Clarifications

Please contact the relevant customer /department directly . Information regarding this procurement would have been sent to filtered appointed suppliers from the DPS directly from the customer / department .

For support to update your DPSQ, please contact support@nqc.com to advise

"177 • Principal Contracts Exemption / Official Non-Applicable Questions: In accordance with Paragraph 73 of the DPS Needs document, applicants are explicitly exempt from uploading evidence for Questions 150-154, as well as Questions 166-172, 176, and 179-185 at the submission stage. • Single Contract Example Required: Bidders need only provide one (1) research contract example under Questions 55-58 of the DPSQ with a signed Attachment 1a Letter of Confirmation"

• Interpretation of 'Able to Provide': Question 100 location selections refer to geographic regions where your organisation currently delivers research services or is ready and capable to deliver now without operational barriers. • Post-Appointment Filter Updates: Appointed suppliers can update their location and service filter selections on SRS at any time post-appointment. • SRS Updating Procedure: Log into the SRS portal, set filters to 'All questionnaires' and 'Any' status, select 'Update DPSQ' underneath the assessment in the 'Appointed' stage, amend choices, and proceed to appointment to update the information.

"175 • Non-UK Entity Eligibility: Organisations incorporated outside the UK (including US, EU, and international entities) are fully eligible to apply as single legal entities. • Postcode Field Workaround: Where the SRS portal forces a UK postcode format, non-UK bidders should enter the equivalent of a UK postcode or their immediate parent company's postcode to proceed. • No Impact on Application: Using this postcode workaround will not cause any issues with a bidder's DPS application."

• Q1: Sole-Trader Eligibility & Identity: UK sole traders are fully eligible to apply. Register D&B and SRS profiles under both legal and trading names; Cyber Essentials and insurance policies match your registered identity. • Q2: Financial Assessment: Newly established sole traders without a D&B score provide alternative evidence (cash-flow forecast, bank statement); a financial guarantor is not compulsory if alternative risk is acceptable. • Q3: Insurance Timing & Exemption: Public & Professional Indemnity must be active by the DPS Start/Appointment Date; sole traders without staff select the statutory Employer's Liability exemption. • Q4: Subcontracting on Other Bids: Organisations appointed to the DPS can add sub-contractors for specific procurements at a later date, provided they inform the relevant Buyer during the call-off competition procedure. • Q5: Approaching Prime Bidders: Permitted when lacking capacity as prime; bidders must maintain confidentiality, avoid price-fixing, and declare any commercial conflicts. • Q6: Contract Example Eligibility: The contract example provided must relate to research services delivered during the past three years prior to the publication of the contract notice. Sole traders can rely on past personal project work verified via Attachment 1a (Letter of Confirmation). • Q7: Charges & Management Levy: Zero joining or annual fees; the 1% Management Levy is payable strictly on invoiced RM6126 contract revenue (with monthly "nil returns" via ReportMI if no revenue is generated).

To join (Empanelment) the DPS, please visit and register on https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sr Details of the DPS can be found https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps/RM6126?nav=0 For assistance with your application, should an issue arise, could you please liaise with the support service for Supplier Registration at: SRS service desk; +44 (0) 161 413 7982; Support@nqc.com

As they are international, I believe you are not required to have a Companies House registration and can simply use "000000" on their application. However, you will need to contact NQC to advise on the technical side and receive any support in resubmitting their application. Email: support@nqc.com Phone: 0161 413 7982

As they are international, I believe you are not required to have a Companies House registration and can simply use "000000" on their application. However, you will need to contact NQC to advise on the technical side and receive any support in resubmitting their application. Email: support@nqc.com Phone: 0161 413 7982

