Published date: 4 July 2024

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 13 May 2024, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Market research services - 79310000

Location of contract

SE1 9HA

Value of contract

£68,585

Procurement reference

tender_434400/1372435

Published date

4 July 2024

Closing date

13 May 2024

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

20 June 2024

Contract end date

30 August 2024

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Call-off from a framework agreement

A mini-competition or direct purchase from a pre-established framework agreement.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

This research seeks to take an exploratory, qualitative approach to the topic of digital disadvantage. By talking to people who are - or may be at risk of being - digitally disadvantaged, and hearing more about their lived experiences of accessing and using digital services, we hope to improve our understanding of what policy interventions might be needed to better serve them and consider how we might measure and monitor digital disadvantage over the longer-term.

The research should look at experiences of digital disadvantage across sectors we regulate (in particular telecoms, media, news and online safety), considering the gateways and connectivity services that facilitate the consumption of communications by consumers. We are interested in understanding consumer experiences with digital communications services through the lenses of: accessibility, ability, affordability, attitude and awareness.

Key research aims are:
1. To understand lived experiences of digital disadvantage and how these manifest for different people, depending on demographics and personal characteristics.
2. To explore how these experiences can or might lead to poorer short- or long- term outcomes, and so build understanding of what issues there might be within existing digital services.
3. To understand how current protections and policy initiatives for consumers and citizens fail to address - or potentially worsen - outcomes.

In addition, we want to use the findings of this research to inform how we carry out research with digitally disadvantaged groups, to help us improve Ofcom's research practice in the future.

Award information

Awarded date

6 June 2024

Contract start date

20 June 2024

Contract end date

30 August 2024

Total value of contract

£68,585

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

Blue Marble Research

Address

The Old School House, Church Street, Croscombe, BA5 3QS

Reference

No reference - other

Supplier is SME?

Yes

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Address

Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA
England

Email

procurementnotice@ofcom.org.uk