UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

This Pre-Tender Market Engagement (PTME) seeks information in preparation for the procurement of a Supplier to administer the Technical Assistance Facility 2 (hereafter referred to as "TAF 2") to support the delivery of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG). The purpose of this PTME is to gather information to: • help define the service specification for TAF 2; • help provide a better understanding of the feasibility of the requirement; • understand the best approach to introduce and implement TAF 2; • understand the capacity of the market to deliver and possible risks involved; • inform value for money considerations undertaken by the Authority; • provide the market with an opportunity to ask questions, raise queries and any issues to be addressed at an early stage; • inform potential delivery timescales of TAF 2; • inform our decision on the route to market. This PTME is separate to any later procurement exercise. The Authority will not use this PTME to inform the suitability of any future potential supplier. However, we strongly advise anyone who has an interest in being considered as a potential supplier should engage with this PTME exercise. Any information shared may be subject to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and may be released unless an exemption or exception applies under the relevant legislation. Please note that Pre-Tender Market Engagement events are now complete. The PIN has been re-opened to attach a number of documents in response to questions from the market and informing the market on the chosen route to market: RM6313 Demand Management & Renewables DPS. Please refer to the attached documents for further information.

Aerial Photography of Great Britain (APGB) Contract Background The Geospatial Commission (GC) is an independent, expert committee responsible for setting the UK's geospatial strategy and coordinating public sector geospatial activity. Its aim is to unlock the significant economic, social and environmental opportunities offered by location data and to boost the UK's global geospatial expertise in accordance with the UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 published 15 June 2023. The GC has a portfolio of public sector contracts which includes: - Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA), - Aerial Photography of Great Britain (APGB) - Postcode Address File (PAF) These collective purchase contracts provide the public sector with free at the point of use access to critical location data. This supports the development of policies and the delivery of effective, efficient public services. APGB Contract Re-procurement The current APGB contract expires on 31 March 2024. The contract delivers three high resolution aerial imagery products (12.5cm resolution, 25cm resolution, and Colour Infrared Imagery) and three height data products (Digital Terrain Model, Digital Surface Model, Contours) free at the point of use to the public sector. Public sector organisations use these remote sensed data sets for a range of purposes, from emergency planning and response, to policy development and monitoring, through to planning enforcement and construction. Details of the current APGB contract can be found here. How do I get involved? The procurement route for the APGB contract will be a competition via Crown Commercial Service (CCS). It will utilise the Space Enabled and Geospatial Dynamic Purchasing System (SEG DPS) (RM6235). The GC will host a webinar on 25/7/2023 2023 at 11.00am to present further details of procurement and seek feedback from suppliers. Suppliers will have a period of 14 days to provide feedback on the proposal following the webinar. To attend the webinar please email gccontractsteam@cabinetoffice.gov.uk by 21/7/2023 with the company name and email address(es) of the attendee(s). You will also need to confirm your company is currently registered on the DPS or intends to register to be eligible to bid for the APGB Reprocurement. Disclaimer The Geospatial Commission does not guarantee that a procurement will be launched and is not responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by any potential supplier in registering their interest.

The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy ("BEIS") (for the purposes of this Early Engagement Notice acting through the Office for Life Sciences ("OLS")), is conducting this Consultation ("Consultation") on medicines manufacturing skills provision in the UK. The scope of the Consultation defines skills as "apprenticeships, undergraduate and PHD recruitment and placement; vocational (including technical skills) training and the conduct of schools engagement"; and Medicines Manufacturing ("MM") as "the manufacture of drugs for human use, including vaccines and therapeutics". This Consultation seeks to gather views on the demand for and the effectiveness of MM training provision, specifically in terms of: a) meeting the needs of individuals to acquire MM training; b) meeting the needs of industry in training and recruiting industry ready MM personnel; c) the appetite of current (and potential) training providers to develop MM training; and d) views on initiatives to strengthen career pathways into MM. To this end OLS is inviting individuals and organisations to contribute their views (be "Contributors / Respond") to this Consultation. Consultation Responses will primarily be collected via a questionnaire, however in addition to Questionnaire Responses, OLS is offering the opportunity for Contributors to attend a one-to-one on-line meeting with OLS to discuss the issues raised by the Consultation in more depth ("Consultation Meetings"). Whilst it is OLS's intention to hold Consultation Meetings with all Contributors who express an interest in so meeting, available appointments will be allocated on a 'first come first served' basis. Organisations requesting a meeting will be asked to complete a brief survey to provide background to inform the Consultation Meeting. No additional weight will be given to Responses received from Contributors attending a Consultation Meeting and additional documents can be submitted by Contributors as part of their Response, to enable the provision of information on aspects of answers which are not easily communicated through the Questionnaire format. Further information on the Consultation issues and process can be obtained by emailing via the address below.

