Contracts
Research & development
Public sector contract notices in research & development, from Find a Tender and Contracts Finder.
Narrow by region
Research & development notices
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Participatory & Deliberative Engagement: A Stronger, Fairer Community in Maidstone Town Centre
Maidstone Borough Council wants an independent organisation to design and deliver a participatory engagement programme in the town centre, exploring residents' lived experience and identifying ways to strengthen community resilience with a focus on fairness and inclusivity.
-
Closed
State of Medical Education and Practice (SoMEP) Barometer Survey 2026
The GMC needs a survey research organisation to conduct their annual Barometer survey in 2026, measuring doctors' career intentions, workplace experiences, and adaptation to pressure. The findings will feed into the State of Medical Education and Practice report.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Provision of Site Viability Assessments
Dover District Council is seeking a provider to carry out site viability assessments. The notice gives no detail on scope, number of sites, or methodology.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
External Landlord Intervention 3 - 2026
Carmarthenshire County Council wants a consultant to work with landlords and property owners to bring vacant units back into use in Ammanford, Carmarthen and Llanelli town centres. The role involves direct engagement, identifying solutions, and supporting delivery of an external landlord intervention programme.
-
Closed
Perceptions of Practice Placements on Social Work Courses
Social Work England wants a mixed-methods research study on how social work students and newly qualified workers experience practice placements. The study will examine placement quality, sufficiency and regional variation, and deliver findings by December 2026.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Mid Devon Housing and Economic Needs Assessment
Mid Devon District Council needs a consultant to produce a Housing and Economic Needs Assessment for the district. This will be evidence for their new local plan and related strategies.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
DNP0030-26 Provision of Blended Finance Plan and Business Model for Walkham Valley Landscape Recovery Project
Dartmoor National Park Authority needs a green finance consultant to develop a blended finance plan and business model for the Walkham Valley Landscape Recovery Project, a large-scale nature restoration programme funded through Defra's Landscape Recovery scheme. The work covers the two-year Project Development Phase.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Circular Economy Data Policy Analysis
University of Exeter is seeking specialist support to design, analyse and model a National Circular Economy Data Observatory. The work will develop an evidence base for circular economy policy and practice across defined sectors and supply chains.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
London Museum- New Museum Project - Deep Time: Audience Research
London Museum needs audience research services for the Deep Time Exhibition, which will be housed in the Poultry Market at Smithfield as part of their new museum project. The work covers research to understand visitor engagement and behaviour for this exhibition.
-
Closed
Proposition Design Consultancy Services for Digital & AI Skills building
The King's Trust is commissioning design and development of a national Digital & AI Skills training programme for young people aged 16–30, with a focus on those facing digital exclusion. The work covers proposition design, pilot content development, and planning for scale-up over a four-month period.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendlyFramework
Establishing a framework for consultancy on Disability Inclusion
The British Council is establishing a framework agreement for consultancy services on disability inclusion. They work across arts, education, inclusive communities and English language education globally.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Civility in Public Life Workshops and Resources
The LGA wants a contractor to deliver online workshops for councillors on personal safety and handling online abuse, create accompanying resources, and provide optional regional or bespoke training. There's also a national workshop on safer canvassing planned ahead of the 2027 local elections.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
GB-Liverpool: Evaluation Partner - to Evaluate the Impact that Torus Foundation has across Torus Neighbourhoods and Communities
Torus Foundation wants an independent evaluator to assess the social impact of its foundation programmes across neighbourhoods and communities from April 2023 to March 2026. The work includes measuring social return on investment, reviewing data collection practices, benchmarking against good practice, and developing theories of change.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Wind Flow Generation Equipment Requirement
Satellite Applications Catapult needs a single modular wind flow generation system for testing unmanned aerial systems and autonomous platforms. The system must be controllable and produce repeatable, configurable wind conditions.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Supply of Potency Assay Services for RNA and RNA‑LNP products
The Centre for Process Innovation needs a laboratory to run cell-based, in vitro potency assays to measure the biological activity of RNA and RNA-LNP (lipid nanoparticle) products. The assays will be used to check consistency and efficacy during production.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Suffolk Housing Needs Assessment (JLP)
Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council seek a consultant to conduct a Suffolk-wide housing needs assessment covering five local authorities. The study will inform housing policy and planning across the region.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
1030972047 25-005 - Review of the operational requirements for GSMR radio - Phase 2
RSSB needs someone to update its GSM-R failure model, applying quantified risk analysis and statistical techniques. The work covers five tasks: updating knock-on risk and model assumptions, migrating to Safety Risk Model v10, recalculating results, and delivering a final report.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
How many new homes are not new builds - and how can planning help deliver more?
The Planning Officers Society wants case studies on how planning helps deliver new homes without new builds - looking at 8-10 examples of areas that have increased housing supply. They'll partner with an academic researcher or planning consultancy to develop this work.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Guidance for sport, leisure, and physical activity services on local government reorganisation
The LGA and Sport England want a practical guide for council officers and elected members on managing sport, leisure and physical activity services during local government reorganisation. The guide should be concise and tailored to the challenges of LGR.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
New Hospital 2.0 Demand & Capacity Modelling
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust needs demand projections, capacity modelling, and scenario analysis to inform their New Hospital 2.0 business case. The work involves navigating the NHP modelling process, translating outputs for stakeholders, and contributing to workforce planning.
-
Closed
What Works Centre for Children and Families
The Department for Education is funding a What Works Centre for Children and Families to generate and champion evidence on interventions that work in children's social care. The centre will conduct research, run programmes, and carry out evaluations to inform policy and practice from April 2027.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Plan Mid Devon Viability Assessment
Mid Devon District Council needs a viability assessment to support its new Local Plan. The work will evaluate whether proposed developments and policies are financially viable and deliverable, with particular focus on affordable housing provision.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
MSRA / SJT Discovery
NHS England wants a discovery phase to explore options for redesigning psychometric and situational judgement testing for medical recruitment (MSRA/SJT). This is early-stage research to inform a later full tender.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
RFQ - Local Supplier Support Project 2026
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea wants a consultant to help local SMEs access business opportunities, including contracts from the council and major local developments. The work focuses on maximising local economic and social value.
-
ClosedSmall-firm friendly
Income Protection Research
Fair4All Finance needs research into why people on precarious incomes struggle to access affordable protection products (insurance), and what barriers insurers face in offering them. The focus is on identifying both consumer problems and supply-side constraints.