--- title: "Vulnerable Consumers Research" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "BUSINESS ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY" published: "2022-10-13" --- # Vulnerable Consumers Research Buyer: BUSINESS ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928.json) ## Summary The Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is seeking a partner to conduct research on "Vulnerable Consumers Research" in the United Kingdom. This procurement process is at the planning stage, with an engagement end date of 28th October 2022. The research aims to make future smart data schemes inclusive and address vulnerabilities faced by consumers. The industry category for this tender is "Research and development services and related consultancy services". This tender presents an opportunity for businesses specializing in research and development services to contribute towards inclusive smart data schemes. Suitable businesses, particularly SMEs, can compete for this contract to conduct research that will help ensure all consumers can access the benefits of smart data schemes. BEIS aims to address barriers to inclusivity and seeks innovative solutions from potential suppliers to make future smart data schemes more inclusive and impactful. ## Notice Smart Data is the secure sharing of customer data, upon the customer's request, with authorised third-party providers (TPPs). TPPs can typically be defined as organisations who are neither the customer nor original service provider (e.g, the bank)& are offering services to the customer. Authorised TPPs use customer's data to provide innovative services for the consumer or business, such as automatic switching & account management, for example via account aggregation. The incumbent industry (e.g, the service provider such as bank) may also choose to innovate and offer similar services. These innovations will save time, money and effort for customers who can more easily find and choose better-suited deals and manage their money. Consumer vulnerability is the broad term which refers to any situation in which an individual may be unable to engage effectively in a market and because of this, is at high risk of getting a poor deal. There are many different vulnerabilities that can cause a consumer to be unable to engage in a market effectively. The Financial Conduct Authority uses the following as examples of consumer vulnerability: poor health, such as cognitive impairment, life events such as new caring responsibilities, low resilience to cope with financial or emotional shocks and low capability, such as poor literacy or numeracy skills. Although Smart Data intends to improve equality, there is a risk that not all groups will benefit. E.g, the less digitally engaged, such as the elderly, may not use Smart Data enabled services which would mean they do not fully realise the associated benefits. Research on vulnerable consumers highlights that consumers who are digitally excluded may experience a 'poverty premium' due to their inability to access and engage with the market effectively . Over 2021, 5% of the population remained digitally excluded,188 and as of October 2020, 53% of all adults in the UK showed characteristics of vulnerability . BEIS is looking for a partner to conduct research into the issue of how to make future smart data schemes inclusive. The results of this research will be used to inform future smart data schemes on how they can make sure that vulnerable consumers are able to access the benefits. This will be based on evidence and the testing of potential solutions. The supplier will be responsible for ensuring the project fulfils the research aims and objectives outlined by BEIS. The overarching aim is to find out how we can make sure that future smart data schemes are inclusive. We are running a pre-market engagement session for suppliers on the 27th October 14:00-15:00 held via MS Teams. To register your interest, please email Lauren Middleton (lauren.middleton@beis.gov.uk) Additional information: The supplier will be responsible for ensuring the project fulfils the research aims and objectives outlined by BEIS. The overarching aim is to find out how we can make sure that future smart data schemes are inclusive. This includes answering the following broad questions to find those answers: 1. What vulnerabilities are more likely to be excluded by smart data schemes? 2. How do we make sure that all consumers are able to access the benefits of the schemes? 3. What scheme characteristics are needed to make sure Smart Data schemes are inclusive? 4. What design features of Smart Data schemes lead to excluding vulnerable consumers? 5. What do app providers and data holders believe are the barriers to Smart Data schemes being inclusive and how to combat those issues? 6. What lessons can be learnt from research to make future Smart Data schemes more inclusive to all consumers? ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32809646-97a8-45ba-80ca-de7bda907404 | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 13 Oct 2022 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 28 Oct 2022 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | BUSINESS ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1H 0ET | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London | | Local authority | Westminster | | Electoral ward | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ## Release History - 13 Oct 2022 at 08:55 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32809646-97a8-45ba-80ca-de7bda907404 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32809646-97a8-45ba-80ca-de7bda907404 13th October 2022 - Early engagement 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-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c4f87ed6-fb10-4937-91a2-d4ac18883928.json.