In January 2021 a new national regulator for construction products was announced and would operate from within the Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS), formerly part of Business Energy & Industrial Strategy. OPSS has been working to build its evidence base on construction products and to implement recommendations from the Dame Judith Hackitt Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. As part of its desire to work effectively to support and coordinate the activities of Local Authorities delivering against their own statutory responsibilities towards construction product safety, OPSS has begun funding a number of small projects by Local Authorities to support the development of 'capability' and 'capacity' building in relation to these statutory responsibilities (both under current 2013 regulations, and ahead of the new regulations anticipated in 2024). The new regulations are a core pillar of Government's building safety reforms in the aftermath of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire. This package of funding consists of 14-18 'procurements' of ca. £10k to English, Scottish, and Welsh Local Authorities, with the potential for further funding to a number of Northern Irish Local Authorities. OPSS now wishes to evaluate that spend, in order to learn lessons about how to most effectively target and support future grant funding. This work will support the expectation that OPSS seeks to evaluate the impact of its efforts to effect meaningful cultural change in the construction products sector in support of the broader goals of the Building Safety Bill. The work will also provide methodological lessons for the evaluation of Local Authority grant funding across OPSS' broader remit. This research project will constitute of interviews with key programme coordinating stakeholders within Local Authorities that have received funding. With scope for further interviews with two sets of comparator Local Authorities consisting of those that expressed no interest in - and therefore received no - funding, and those that began the process of applying for funding before withdrawing their applications. The outputs of this work will inform the design and targeting of future funding to Local Authorities to support 'capability' and 'capacity' building in relation to construction product enforcement activity, including providing understanding of: • The appropriate 'scale' of discrete funding and what it is likely that this will enable Local Authorities to achieve • Further barriers to 'capability' and 'capacity' building, and how these may be overcome • What is needed for Local Authorities in terms of further support (time, input, etc) that may maximise effective utilisation of funding, the form that support might take, and how OPSS can provide it. In sum, this project will allow OPSS to evaluate how funding provided to Local Authorities has been used and how it has helped to improve services which will ultimately help the taxpayer in the long run. Additional information: OPSS is looking for a contractor to undertake market research with the recipients of the funding, as well as ones who didn't receive any and report to OPSS their findings. We will be hosting a pre-market engagement session on 21st February 2023 via MS Teams, between 2pm and 3pm and so any prospective bidders, who wish to attend, are invited to register your interest using the contact details provided above.

In 2020, the Heat Network Skills Review found that while there is a growing heat network market in the UK, there is a risk that the UK heat network supply chain may not attain the capability and capacity needed at a pace that keeps up with market growth. The sector already faces a skills gap, which is likely to become more acute as the industry grows . Recent work by BEIS has indicated that many existing heat networks in England and Wales are operating sub-optimally leading to customer detriment. Many network operators (particularly Local Authorities and Housing Associations) lack access to specialist staff and the time to identify and address issues. As part of the Heat Network Skills Programme, BEIS are looking to develop a series of vocational courses as a route to improving the capabilities of staff operating and maintaining heat networks , particularly to support poorly performing communal and campus networks. Alongside the courses, this project will also include a series of introductory videos to highlight the courses produced, as well as careers in the heat networks sector. These courses and videos aim to: 1. Provide access to free introductory training videos to upskill individuals responsible for managing buildings or procuring building services to improve the operation and maintenance of heat networks within buildings. 2. Support the upskilling of staff involved in commissioning and undertaking heat networks operation and maintenance through the development of accredited courses and online training videos. 3. Promote the heat networks sector and highlight the range of careers in heat networks through online videos. 4. Communicate the availability of the video and courses to a targeted comms campaign. 5. Share lessons from previous BEIS programmes as well as the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme so as to prepare the market for the future heat network standards and stimulate associated training provision. *Please refer to the HNSP O&M Project Description document in the attachments section for a more detailed overview of the requirement and expectations of the early engagement event* Additional information: This Prior Information Notice is being issued to undertake a pre-market supplier engagement event with regards to the current view of the requirement detailed above. BEIS would like to hear feedback from potential suppliers based on the following: - Confirmation on whether you would be interested in this tender. - Views on what should be included in an operation and maintenance syllabus for heat networks within buildings. - Views on how we should be engaging with training providers through this project to encourage uptake of these courses. - To consider if you can deliver the online training videos in house, alongside the operation and maintenance course development. - To consider an estimation of the cost for this requirement; course development and video development. - Any other comments from suppliers regarding this work. We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 14 December 2022 at 10:30 via MS Teams. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest by 17:00 on 12 December 2022 to Zoe.Henderson@beis.gov.uk

