Published date: 14 June 2018

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


Closing: 12 April 2018

Contract summary

Industry

  • Public relations management services - 79416100

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£20,000 to £30,000

Procurement reference

SR120541504

Published date

14 June 2018

Closing date

12 April 2018

Contract start date

8 May 2018

Contract end date

8 November 2018

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

Background

HMRC uses more than 13,000 customer letters and forms, in addition to a growing number of emails, secure messages and SMS and online guidance (GOV.UK).

Some of these letters and forms are sent in very large volumes to a wide range of customers. For instance, our Self Assessment outputs alone are sent to c11 million people, some with a sophisticated knowledge of tax (60% of SA customers use a tax agent) and others with little tax knowledge and variable levels of reading skills (e.g. where English is not their first language).

We know that we can increase compliance and reduce low-value contact by simplifying HMRC's direct customer communications, using a more consistent tone and form of wording.

Our correspondence is a key driver of customer perceptions of HMRC, as well as of behaviour. We want to encourage more people to use our online tools and services, and discourage unnecessary telephone contact. We are making good progress, for instance, last year, 93% of Self Assessment customers completed their tax return online; we want to continue to increase these numbers.
HMRC has already reviewed and improved more than 100 of its direct customer letters, forms, emails and SMS messages, resulting in a reduction in calls from recipients.

We are now looking for specialist support from experienced communications experts to assess where we can improve further, and scale up this important work. We expect this project to take no longer than 6 months to complete, and so this will be the maximal term of the contract.

Aim and Objectives

Over the past 18 months, HMRC has reviewed and improved more than 100 of its direct customer letters, forms, emails and SMS messages, resulting in a reduction in calls from recipients.

We want to add the perspective of an external agency to this work, to see where further improvements can be made to our approach, and to learn lessons that are transferrable to HMRC teams as we look to increase the scale of this important initiative.

Key objectives include:
1. To increase compliance through direct communications that are clearer on what the customer needs to do.
2. To reduce unnecessary customer contact from customers who are confused by the content of our correspondence, or worried by its tone.
3. To encourage customers to make the shift to self-serve through digital channels where appropriate.

Project Outputs/Deliverables

The key deliverables of this project are as follows:

• To assess and recommend improvements to the simplicity, clarity and tone of a range of HMRC's outputs to Self Assessment customers.
• To recommend principles and learning points that HMRC can apply to other outputs and share with teams responsible for their production.

HMRC use an HMRC version of SAP Ariba Sourcing. Suppliers using HMRCs Ariba for the first time, will need to register, please find the guidance attached.

Once done then please email jordan.warran@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk confirming with your SAP Ariba Number.

More information

Previous notice about this procurement

Corporate Services Customer Correspondence

  • Opportunity
  • Published 12 April 2018, last edited 12 April 2018

Attachments

Award information

Awarded date

29 May 2018

Contract start date

2 July 2018

Contract end date

2 January 2019

Total value of contract

£29,950

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

QUIETROOM LIMITED

Address

40 BOWLING GREEN LANE
EC1R 0NE
GB

Reference

Companies House number: 04825570

Value of contract

£29,950

Supplier is SME?

Yes

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Contact name

Jordan Warran

Address

5W Ralli Quays
3 Stanley Street
Salford
M60 9LA
England

Email

jordan.warran@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs