--- title: "1961 Census Digitisation Project - Market Engagement" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS" published: "2017-07-28" --- # 1961 Census Digitisation Project - Market Engagement Buyer: OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd.json) ## Summary The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is currently in the planning stage for the 1961 Census Digitisation Project, aimed at transforming historical census data into high-quality digital formats. This project will enhance the availability of the 1961 Census Small Area Statistics (SAS) data, which is presently preserved as images. The deadline for expressing interest in this market engagement process is 11th August 2017, with the expected release of tender documentation in September 2017, and the anticipated start date for services in early 2018. This engagement is focused on potential suppliers who can provide document management systems and services in the United Kingdom and beyond. This procurement presents an excellent opportunity for companies specialising in data digitisation, document management, and statistical analysis. Businesses with expertise in handling historical data, particularly those familiar with census geographies and associated quality issues, will find this project aligns well with their service offerings. With the ONS seeking a creative and structured approach to converting static data into operational formats, firms with a solid background in document analysis and data extraction are particularly well-positioned to compete for this engagement. ## Notice The Office for National Statistics ("ONS") is responsible for running and producing results from the decennial census in England and Wales. This project is concerned with making greater use of historical census data. 1961 Census Small Area Statistics ("SAS") were produced as part of the aggregate statistical outputs from the 1961 Census. They contain more detailed information about population characteristics for much smaller areas than the main published outputs. The data are currently held in a set of more than 140,000 images of data in tables which were taken from microfilm generated from the original printed outputs. In its current form the 1961 SAS data cannot be used for detailed analysis. Digitisation would 'unlock' the data, extending the census timeseries backwards with detailed and comparable socio-economic data. This would be welcomed by the research community and enable increased understanding of a period of rapid social change. SCOPE ONS want to convert the static 1961 SAS images into high quality statistical data in digital form that can be made available to users free of charge via an online portal with a file download facility. Previous exploratory work has proved that conversion into structured and operable data is possible and we are now keen to complete the digitisation work. Our expectation is that the final digital data will be created in stages: * automated extraction of data from the census volumes; * quality assurance to identify and correct any errors in the OCR outputs; and * a mechanism to assign missing values that cannot be extracted using OCR. REQUIREMENTS Subject to the number of expressions of interest and the successful evaluation and contract award, the service provider would require experience of handling, managing and facilitating access to historical census data, and a good knowledge of census geographies. A thorough understanding of quality issues in statistical data is essential. ONS would also need evidence of a strong research background in document analysis and recognition, including expertise in the extraction of numerical information from tables. It is particularly important for numeric data that the extraction also includes metadata from the images. EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST Please note that this process is only being carried out as a means to understanding the level of interest in this service and is not a Pre-Qualification Process. The closing date for expressions of interest is 11th August 2017 (17:00). Should this service be procured following sufficient expressions of interest from suitable suppliers, it is envisaged that tender documentation will be issued in September 2017, with an anticipated service commencement date in early 2018. If you would like to express an interest in being part of this engagement process, register on the ONS e-tendering portal https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons and use the "express an interest" function against the 1961 Census Digitisation Project. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65feabc4-035b-4f1c-a7a6-63e9bc2a44bf | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 28 Jul 2017 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 23 Feb 2018 | | 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 | OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS | | Locality | FAREHAM | | Post town | Portsmouth | | Postcode | PO15 5RR | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight | | ITL 3 | TLJ35 South Hampshire | | Local authority | Fareham | | Electoral ward | Titchfield | | Westminster constituency | Hamble Valley | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 48 - Software package and information systems - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 48311100 - Document management system - 79131000 - Documentation services ## Release History - 28 Jul 2017 at 10:45 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65feabc4-035b-4f1c-a7a6-63e9bc2a44bf - 28 Jul 2017 at 10:29 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65feabc4-035b-4f1c-a7a6-63e9bc2a44bf - 28 Jul 2017 at 10:14 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65feabc4-035b-4f1c-a7a6-63e9bc2a44bf ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/65feabc4-035b-4f1c-a7a6-63e9bc2a44bf 28th July 2017 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons/aspx/Home In-Tend eSourcing Portal - Click link to express interest ## Notice URLs - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons - https://www.ons.gov.uk/census ## 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-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-d516f6c5-4580-4fcb-96c4-6dc3a19b47bd.json.