UKRI Permanent Recruitment Framework

Operating across the whole of the UK and with a combined budget of more than £6 billion, UK Research and Innovation represents the largest reform of the research and innovation funding landscape in the last 50 years. As an independent non-departmental public body UK Research and Innovation brings together the seven Research Councils (AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, STFC) plus Innovate UK and a new organisation, Research England.

UK Research and Innovation ensures the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. This is done by creating the best environment for research and innovation to flourish.

Each council within UKRI sits within a range of sectors, with links to academia and industry. This calls for a host of specialist recruitment partners to meet these needs.

The current Frameworks available to UKRI, offer a few agencies, but limits UKRI when it comes to seeking specific qualities such as expertise in science, technology and commercialisation of innovation. By putting in a dedicated framework built of relevant specialist agencies we expect to have a more accessible range of partners to efficiently select from.

This will also help us develop effective relationships and enable agencies to learn about the organisation, thus further improving the service delivered. UK Research and Innovation are looking to put in place a dedicated recruitment framework, primarily to deliver executive search for niche, high profile, senior roles from directorate through to council members.

It is envisaged that the framework will be split between 7 lots, as detailed below; • Executive Search - Council Members • Executive Search - Space/Aerospace Senior Roles • Executive Search - Bioscience/Medical/Pharmaceutical Senior Roles • Executive Search - Environmental Science Senior Roles • Executive Search -Physics/Engineering Senior Roles • Executive Search - Social Science/Economics Senior Roles • Executive Search - Arts/Humanities Senior Roles UKRI are looking to appoint suppliers on this framework who will be precisely positioned within relevant markets and able to meet specific technical needs arising from across UKRI, using targeted sector knowledge to satisfy unique recruiting needs. All suppliers on the framework will deliver a strong service proposition to both UKRI and candidates.

Underpinning all sector expertise will be a drive that supports the diversity agenda promoting true diversity of thought and character, throughout the approach to search. The framework will be in place for an initial 2-year period with the option to extend for a further 1+1 with an estimated value of £2.5 - 3 Million over the 4 year duration.

Additional information: A supplier workshop will be held at Jurys Inn, Fleming Way, Swindon, SN1 2NG on Monday 9th March 2020 when potential Bidders will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the requirement. There will be a presentation from UKRI that outlines the key required outcomes of this contract, and there will also be an opportunity for Suppliers to ask questions.

At this stage the final strategy is still being finalised and input from the market will help in the preparation of the procurement. If you are interested in attending a supplier engagement session, please confirm your attendance by visiting: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ukri-recruitment-framework... and registering your interest.

Please note space is limited on the supplier day so we can only allow for a maximum of 30 individuals to attend. Therefore , attendance will be based on a first come first serve basis and is restricted to 2 people per supplier.

We request that attendance is restricted to key members of your organisation that would be able to add value to the discussions that will take place. A formal Request for Proposal will be released via Tenders Electronic Daily and Contracts Finder once the supplier day has taken place and the Contracting Authority have finalised the strategy and documentation.

This Prior Information Notice is being issued in order to undertake a market consultation exercise with regards to the requirements detailed above. UK Research and Innovation would like to invite suppliers to attend this engagement session in order to assess the market's appetite, gather intelligence and view on the approach of procuring the work.

The final procurement strategy is still subject to discussion and change. The key element that we are looking to discuss will be around ensuring a deeper overview of the project and growth to date is understood by suppliers as well as what the contract is looking to deliver.

It is the plan that suppliers will be able to provide insight from a market perspective of the key areas that will be required as part of the specification to ensure quality submissions are submitted. UK Research and Innovation 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 an 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. To confirm any slides and minutes of the meeting will be shared when and if a future procurement is conducted.