The Provision of a Service offering advice, guidance and support for Responsible Research and Innovation to the Information & Communications Technologies research community

UK SBS on behalf of the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) undertakes a procurement exercise for the Provision of a Service offering advice, guidance, and support for Responsible Research and Innovation to the Information & Communications Technologies (ICT) Research Community. The purpose of this tender is to source a service that the ICT community can draw on in looking at the potential consequences of its innovations.

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is an approach that seeks to promote creativity and opportunities for science and innovation that are socially desirable and undertaken in the public’s interest. The consideration of RRI often raises questions and dilemmas, it is sometimes ambiguous in terms of purposes and motivations, and unpredictable in terms of impacts, beneficial or otherwise.

The application of RRI requires spaces and processes to explore these aspects of innovation in an open, inclusive, and timely way. In order to encourage RRI in ICT research there is a need to provide a service that will offer advice, guidance, and support.

EPSRC is looking to appoint a contractor that will provide this service and will recognise and meet the needs of the UK community. The estimated cost of the service over the five-year period is £1 million.

Over the course of the contract period, the expectation is that a significant portion of the costs will be met by subscriptions by the community to the service, such that by the end of the contract, the service will be self-sustaining. EPSRC will provide £450,000 of the service costs.

About UK Shared Business Services UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) brings a commercial attitude to the public sector; helping our customers improve efficiency, generate savings and modernise. It is our vision to become the leading provider for our customers of shared business services in the UK public sector, continuously reducing cost and improving quality of business services for Government and the public sector.

Our broad range of expert services is shared by our customers. This allows our customers the freedom to focus resources on core activities; innovating and transforming their own organisations.

UK SBS is a people rather than task focused business. It’s what makes us different to the traditional transactional shared services centre.

What is more, being a not-for-profit organisation owned by its customers, UK SBS’ goals are aligned with the public sector and delivering best value for the UK taxpayer. If UK SBS is procuring the Contract or Framework as a central purchasing body for multiple Customers who are other contracting authorities.This means that other contracting authorities named in this OJEU Notice may use the Contract or Framework.

Additional information: All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for procurement values that exceed Regulation 5 (Threshold amounts) This procurement will be managed electronically via the Crown Commercial Service’s e-Sourcing Suite. To participate in this procurement, participants shall first be registered on the e-Sourcing Suite.

If Bidders have not yet registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link ‘Register for CCS eSourcing’. Note: registration may take some time please ensure that you allow a suffient amount of time to register.

Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at http://ccs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/i-am-supplier/respondtender Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing ExpressionOfInterest@ccs.gsi.gov.uk.

Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for; Your organisations full name as a registered supplier; the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email. Crown Commercial Service (CCS) will process the email and then enable the Bidder to access the procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite.

The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done. As a user of the e-Sourcing Suite you will have access to Emptoris email messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event.

Please note it is your responsibility to access these emails on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information applicable to this oppertunity. For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Helpdesk (Not UK SBS Ltd ) : Freephone: 0345 010 3503 email: supplier@ccs.gsi.gov.uk Training support to respond to a requirement is available to bidders at http://www.uksbs.co.uk/services/procure/Pages/suppli er.aspx Responses must be received by the date in IV.3.4. Responses received outside or concurrently using the eSourcing process will not be accepted or considered further for this opportunity.