---
title: "Survey of age assurance circumvention by young people"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-b5c5dba0-9154-4fe4-b4f8-e916d7aade35"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b5c5dba0-9154-4fe4-b4f8-e916d7aade35"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b5c5dba0-9154-4fe4-b4f8-e916d7aade35.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b5c5dba0-9154-4fe4-b4f8-e916d7aade35.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DSIT"
published: "2026-03-19"
---

# Survey of age assurance circumvention by young people

Buyer: DSIT  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-b5c5dba0-9154-4fe4-b4f8-e916d7aade35

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## Summary

The procurement process titled "Survey of age assurance circumvention by young people" was conducted by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Focused on the research and development services industry, this contract covers a geographical scope including the United Kingdom and various other territories. The completion stage has been reached following a selective procurement method through a call-off from a dynamic purchasing system. Key dates include the end of the tender period on 13th February 2026, the contract start on 9th March 2026, and its conclusion on 8th May 2026. An award of £49,500 GBP was made to BMG Research LTD, indicating the commitment to a focused study on age assurance circumvention methods.

This tender offers growth opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary community and social enterprises (VCSEs) specialising in research consultancy and related services, as the project aligns with the broader governmental directive of enhancing children's online safety measures. The awarded contract aims to inform future interventions and legislative improvements, making it particularly suited for organisations with expertise in digital safety, data analysis, and youth behavioural research. Enterprises capable of delivering insightful analysis and consultancy services that can influence policy direction will find potential for strategic growth and contributions to public safety advancements.

## Notice

In July 2025 the Online Safety Act's Child Safety Duties came into force, requiring online services to implement highly effective age assurance measures to prevent children from accessing harmful or age-inappropriate content. These duties were a major milestone in the government's approach to improving children's online safety. Following implementation, Ofcom reported that UK daily active users of virtual private networks (VPN) apps temporarily doubled to around 1.5 million. Emerging research suggests that this spike in VPN usage was not primarily driven by child users. We are interested in exploring this further. Findings will inform government understanding, help shape future interventions and ensure the Act delivers its intended protections for children. To inform government understanding, we want to explore the impact of circumvention techniques and VPNs further. To better understand the prevalence and methods of age assurance circumvention among children, including the use of VPNs.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b608a91c-e0a4-423c-bd18-b72837f11cba |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Dynamic |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Call-off from a dynamic purchasing system |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 19 Mar 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 13 Feb 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Contract period | 9 Mar 2026 - 8 May 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £49,500 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £49,500 |
| 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 | DSIT |
| Locality | MANCHESTER |
| Post town | Manchester |
| Postcode | M3 5BS |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD3 Greater Manchester |
| ITL 3 | TLD34 Greater Manchester South West |
| Local authority | Salford |
| Electoral ward | Blackfriars & Trinity |
| Westminster constituency | Salford |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | BMG RESEARCH |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

## Release History

- 19 Mar 2026 at 13:49 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b608a91c-e0a4-423c-bd18-b72837f11cba

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b608a91c-e0a4-423c-bd18-b72837f11cba
  19th March 2026 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/98f33398-7669-4210-a02c-9a99b8a6fb79
  n/a

## 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-b5c5dba0-9154-4fe4-b4f8-e916d7aade35. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b5c5dba0-9154-4fe4-b4f8-e916d7aade35.json.