The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) was created in January 2018 to deliver consumer protection and to support business confidence, productivity, and growth. We regulate a wide range of products with a focus on their safety and integrity. Following the UKs exit from the EU, the UK government has the opportunity to review its product safety framework. A Call for Evidence for the UK Product Safety Review (PSR) was launched in March 2021, whereby views were sought from stakeholders, including businesses and consumer representatives on how to best ensure the framework is fit for the future. Following the Call for Evidence, the government intends to consult on a set of proposals with the aim of ensuring business can continue to innovate and grow, and consumers remain safe. One of the proposals being considered for consultation would enable businesses to apply for, and, if approved, be allowed a temporary derogation on certain product safety regulations (with appropriate safeguards) in order to speed up the supply of essential products needed to tackle an emergency. We are looking to work with a supplier to help us deliver research work to support the further development and analysis of this proposal. Ideally, we are seeking a supplier which has experience of working with government, particularly regulators. The aim of this research is identify reasonable worst-case scenarios (potential emergencies) and the products regulated by OPSS that might be essential and in short supply. This will then strengthen our knowledge and understanding on what the impacts will be to UK businesses and the wider economy during possible emergencies in the foreseeable future. This research should focus on products relevant to OPSS, and examine whether a possible emergency will have enough of an impact to warrant the use of a derogation power. The research should look to highlight a slate of the most likely emergencies for the UK in the next 30 years and provide data on what the market environment could look like. The findings we are expecting will focus on (but not limited to): • Knowing the likelihood of the emergency occurring • The number of UK firms in that market • The supply and demand of the product critical to the national emergency. • To review and critique the research process and share knowledge of what worked and what did not The research methods are flexible and to be decided by the researcher, but we anticipate this to involve conducting literature reviews, market research, forecasting, and consulting with experts. We have already started work on what emergencies we anticipate this research will focus on and will work with the supplier to refine and finalise the outputs. The anticipated breadth and wide remit of this study should provide evidence to support conclusions and recommendations related to sectors/areas of interest which may lead to further research being commissioned. Additional information: This Notice is being issued to undertake a pre-market supplier engagement day with regards to the current view of the requirement detailed above. OPSS would like to hear feedback from potential suppliers based on the following: • Confirmation on whether you would be interested in this tender. • Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services in line with the estimated budget. Where suppliers are not able to deliver the services in line with the estimated budget, please advise what budget you could deliver the services for • Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services within the estimated timeframe. • Any other comments from suppliers regarding this work. We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 5th December at 10am via MS Teams. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest by 16:00 on Friday 2nd of December using the contact details below. The session will last approximately 90 minutes and comprise of the following: • Introductions + OPSS Background • Overview of the project including aims, objectives, and project timeline • Suggested project methodology • Procurement process • Open floor discussion and Q&A BEIS may consider the information and responses received as part of the preliminary market consultation to help inform the specification and further decision making in relation to the planning and conduct of the proposed procurement. For the avoidance of doubt, this notice is not a Call for Competition; a Contract Notice will be issued as a call for competition. Not registering interest shall not prevent any supplier participating in a future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of the preliminary market consultation shall place any supplier at an advantage in a potential procurement process. Contact name: Natasha Chopra Email: Natasha.Chopra@beis.gov.uk Email subject: Derogation research proposal