In accordance with the Guidance on adopting and applying PPN 06/21, CCS can confirm that should a bidder not provide a Carbon Reduction Plan, their bid will fail unless the reason that the bidder is unable to provide a Carbon Reduction Plan is that the bidder's organisation is less than 12 months old. If a bidding organisation is less than 12 months old and can confirm their commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 and that they will publish a Carbon Reduction Plan as soon as possible (providing details as to when it will be published), then, under these circumstances, their bid will not fail. In all other circumstances, a bidder must provide a Carbon Reduction Plan in order to be appointed to the DPSQ. For clarity, the question applies to all bidders to the DPS, regardless of the size of the bidder, because there is potential for contracts to meet the threshold of £5m annual value. The Carbon Reduction plan must include the bidder's current carbon footprint and its commitment to reducing emissions to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. Please note that an acceptable interim measure would be to submit an early draft Carbon Reduction Plan if you have also signed up to the Market Research Society (MRS) Carbon Net Zero Pledge. If you can confirm that you are on that list of signees (found here), then we can accept your final Carbon Reduction Plan at a later date. If you would like assistance with creating your Carbon Reduction Plan, Crown Commercial Service will be holding a series of online training sessions on producing Carbon Reduction Plans, to help suppliers meet compliance with procurement policy, PPN 06/21. You are able to sign up for the training, free of charge, at this link. SME bidders may find the list of potential resources & tools at the end of the FAQ document useful in establishing their footprint to begin developing their plan. The FAQs can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0621-taking-account-of-carbon-reduction-plans-in-the-procurement-of-major-government-contracts

In accordance with the RM6126 Research & Insights Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) guidance, GCA can confirm that it is possible for an organisation appointed as a sole entity to add subcontractors for specific procurements at a later date. We recognise that arrangements in relation to Subcontracting and Groups of Economic Operators may be subject to future change and may not be finalised until a later date. You need only disclose those Subcontractors who directly contribute to your ability to meet your obligations under the DPS Appointment Form. For clarity, any changes to arrangements in relation to Subcontracting which are made following the award will be dealt with in accordance with DPS Joint Schedule 6 (Key Subcontractors) of the DPS Appointment Form. Please note that if you foresee requiring various different subcontractors depending on specific future work, you do not need to list them at the initial DPS agreement level. Instead, you should simply inform the relevant Buyer during the Competition Procedure (call-off stage) if you intend to use sub-contractors and provide their details at that time.

Yes, CCS can confirm that you are required to have Cyber Essentials (basic) certification OR ISO 270001 in place in order to be appointed to the RM6126 Research & Insights DPS agreement.

"The LOCOW's purpose is a non-negotiable requirement for prior proof of successful project completion in the research area, which demonstrates the supplier is qualified to apply for the DPS. This requirement is non-negotiable and is clearly stated in the Buyers needs documents on page 3 . The Letter of Confirmation template is a templated documents that you are free to amend/change the wording as needed. The documents do not need to contain any commercially or security sensitive information; they are simply a reference that the supplier has completed work in the research field and provides CCS with the guarantee that the supplier is qualified to apply for the DPS. Further guidance : You must provide one (1) example of research works undertaken. Your response must include: a) A summary of the works/contract, demonstrating your technical capability and capacity to deliver a research project, detailing: - project name and research topic - research participants (where applicable) - methodology and approach b) The objectives and/or key performance indicators, set by the customer at the start of the contract, and how you were able to meet them (including targets and the results you achieved). The character count for the contract example is 4096 characters (including spaces) Response Guidance: • ork can be ongoing it doesn't have to be completed Example can be from the public or private sector • Example provided must relate to services delivered during the past three (3) years, prior to publication of the contract notice to be valid as evidence for this procurement (i.e. not started before October 2018) • The customer contact provided must be notified by you that they may be contacted by the Authority (the Authority reserves the right to validate the accuracy of details provided) • Example must clearly and unambiguously fall within the scope of the research services • Example of a contract awarded under Framework/DPS Agreements via call off contracts will be considered valid, but Framework Agreements themselves will NOT be considered valid • Customer contact provided must not have been employed or appointed by your organisation, or from within your associated group of companies, within the past three (3) years prior to the publication of the contract notice for RM6126 Research & Insights DPS (i.e. October 2018) • Example may cover situations where your organisation was acting as prime contractor, key sub-contractor or part of a Group of Economic Operators • The signature must be a wet signature where possible and not a printed name of the customer contact, if obtaining a wet signature is not possible then customer contact details will be used to validate the accuracy of details provided "

