MHCLG Standby Communications Research

The Insight and Evaluation team in the MHCLG Communications Directorate requires a supplier to provide qualitative and quantitative research on a stand-by basis. We are a small and dynamic team servicing the needs of a busy and evolving communications directorate - including press, digital and marketing colleagues - by providing an evidence base which ensures we are communicating in the most efficient and effective way to our various target audiences.

As such, we are looking for an agency which can work agilely and able to turn around projects at short notice when required. The core work of the team is the evaluation of our large scale paid-for marketing campaigns, which requires large surveys with often tricky samples including landlords, private rented sector tenants and social housing tenants.

This is supplemented by more ad hoc pieces of work which include fast turn-around polling, message testing and in-depth qualitative work. For example, we conducted exploratory polling examining housing quality issues and complaints processes in the private rented sector.

We are looking for an agency that can maintain the work and quality we've built so far but also suggest innovative methods and products which might help hone and expand our insight offer. The contract will be for a period of two years with an optional extension of a further one plus one years.

HIGH LEVEL OUTLINE PROJECT OUTCOMES REQUIRED The supplier must demonstrate experience and expertise in the following quantitative research approaches in relation to communication projects: • Survey and questionnaire design. • Surveys delivery using online, telephone or face-to-face methods. • Public opinion polling. • Verbatim analysis. • Statistical analysis including segmentation, conjoint analysis, regression, and multi-level regression post-stratification. • Impact evaluation. The supplier must demonstrate experience and expertise in the following qualitative research approaches in relation to communications projects: • Focus groups and depth interviews, including face-to-face, telephone and online methods. • Content analysis. • Online communities. • Message and creative testing and analysis.

We also require the supplier to demonstrate experience and expertise in supporting research practices • Desk research. • Literature reviews. • Communications behaviours change theory. • Creating robust recommendations based on evidence. • High quality slide decks and research reports. • Robust quality assurance practices. • Working with academics and other topic experts. • Working with agency partners including creative and media buyer agencies. • Innovative methods of research as recommended by the Supplier. • Working with translation providers. • Working in multi-disciplinary teams. • Using AI for time and cost efficiencies where applicable. • Coming up with innovative research methods. • Doing research with smaller audiences like landlords, faith communities and postcode targeted areas. General research requirements: • Experience in government, policy and the public sector is beneficial, but not essential.

The Supplier must, however, demonstrate expertise in delivering research on social themes, and in research relating to communications specifically. • It is not possible to specify further detail in relation to any confirmed or anticipated project topic areas, volumes, stakeholders and research method preferences. The requirements will vary for each commissioned project, and this will be dependent on business needs. • The Supplier for each requirement must demonstrate that they have expertise to deliver research projects relevant to the topic interests of the Buyer - which will include, but will not be limited to the following: o Home ownership. o Planning system, home building and regeneration. o Building safety. o Private Rented Sector. o Social housing. o Homelessness and rough sleeping. o Regional devolution. o Faith and community cohesion. o Local regeneration. o Fire safety. o Elections. • Commissioned research projects will focus on improving the Buyer's understanding of key audiences which will include, but not be limited to the following groups: o Homeowners and potential home buyers. o Private renters. o Social housing tenants. o General public. o Landlords. o Home builders and developers. o Letting agents and landlords. o Local communities, including residents and businesses. o Ethnic minorities and faith communities. o Stakeholder organisations, including industry and charities. • Projects will typically be conducted in English, but there may be circumstances where research conducted in other languages is required.

The Supplier must have access to appropriate language and translation services. • The Supplier for each requirement will be appointed on a standby basis. Due to the ad-hoc nature of the Buyer's requirements, individual projects and associated budgets will be agreed on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, this Contract does not provide any guarantee of minimum work, volumes or spend. OUTPUTS/DELIVERABLES The Supplier must be prepared to perform research projects as follows should they be commissioned: • A response to a specific project brief outlining understanding of issues/context, approach including recruitment and sampling, key risks, timings aligned to the specific requirements of each project, and costs. • Kick off meetings to agree approach with key Buyer contacts. • Design of all data capture instruments and support data protection work. • Manage of the recruitment and consent of all research participants. • Data collection and analysis. • During active projects, a weekly status meeting with emailed status update sent within 1 working day. • Provision of interim findings / analysis meeting pre-debrief. • Supply of data tables (as relevant and where applicable, weighted and with statistical significance testing). • Raw data files in Excel or SPSS for quantitative projects (Statistics Software Package for Data Analytics), and transcripts and/or recordings for qualitative research where applicable (where requested). • Short summaries of headline findings. • Verbal and/or face-to-face presentation using PowerPoint.

The Supplier will be required to give presentations on research findings to the Buyer, which may include presenting to Senior Staff, Special Advisors, and government Ministers. • The Supplier will be responsible for producing a final report per project that considers the diverse information that has been collected and clearly synthesises the key findings. Final reports may be published by the Buyer on the GOV.UK website. • Facilitation of workshops with key Buyer and Supplier personnel to embed findings (if requested/agreed on an ad hoc basis).

The Buyer requires, where requested, a 'lessons learnt' meeting covering what was successful about the research approaches taken, what challenges were faced, and any changes to the methodology that the Supplier would recommend for similar projects in the future. • Strategic analysis combining primary data with other sources of available secondary and operational data (as applicable). The Supplier will draw on a wide source of adjacent data as possible, as is appropriate for individual projects.

The Supplier must not rely solely on commissioned insight. Data sources may include, but not be limited to, management information, publicly available polling and web analytics, depending on nature of the project in question. • Identification of trends and patterns over time. • Each project will have a project steering group.

The Supplier will work collaboratively with this group - taking on board comments and suggestions, whilst also providing constructive challenge on methods of research delivery and interim conclusions drawn from the different sources of information and stages of analysis. The Supplier must make clear the limitations of the individual research projects and communicate to the Buyer where further research would be beneficial.

The Supplier will allow flexibility throughout the Contract allowing the Buyer and the Supplier to react to emerging matters and changing priorities. The Supplier's personnel allocated to commissioned projects must have experience and skills in presenting research findings in a formal presentation environment.