BEIS are considering publishing an invitation to tender (ITT) on research to deepen our understanding of relative economic significance of different forms of business mobility in the UK. If we proceed with this research project, it will be via the "Research and Insights" Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). For more information on how to sign up to this DPS please visit the CCS website, or email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk. We are contacting suppliers to gauge the level of interest there may be in bidding for this opportunity. Please see attached for a provisional specification of the research we are considering. We would be grateful if you could let us know whether you might be interested in bidding for an ITT along the lines of the specification attached. We also plan to hold calls with potential suppliers to discuss this in more detail. Please also let us know if you are already on the Research and Insights DPS or if you plan to sign up to it. The ITT would be published towards the end of this year and open until mid-January. The research would need to take place from end Jan- end March. Please register your interest by email Sam Raby (sam.raby@beis.gov.uk) by Close of Play Friday 25th November 2022.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is responsible for: Giving detailed advice on the interpretation of safety related regulations, and sits on many standards making committees. Responding to incidents where the safety of a consumer product is called into question. Offering policy advice to HMG on product safety issues. Enforcement of a wide range of other product standards and regulations, for instance Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment , Construction Products The project detailed here is being recruited as part of the OPSS Research Programme that was launched in March 2018. This programme provides high quality strategic research to strengthen the evidence base for OPSS policy development, delivery and enforcement, giving business the confidence to innovate and protecting consumers from unsafe products. The wide range of evidence-based research supported by the Research Programme helps to address critical questions relating to current product safety, and/or issues that might arise due to future market developments. OPSS holds policy and regulatory responsibility for a wide range of non-food consumer products. Many of these are EU-derived under the 'New Approach' framework, now transferred into UK law following EU Exit; while others have always been held domestically. Some products may fall within more than one regulation. BEIS also has responsibility for policy development, implementation, international negotiations and stakeholder engagement for UK Conformity Assessed applicable products. This research will produce evidence that is essential to enable government to make informed decisions about this type of product regulation. OPSS will have a comprehensive and definitive list of product codes across a number of different data dictionaries. We will be able to create a firmer idea of the scale and activity of the markets we regulate; plus we will be able to drill into activity at certain ports of interest and even by Government region. The aim of this work is to: 1) map the products under these regulations to trade and production data dictionaries, such as Harmonised Standard and Combined Nomenclature codes (latest editions). These are used to categorise products in trade data, used internationally to identify common or similar products; 2) map these regulations across to manufacturing datasets like the ONS ProdCom publication, which uses a different product code structure; 3) identify the types of businesses most likely to be involved in the manufacture or retail of products captured under the regulations, using the Standard Industrial Classification framework; 4) assess whether products that are mapped to regulations, require conformity assessment from a third-party body (Approved Bodies or Conformity Assessment Bodies). We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 29th November at 2pm via MS Teams. Please register your interest using the contact details below.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) was created in January 2018 by the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Responsibilities of The Office include: a. Giving detailed advice on the interpretation of safety related regulations, and sits on many standards making committees. b. Responding to incidents where the safety of a consumer product is called into question. c. Offering policy advice to HMG on product safety issues. d. Enforcement of a wide range of other product standards and regulations, for instance Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), Construction Products, Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), and Timber regulations. The project detailed here is being recruited as part of the OPSS Research Programme that was launched in March 2018. This programme provides high quality strategic research to strengthen the evidence base for OPSS policy development, delivery and enforcement, giving business the confidence to innovate and protecting consumers from unsafe products. The wide range of evidence-based research supported by the Research Programme helps to address critical questions relating to current product safety, and/or issues that might arise due to future market developments. OPSS holds policy and regulatory responsibility for a wide range of non-food consumer products. Many of these are EU-derived under the 'New Approach' framework, now transferred into UK law following EU Exit; while others have always been held domestically. Around 59 different regulations fall within scope (a full list is below) and a number of products fall within each regulation. Some products may fall within more than one regulation. BEIS also has responsibility for policy development, implementation, international negotiations and stakeholder engagement for UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) applicable products. This research will produce evidence that is essential to enable government to make informed decisions about this type of product regulation. BEIS/OPSS will have a comprehensive and definitive list of product codes across a number of different data dictionaries. We will be able to create a firmer idea of the scale and activity of the markets we regulate; plus we will be able to drill into activity at certain ports of interest and even by Government region. Further information is available within the additional information field. Additional information: The aim of this work is to provide information that maps consumer product regulations to a number of different trade and production dictionaries. Specifically, the objectives for this research are to: 1) map the products under these regulations to trade and production data dictionaries, such as Harmonised Standard (HS) and Combined Nomenclature (CN) codes (latest editions). These are used to categorise products in trade data, used internationally to identify common or similar products; 2) map these regulations across to manufacturing datasets like the ONS ProdCom publication, which uses a different product code structure; 3) identify the types of businesses most likely to be involved in the manufacture or retail of products captured under the regulations, using the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) framework; 4) assess whether products that are mapped to regulations, require conformity assessment from a third-party body (known as Approved Bodies or Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs)). We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 2nd December 2022 at 10am, via MS Teams. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest using the contact details above.