"For the RM6126 DPS You must provide one (1) example of research works undertaken. Your response must include: a) A summary of the works/contract, demonstrating your technical capability and capacity to deliver a research project, detailing: - project name and research topic - research participants (where applicable) - methodology and approach b) The objectives and/or key performance indicators, set by the customer at the start of the contract, and how you were able to meet them (including targets and the results you achieved). The character count for the contract example is 4096 characters (including spaces) Response Guidance: • ork can be ongoing it doesn't have to be completed Example can be from the public or private sector • Example provided must relate to services delivered during the past three (3) years, prior to publication of the contract notice to be valid as evidence for this procurement (i.e. not started before October 2018) • The customer contact provided must be notified by you that they may be contacted by the Authority (the Authority reserves the right to validate the accuracy of details provided) • Example must clearly and unambiguously fall within the scope of the research services • Example of a contract awarded under Framework/DPS Agreements via call off contracts will be considered valid, but Framework Agreements themselves will NOT be considered valid • Customer contact provided must not have been employed or appointed by your organisation, or from within your associated group of companies, within the past three (3) years prior to the publication of the contract notice for RM6126 Research & Insights DPS (i.e. October 2018) • Example may cover situations where your organisation was acting as prime contractor, key sub-contractor or part of a Group of Economic Operators • The signature must be a wet signature where possible and not a printed name of the customer contact, if obtaining a wet signature is not possible then customer contact details will be used to validate the accuracy of details provided "

"The LOCOW's purpose is a non-negotiable requirement for prior proof of successful project completion in the research area, which demonstrates the supplier is qualified to apply for the DPS. This requirement is non-negotiable and is clearly stated in the Buyers needs documents on page 3 . The Letter of Confirmation template is a templated documents that you are free to amend/change the wording as needed. The documents do not need to contain any commercially or security sensitive information; they are simply a reference that the supplier has completed work in the research field and provides CCS with the guarantee that the supplier is qualified to apply for the DPS. Further guidance : You must provide one (1) example of research works undertaken. Your response must include: a) A summary of the works/contract, demonstrating your technical capability and capacity to deliver a research project, detailing: - project name and research topic - research participants (where applicable) - methodology and approach b) The objectives and/or key performance indicators, set by the customer at the start of the contract, and how you were able to meet them (including targets and the results you achieved). The character count for the contract example is 4096 characters (including spaces) Response Guidance: • ork can be ongoing it doesn't have to be completed Example can be from the public or private sector • Example provided must relate to services delivered during the past three (3) years, prior to publication of the contract notice to be valid as evidence for this procurement (i.e. not started before October 2018) • The customer contact provided must be notified by you that they may be contacted by the Authority (the Authority reserves the right to validate the accuracy of details provided) • Example must clearly and unambiguously fall within the scope of the research services • Example of a contract awarded under Framework/DPS Agreements via call off contracts will be considered valid, but Framework Agreements themselves will NOT be considered valid • Customer contact provided must not have been employed or appointed by your organisation, or from within your associated group of companies, within the past three (3) years prior to the publication of the contract notice for RM6126 Research & Insights DPS (i.e. October 2018) • Example may cover situations where your organisation was acting as prime contractor, key sub-contractor or part of a Group of Economic Operators • The signature must be a wet signature where possible and not a printed name of the customer contact, if obtaining a wet signature is not possible then customer contact details will be used to validate the accuracy of details provided

The process for new suppliers application to the DPS is relatively easy and providing all information is supplied. The typical turn around between the supplier submitting their application and becoming appointed would be no more than 10 working days.. However, how long it takes to register completely depends on the bidding entity's readiness. If they have their contract example lined up with letters of confirmation and their financial status passed the risk threshold and there is nothing outstanding then it can be as quick as a few days to a few weeks.

Thank you for your message. Please be advised that as part of your obligation to operate on this DPS, it is a requirement to submit MI reports regardless of their status.

From 2025, clients may publish notices on Contracts Finder. CCS actively collaborates with clients through a working group focused on building a pipeline, which is communicated to suppliers via the newsletter. ITT notices will be issued through either the CCS e-sourcing tool or the clients' own systems. Additionally, CCS recommends that clients utilise our e-sourcing tool for further competitions, as suppliers are already preloaded into the system.

To resolve this, you can enter "000000," which should fix the issue.

To resolve this, you can enter "000000," which should fix the issue.