Published date: 17 November 2021
Last edited date: 17 November 2021
Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.
Contract summary
Industry
Research and development services and related consultancy services - 73000000
Location of contract
B15 3BE
Value of contract
£174,250 to £175,000
Procurement reference
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment - Agent Awareness Tracker
Published date
17 November 2021
Closing date
3 October 2021
Closing time
5pm
Contract start date
4 October 2021
Contract end date
14 March 2022
Contract type
Supply contract
Procedure type
Call-off from a dynamic purchasing system
A mini-competition or direct purchase from a pre-established dynamic purchasing system.
Contract is suitable for SMEs?
No
Contract is suitable for VCSEs?
No
Description
We need to commission external research from an agency to carry out this project on behalf of HMRC. This will comprise of them carrying out research interviews with agents, analysis and delivering their findings to support policy objectives and deliverables.
This is a Social Research contract intended to be let through Research Marketplace.
MTD is a key ministerial priority for HMRC. In July 2020, the Chancellor announced the extension of MTD to two new customer groups - VAT registered businesses (with turnovers below £85,000) from April 2022 and ITSA businesses from April 2023 - meaning over 1 million VAT registered businesses and 4.2 million ITSA businesses will be brought into MTD by April 2023. Agents will play a crucial role in supporting their clients with MTD, however, there have been indications that smaller agencies have been completely focussed on helping their clients survive during the pandemic and they have not fully taken on board these new mandation dates. This research will track agents' awareness of the changes as deadlines approach and will identify support needs to help them prepare themselves and their clients for MTD
On strategic fit: MTD is a key element of HMRC's published 10 year strategy to develop a modern, digital tax service. This research will enable HMRC to understand any shortfalls in agents' awareness of MTD rules and upcoming deadlines (including whether communications about deadlines are effective). The results will inform HMRC's transitional support activities by providing a picture of the needs of agents with different characteristics: size / experience of MTD / level of professional / external support. Many agents will need to prepare their own businesses for MTD as well as help their clients adopt the MTD rules. Agent support and advocacy for MTD is crucial for ensuring the success of the policy.
If the research is not done now, HMRC will lose the opportunity to take targeted action to provide further support to those agents whose VAT clients need to sign up next year and help them prepare their ITSA clients for mandation in 2023. Given many agents remain unconvinced about the wider benefits of MTD for ITSA, it is also sensible to have an early view on agents' attitudes to the extension of MTD to new customer groups and establish what can be done, in practical terms, to support those agents with their clients as they prepare for MTD.
More information
Attachments
-
- RM6018M-REDACTED-Call-Off-Contract-Terms for Research into Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment V2.pdf
- Signed contract
- Redacted Call-Off Contract
Award information
Awarded date
4 October 2021
Contract start date
4 October 2021
Contract end date
14 March 2022
Total value of contract
£175,000
This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.
BMG RESEARCH LTD
Address
Beech House, Greenfield Crescent,Edgbaston
BIRMINGHAM
West Midlands
B15 3BE
GBReference
Companies House number: 02841970
Supplier is SME?
No
Supplier is VCSE?
No
About the buyer
Contact name
Fintan Bradley
Address
5th Floor West, Ralli Quays
3 Stanley Street
Salford
M60 9LA
England
Telephone
07530791302
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Closing: 3 October 2021, 5pm