The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is part of the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with a mission to be a trusted product regulator for the UK. This means protecting people and places, enabling business to thrive and empowering consumers to make good choices. We will be a leader of good regulatory practice and a champion of local regulation. As part of our enforcement activities, OPSS conducts post market surveillance activities to assess the safety of products on the market. This includes testing products on the market, primarily against standards, to provide evidence to support a risk assessment which informs what enforcement action to take (see RAPEX tool https://ec.europa.eu/rag/#/screen/home). Electrical safety is a common type of non-compliance found in consumer products and can lead to hazards such as fire and electric shock. To enable OPSS to deliver regulation in a manner that is risk-based, proportionate and consistent, it is crucial to greater understand the risks presented by these products by strengthening our evidence on the hazards and risks posed by common electrical safety non-compliances. Evidence on the risk presented by electrical safety non-compliances is currently limited. This research project will develop a methodology for quantifying the risk posed by common electrical non-compliances and apply this methodology to provide evidence and guidance to inform product risk assessments during post market surveillance. This includes evidence to support the risk posed by the product non-compliance itself (e.g. electrical strength failing by 1kV), and consideration of other factors ranging from construction of the product and environment of use, through to the likelihood and efficacy of types of protection at a household level such as RCDs. The aim of the project is to develop evidence to support risk assessments of products with common electrical non-compliances and provide guidance to inform the application of this evidence. The project will have three main objectives: To identify common electrical non-compliances To develop and apply a methodology to provide evidence to support risks assessments of electrical products, focussing on common non-compliances and other factors that may influence safety To develop a guide for applying the findings which can be used by enforcement officers without electrical safety expertise. It is anticipated that this research would involve a literature review and some testing. Consultation with experts could also supplement findings. It is important to note that this research is not developing a risk assessment methodology. Instead, it is providing evidence which can support the existing risk assessment methodology, including a guide on applying this evidence. The output should be applicable to the broad range of electrical products within scope of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations. Additional information: This Prior Information Notice is being issued to undertake a pre-market supplier engagement day with regards to the current view of the requirement detailed above. OPSS would like to hear feedback from potential suppliers based on the following: Confirmation on whether you would be interested in this tender. Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services in line with the estimated budget. Where suppliers are not able to deliver the services in line with the estimated budget, please advise what budget you could deliver the services for? Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services within the estimated timeframe. Any other comments from suppliers regarding this work. We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 30 November 2022 via MS Teams. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest using the contact details above.

The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is part of the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). It was created in January 2018 to deliver consumer protection and to support business confidence, productivity, and growth. We regulate a wide range of products with a focus on their safety and integrity. We work with local, national, and international regulators, consumer representatives and with businesses to deliver effective protections and to support compliance. OPSS is the national regulator for all consumer products (except for vehicles, medicines and food) legal metrology, ensuring weighing and measuring instruments are accurate and reliable. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-product-safety-and-standards The Regulators' Code requires that 'Regulators should ensure clear information, guidance and advice is available to help those they regulate meet their responsibilities to comply' and our stated purpose includes that we ensure businesses can buy and sell products with confidence. As the policy owner of the Regulators' Code, OPSS needs to fulfil its obligations, supporting businesses selling products through online platforms to understand and meet their legal obligations. The Online Platforms Programme has been allocated up to £1 million funding to develop a new business support offer from OPSS. The offer will deliver a Business Support Package to help non-English speaking businesses and their owners selling products to UK consumers through online platforms, to comply with UK product safety regulations, supplemented by support for specific product types. As a guide the Package will: • Support sellers whose first language is not English who sell products via online marketplaces and platforms to consumers in the UK. • Include a training offer which sellers can access free of charge. The training offer should be broken down into different e-learning courses, for example: o A general course on product safety requirements in the UK o Specific courses on different product types. o The seller should be able to download evidence of taking the courses, which may include a comprehension test at the end. o The training should be available in different languages and formats, as determined by OPSS. The training should link to - • A 'fill in the blanks' management system for sellers on UK product safety requirements, which is capable of being added to for specific product types, beginning with toys this financial year. The management system should be available in different languages and formats, as determined by OPSS. The supplier will be tasked with determining how the target audience should be engaged with to promote awareness - and use of - the products developed and will take on this task of engagement. Additional information: The supplier engagement event will provide more information about the opportunity and what we expect from suppliers. It will also give suppliers an opportunity to better understand what OPSS aims to achieve from the contract. We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 16th November 2022 between 11:00 -13:00 via MS Teams. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest using the contact details above.

