---
title: "Tuning EARS for the Future"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e88d"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e88d"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e88d.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e88d.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "London and South East University Group"
published: "2026-08-20"
---

# Tuning EARS for the Future

Buyer: London and South East University Group  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e88d

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## Summary

London and South East University Group commissioned research consultancy services under the “Tuning EARS for the Future” project. Progress Educational Trust is working with a team at the University of Kent to design focus groups, recruit research participants, co-lead focus-group delivery and analysis, organise three reciprocal dialogue workshops, and lead calibration and dissemination. The work combines research design, participant engagement, qualitative research delivery, analysis, facilitated stakeholder dialogue and communication of findings. Delivery is in the United Kingdom, involving the University of Kent team and the buyer’s university-group environment. The requirement is suited to organisations able to contribute throughout a structured, 12-month research and engagement programme rather than providers offering a single standalone workshop or isolated research task.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Progress Educational Trust on 13 August 2026. It used a direct award below the applicable threshold, without competition, under a single completed lot. The awarded value is £57,600 gross, in GBP. The awarded contract period runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 August 2027. A contract signature was scheduled for 21 August 2026. The procurement covers services classified as research consultancy. The published scope sets a staged delivery model: co-design in months 1–2, participant recruitment in months 3–4, focus groups and analysis in months 5–7, three reciprocal dialogue workshops in months 8–10, and calibration and dissemination in months 11–12. Progress Educational Trust is the active awarded supplier.

This award indicates demand for specialist research consultancy that can combine participatory research with public or stakeholder engagement. A credible competitor for a future requirement from this university group would need to show experience designing and facilitating focus groups, recruiting and supporting research participants, analysing qualitative evidence, and translating findings into useful outputs. It would also need the capacity to work collaboratively with an academic research team, share leadership of delivery, organise reciprocal dialogue workshops, and contribute to calibration and dissemination. The requirement favours a supplier able to manage a connected programme of research and engagement activities, maintain continuity across its stages, and work sensitively with participants and partner organisations. Organisations with established research-governance, facilitation, analysis and communications capability would be better placed than narrowly focused event or training providers.

## Notice

PET will work with the team based at the University of Kent to 1) co-design the focus groups (month1- 2), 2) co-lead the recruitment of research participants (months 3-4); 3) co-lead the delivery of focus groups and its analysis (months5-7), 4) co-organise three reciprocal dialogue workshops (months 8-10), 5) co-lead on calibration and dissemination (months 11-12).

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079437-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 13 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Oct 2026 - 31 Aug 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £57,600 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | London and South East University Group |
| Locality | GREENWICH |
| Postcode area | South East London |
| Postcode | SE10 9LS |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI5 Outer London - East and North East |
| ITL 3 | TLI51 Bexley and Greenwich |
| Local authority | Greenwich |
| Electoral ward | East Greenwich |
| Westminster constituency | Greenwich and Woolwich |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | PROGRESS EDUCATIONAL TRUST |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73210000 - Research consultancy services

## Release History

- 20 Aug 2026 at 13:02 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079437-2026
- 20 Aug 2026 at 12:52 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079432-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079437-2026
  20th August 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079432-2026
  20th August 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.gre.ac.uk/
- http://www.progress.org.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-h6vhtk-06e88d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e88d.json.