---
title: "Project_4850 Research - Potentially harmful OCA online practices"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-d6cd907c-487f-4c2b-81a4-7c9004fe2282"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-d6cd907c-487f-4c2b-81a4-7c9004fe2282"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-d6cd907c-487f-4c2b-81a4-7c9004fe2282.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-d6cd907c-487f-4c2b-81a4-7c9004fe2282.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE"
published: "2025-08-12"
---

# Project_4850 Research - Potentially harmful OCA online practices

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-d6cd907c-487f-4c2b-81a4-7c9004fe2282

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## Summary

The procurement process titled "Project_4850 Research - Potentially harmful OCA online practices" was conducted by the Department for Business and Trade, located in London, England. This tender falls under the industry category of research and development consultancy services, with a classification CPC code of 73200000. The contract, valued at £79,925, was awarded to Revealing Reality, a supplier registered as ESRO LIMITED on Companies House. The project examines potentially harmful online consumer architecture practices by major digital platforms in markets across locations such as the UK, Europe, and other territories worldwide. The procurement stage is currently at the award stage, having been active since 31 July 2025, with a contract period running through to 31 January 2026. The procurement method used was selective via a call-off from a dynamic purchasing system.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), given its complexity and focus on consumer protection and competition policy. Companies specialising in digital platform analysis, consumer behaviour research, and regulatory consultancy could find this an attractive prospect to enhance their portfolios and gain valuable insights into regulatory frameworks for online markets. As the project aims to influence policy and competitive practices within online markets, businesses with expertise in data analysis, market research, and policy advisory services are well-suited to benefit from insights gained through this contract, positioning themselves as key players in shaping future regulatory initiatives.

## Notice

A study to provide foundational evidence to DBT's policy teams on the nature and extent of potentially harmful OCA practices employed by a selected sample of digital platforms. This evidence is crucial for subsequently developing appropriate regulatory responses and interventions to safeguard the interests of consumers and promote fair competition in online markets. The goods or services procured through this contract will be used by the Department for Business and Trade to: 1. Identify the types and frequency of potentially harmful OCAs used across selected online platforms. 2. Understand the probability of users encountering these practices on these platforms during their customer journey. 3. Obtain data-driven insights into the relationships between OCA prevalence and factors such as product categories, device types (desktop vs mobile), and platform types (e-commerce vs social media with market functions). 4. Establish an evidence base on the current state of potentially harmful OCA usage by major online platforms operating in the UK market. 5. Use these findings to scope future research projects examining the negative impacts of OCAs on consumer welfare, autonomy, and market competition. 6. Contribute with evidence to update relevant consumer protection and competition policies, guidance, and enforcement approaches to address consumer harms and anti-competitive effects arising from the use of potentially harmful choice architectures by online platforms.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d066bbe5-a9a6-4a94-93d5-c1dde6cb0c14 |
| 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 | 12 Aug 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 3 Jun 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 30 Jul 2025 |
| Contract period | 30 Jul 2025 - 31 Jan 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £79,925 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £79,925 |
| 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 | DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1A 2DY |
| 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 |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | REVEALING REALITY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services

## Release History

- 12 Aug 2025 at 13:19 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d066bbe5-a9a6-4a94-93d5-c1dde6cb0c14

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d066bbe5-a9a6-4a94-93d5-c1dde6cb0c14
  12th August 2025 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

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