The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is part of the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). It was created in January 2018 to deliver consumer protection and to support business confidence, productivity and growth. We regulate a wide range of products with a focus on their safety and integrity. We work with local, national and international regulators, with consumer representatives and with businesses to deliver effective protections and to support compliance. Our mission is to be a trusted product regulator for the UK. This means protecting people and places, enabling business to thrive and empowering consumers to make good choices. We will be a leader of good regulatory practice and a champion of local regulation. Personal Light Electric Vehicle (PLEV) battery fire incidents are increasing each year. The aim of this research project is to strengthen our evidence on the safety of batteries used in PLEVs, including risks and hazards in addition to mitigating measures such as best practice and standards. The research should also consider whether batteries used for PLEVs present additional risks. It is currently proposed the successful contractor will conduct desk-based research including a literature review, standards analysis and review of incident data in addition to consulting experts and testing batteries based on research findings. In summary, the project will cover this in two parts: Part 1: Scoping and method development • Understand hazards and risks of batteries in PLEVs, including particular attention to foreseeable misuse (e.g. use of incorrect charger) • Review of mitigation methods such as standards, best practice and literature on this topic. • Develop an approach/method to assess/test the safety of PLEV batteries considering the risks, hazards and mitigating measures identified above. This should include a critical analysis of existing test methods. Part 2: Testing • Assess the fitness for purpose of the methodology developed in part 1 by testing a number of PLEV batteries/chargers. • Use the methodology developed to assess the safety of the PLEV batteries/chargers tested. We will be seeking a supplier or suppliers (either a consortium or a contractor/subcontractor relationship) to undertake this project in order to maximise the aspects covered from the battery technology perspective and its operation through to standards and testing. Additional information: This Prior Information Notice is being issued to undertake a pre-market supplier engagement day with regards to the current view of the requirement detailed above. OPSS would like to hear feedback from potential suppliers based on the following: • Confirmation on whether you would be interested in this tender. • Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services in line with the estimated budget. Where suppliers are not able to deliver the services in line with the estimated budget, please advise what budget you could deliver the services for? • Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services within the estimated timeframe. • Any other comments from suppliers regarding this work. We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 10th November, commencing at 1pm to 3pm, via MS Teams. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest using the contact details above.

The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is part of the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). It was created in January 2018 to deliver consumer protection and to support business confidence, productivity and growth. We regulate a wide range of products with a focus on their safety and integrity. We work with local, national and international regulators, with consumer representatives and with businesses to deliver effective protections and to support compliance. Our mission is to be a trusted product regulator for the UK. This means protecting people and places, enabling business to thrive and empowering consumers to make good choices. We will be a leader of good regulatory practice and a champion of local regulation. Digital technologies such as digital twins are becoming more prevalent and integrated into everyday life. The conventional application of a digital twin is used for high cost, low volume assets such as aircraft engines and submarines, however recently the technology is being developed and integrated into lower cost, high volume assets that fall within the consumer product space. The aim of this research project is to strengthen our knowledge and understanding of digital twins and other relevant digital innovations including how we should position ourselves in order to maximise the benefits and opportunities of this technology, such as enhancing consumer safety and/or reduce regulatory burdens on businesses (e.g. with product testing). The research should also examine commercialisation of this technology in the consumer product sector and forecast the direction it will take over the next few years. The study should identify current trends and the latest developments in digital innovations/twins through conducting a literature review and consulting experts. The review should also cover the associated costs, efficacy, opportunities, barriers and challenges in addition to how the technology is applied to other sectors to explore its transferability to the consumer product sector. The anticipated breadth and wide remit of this study should provide evidence to support conclusions and recommendations related to sectors/areas of interest which may lead to further research being commissioned. Additional information: This Prior Information Notice is being issued to undertake a pre-market supplier engagement day with regards to the current view of the requirement detailed above. OPSS would like to hear feedback from potential suppliers based on the following: • Confirmation on whether you would be interested in this tender. • Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services in line with the estimated budget. Where suppliers are not able to deliver the services in line with the estimated budget, please advise what budget you could deliver the services for? • Confirmation as to whether you can deliver the services within the estimated timeframe. • Any other comments from suppliers regarding this work. We would like to invite prospective bidders to attend a pre-market engagement session on 11th November 2022, between 10am to 12pm, via MS Teams. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest using the contact details above.

