can leverage such opportunities to expand their portfolio and establish connections with public sector clients like OFCOM.

## Notice

Persuasive Design and Time on Platforms Research Objectives: To understand the persuasive design features (e.g. autoplay, infinite scroll, notifications, algorithmic feeds) that are most influential in keeping children on online platforms* longer than they intend, and the effects of these features. To understand the content types (e.g. appearance-focused content, algorithmically recommended material) associated with prolonged online platform engagement amongst children and the effects of these content types. Explore if / how persuasive design features interact with different content types to influence children's time spent online and the effects of this. To explore what children and parents would like to see platforms doing to support positive relationships with technology/devices.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/668e98a8-ab76-4259-8f79-7330452e9113 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - Mini Competition via Ofcom Market Research Framework Agreement |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Aug 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 24 Jun 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 23 Jul 2025 |
| Contract period | 28 Jul 2025 - 27 Feb 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £57,878 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £57,878 |
| 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 | DISCOVERY RESEARCH |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79310000 - Market research services

## Release History

- 18 Aug 2025 at 13:38 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/668e98a8-ab76-4259-8f79-7330452e9113

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/668e98a8-ab76-4259-8f79-7330452e9113
  18th August 2025 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-84167b2c-f7f1-4b51-be45-8a09c88e93f0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-84167b2c-f7f1-4b51-be45-8a09c88e93f0.json.