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?

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has a legal obligation to ensure that reasonable adjustments are made to accommodate the needs of those with long term or temporary impairments or disabilities. It falls to BEIS Digital to ensure that Assistive Technology products and services are made available to meet any requirements needed to use ICT/digital solutions. Such requirements are usually identified through a formal, specialist workplace assessment. The purpose of the proposed tender requirement is to source specialist external resource to support our current and new Assistive Technology users. The length of the proposed contract is 2 years with an option to extend by a further 1 year, totalling a 3-year contract term.

The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy is seeking to procure Claims Facilitation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services which will be supported by a secure portal for the management of associated documentation. 

This notice is intended to: 1. Advise of the forthcoming virtual market engagement event which will be held on 10 October 2022 between 15:00 and 16:00; and 2. Ask suppliers to complete a short questionnaire; and 3. Assess market interest and capability to deliver the UK Assistance Centre requirements. The UK Assistance Centre will be the service responsible for providing information and advice to support overseas professionals seeking to practise their profession in the UK, and UK-qualified professionals seeking to work overseas. The Assistance Centre is the single point of contact for information for those seeking to work in regulated professions. A regulated profession is one in which there are restrictions to pursuing the activities or a subset of activities of the profession, such as for doctors, and/or restrictions for using a professional title, such as the use of 'architect.' The service will provide support to overseas professionals looking for information on the qualification and experience requirements to work in UK regulated and chartered professions, and to UK-qualified users looking for information on the regulatory requirements to work overseas. We anticipate that this will primarily be through the signposting of users towards the relevant regulator or professional body. Queries can include information about entry or practice requirements for regulated professions in the UK, and overseas professions. Advice relating to regulatory entry requirements to work in the UK will be provided by regulators and professional bodies. This information needs to be maintained on a newly designed gov.uk database (the Regulated Professions Register). Regulators and professional bodies will be responsible for maintaining the information in the database and ensuring that it remains up to date. The Assistance Centre supplier will facilitate this. We are keen to work with interested suppliers to develop the scope of the service. At this stage, we are interested in hearing ideas from suppliers on how they propose delivering the individual elements of the service, and better understand the level of market interest. This notice has been issued with a high-level overview of the service requirements and proposed market engagement activities. The market engagement will consist of two separate activities: 1. A supplier questionnaire 2. A Virtual Market Engagement Event The overall aim of these engagements will be to: - Provide the opportunity to engage with the market and assess market interest in delivering the UK Assistance Centre requirements; and - Allow interested parties to ask questions about the UK Assistance Centre service. Supplier Questionnaire: Suppliers are invited to complete the questionnaire ahead of the Virtual Market Engagement Event on 10 October 2022. Responses to the questionnaire will be used to inform the content of the Virtual Market Engagement Event. The questionnaire can be accessed here: https://forms.office.com/r/g5rfa0ApiM

BEIS introduced the Subsidy Control Bill1 to Parliament in June 2021. The new Subsidy Control Regime will commence in January 2023. The Regime will enable public authorities (PAs) to deliver subsidies that are tailored for local needs and deliver government priorities such as levelling up and transitioning to a net zero economy. It will promote the effective operation of a dynamic and competitive UK market economy. The Subsidy Control Bill makes provision for Streamlined Routes. Streamlined Routes will offer public authorities a way to award subsidies more quickly. They are intended to promote confidence and legal certainty among public authorities and businesses undertaking projects that are routine and low risk or aligned to UK priorities. It is important to understand if they are meeting their objectives2 and what effects they are having on PAs' behaviour. To achieve this, we must first conduct research to establish a pre-Streamlined Routes baseline against which PAs' experience of Streamlined Routes (Streamlined Routes) will be compared once the new regime commences. Research summary The baseline will be established by engaging with PAs and analysing subsidies in areas that Streamlined Routes will cover post commencement: Energy Usage; Research, Development, and Innovation; and Local Growth. The following key research questions form our objectives for the research: Which PAs have been awarding subsidies in these areas and how many subsidies have they awarded? What sized subsidies are being awarded in these areas and who are the beneficiaries (enterprise size, sector, purpose of the subsidy)? How easy have PAs found awarding subsidies in these areas? How long has it taken them to develop schemes, and have they developed these themselves or contracted out to a consultant? How well do PAs feel they have understood the current subsidy control guidance? Have they used it? The methodology will include: Analysis of subsidy awards on the public database. Identifying the sample of PAs to survey. Mapping the subsidy award process, to ensure our questions on the awarding experience are as specific as possible. Online survey sent to every PA in the sample, asking closed questions, on an ordinal scale, about the subsidy awarding process. In-depth interviews will with a smaller sample. We expect open-ended questions to be asked, allowing for detailed views from PAs on the current subsidy control regime. The outputs will include: A full report on the research findings on the project's completion, including but not limited to an analysis of subsidy award data on the public database and anonymised data provided by PAs in the Energy Usage, RDI, and Local Growth areas, the themes of respondents' answers to the open-ended questions, and aggregated responses to the online survey. A brief interim report at the project's midpoint containing the process map developed and the quantitative findings from the online survey. Additional information: This opportunity will be procured through the Research and Insights Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) through the Crown Commercial Service. Suppliers who are interested in bidding for this opportunity should register on the DPS through the Crown Commercial website.

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is holding public hearings from September 2022 likely until May- June 2023. Witnesses must give evidence and may be questioned in a challenging manner in public. Giving evidence can be stressful for witnesses generally and this may be most keenly felt by those who are already anxious, nervous or experiencing mental health issues. While seeking evidence from relevant witnesses, the Inquiry is keen that such participation should not intensify or create psychological distress. Therefore, the Inquiry is seeking a witness psychological support service. This service provision would help participants to give evidence at the hearings in ways that minimise the negative impact on their health. The specific service we seek would offer in person and remote support to witnesses before, and after giving evidence at our Hearings. The hearings are scheduled to run from September 2022 to at least June 2023. The service is not intended to provide long term psychological support to witnesses. We expect to launch an opportunity notice within the following week.

The Business Frameworks Directorate in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) wishes to understand what value investors place on non-financial reporting requirements in the Companies Act 2006. There has been growing interest from lobbyists and stakeholders in requiring companies to provide information on how their activities impact on wider society; and how companies could be used to deliver societal change. This has led to companies being required, via the Companies Act, to provide non-financial reporting (NFR) to allow stakeholders to assess a company's performance against several key areas. Whilst it is difficult, but feasible, to assess the costs for companies to produce this information, it has been challenging to quantify the benefit to users given that the information is provided freely. In the absence of a market for non-financial information, non-market valuation techniques are required to estimate benefits. Investors are seen as an important group driving non-financial reporting disclosures as they perceive NFR activity by preparers as a sign that preparers are engaging in risk management activity . For example, the "logic model" for non-financial reporting assumes that : • Users receive relevant and useful NFR information, • Users better understand non-financial risks, and some decisions, e.g. investment decisions, change in scope, timing or scale, as a result of this information; and results in • More informed investment, business or other decisions that lead to better social outcomes. Therefore, the NFR "narrative" places those that make investments, i.e. investors who are mainly intermediaries, as the agents by which social outcomes would be transformed by NFR. The aim of this research is to assess the extent to which this assumption is correct: in particular whether those who make investment decisions place a positive, and significant, value on NFR, and on what NFR in particular. The research will also consider direct and indirect channels for generating value. For example, NFR may add value directly through better risk management and lower costs; or indirectly through a better brand, which people are willing to pay more to "buy" into. The population of interest is investors. The group of investors should be representative of the market and include a mix of active and passive investors . Identifying the population of investors is likely to be the most challenging part of the brief and we would like to discuss ideas with potential bidders during the early market engagement. Following the early market engagement event, we would welcome individual discussions with suppliers to discuss the specification in more depth. Bidders should consider in their bids whether it would be desirable to include at least one financial reporting attribute in the attribute set to provide an accurate valuation of NFR attributes. Additional information: BEIS are undertaking a pre-market supplier day to discuss this requirement with anyone interested in being involved. The session will be held on 26 September 2022 @ 14:00hrs (2pm). If you're interested please contact Neil Golborne, email: Neil.Golborne@beis.gov.uk who will forward contact information. We are looking to procure this through the Research Insights Framework. Since this is a Dynamic Purchasing System agreement anyone interested can register to be on the framework agreement and so have an opportunity to submit a tender. To register on DPS - to see guidance on how suppliers can join the framework, please visit the following link https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps# and scroll down the page until you see the Marketing Communications section. If you encounter problems accessing this please contact Crown Commercial Service on 0345 410 2222.