DD2612 Market Research Fieldwork Recruitment

1.1.    The role of the GLA is to create the conditions whereby all Londoners can thrive. Using traditional and innovative social research methods, the Opinion Research team provides evidence and insight into public opinion and behaviours. This is used to support effective and impactful policymaking, and the development of strategies and programmes, at City Hall.

1.2.    Qualitative research is regularly delivered by researchers at the GLA, though participants are usually recruited on a project-by-project basis through a market research fieldwork recruitment supplier. 

1.3.    In February 2019, the GLA commissioned a market research fieldwork recruitment supplier on a contract for one year to simplify the process of recruiting research participants – thereby delivering qualitative research, and providing value for money. The initial contract lasted for one year, with the option to extend in one-year increments for up to a further three years. The contract was extended in one-year increments until March 2023. Expenditure of £100,000 was approved under ADD2307 and DD2472.

1.4.    We now seek approval to commission a new four-year contract with a market research fieldwork recruitment supplier to recruit participants for research delivered by the GLA. This will be used to support effective and impactful policymaking, and the development of strategies and programmes, at City Hall. Services would be commissioned from April 2023 to March 2027. This work will be procured in accordance with the Contracts and Funding Code.
 

2.1.    The objective is to enable the recruitment of participants, as may be required, and thus to conduct qualitative research with a variety of Londoners and provide insight to policy teams and the Mayor.

2.2.    The expected outcome is that the views and experiences of Londoners help inform policy and decision-making at City Hall. 
 

3.1.    The GLA is required, in the exercise of its functions, to have due regard to the need to:

•    eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010
•    advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
•    foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

3.2.    The GLA has an obligation under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty to consider how its policies and decisions affect people who are protected under the Act. Through the market research fieldwork recruitment contract, the appointed supplier will be used to recruit persons who have a protected characteristic. Recruiting persons who have a protected characteristic will allow research conducted by the GLA to be inclusive of all Londoners. It will allow the GLA to understand any differences in perceptions and experiences among these groups of Londoners; and to give due consideration to how best to meet their needs. The market research fieldwork recruitment contract will also help ensure policy teams and the Mayor use insight from these groups of Londoners in the development of GLA policies and programmes.
 

Key risks and issues

4.1.    The key risk is that the commissioned market research fieldwork recruitment supplier is unable to recruit specific target groups for qualitative research. The technical evaluation assessment will require tendering agencies to demonstrate that they are capable, and have experience, of recruiting Londoners with a range of demographic and socio-economic characteristics, and through a variety of channels and methods (e.g. face-to-face, online, through local community groups, etc).

 
4.2.    The contract requirements as delivered during the previous four-year contract met the GLA’s needs. No issues were raised, and the Opinion Research team was satisfied with the performance of the appointed supplier.

4.3.    The new contract will include twice-yearly contract review meetings to evaluate and discuss performance as well as areas for improvement.

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.4.    The Mayor’s 2021 Manifesto cites ‘promoting fairness and equality’ as a top Mayoral commitment. The Mayor is committed to ensuring that policymakers in City Hall are fully aware of public needs as early as possible. For this to happen, policymakers need to be able to engage with, and gather insight from, people from diverse backgrounds, with different perspectives and experiences. Targeted participant recruitment will allow the Opinion Research team to engage with a variety of groups when conducting qualitative research.

Consultations and impact assessments

4.5.    Being able to conduct qualitative research with a variety of Londoners will ensure that the GLA involves a broad constituency of people in our work. Consultation helps the GLA to make better-informed decisions, and makes us more accountable to the public.

Declarations of interest

4.6.    There are no conflicts of interest to note for any of the officers involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form.
 

5.1.    Approval is sought for expenditure of up to £140,000. The expenditure will be funded from the existing Opinion Research and Statistics team budget held within the City Intelligence Unit that is part of Strategy and Communications directorate. This is subject to the confirmation of the GLA budget in Quarter 4 2022/23.

5.2.    The contract will be awarded via a competitive tender process and will last four years from April 2023 to March 2027.

5.3.    The requested expenditure of up to £140,000 is based on: spend to date under the current four-year contract; and expected spend over the next four years. In total, £90,000 has been spent to date under the current contract (via ADD2307 and DD2472). However, the demand for qualitative research reduced during the pandemic, which meant that less was spent than expected.

5.4.    Approximately 50% of the previous years’ expenditure is for projects commissioned for other departments within the GLA, and budget is vired to cover these costs.    

5.5.    Expenditure will be on a project-by-project basis; therefore, the GLA will not be committed to spending the full £140,000. We expect to spend between £20,000 and £35,000 each year over the next four years.
 

6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Executive Director of Strategy and Communications concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further, or that are facilitative of or conductive or incidental to, the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or improvement of the environment, in Greater London.

6.2.    In implementing the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers should comply with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
•    consult with appropriate bodies.

6.3.    In taking the decisions requested, as noted in section 3 above, the Executive Director of Strategy and Communications must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, namely the need to: eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it; and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. To this end, the Executive Director of Strategy and Communications should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.4.    Section 1 of this report indicates that part of the sought budget will amount to the provision of payment for services. Officers must ensure that the funding is distributed fairly; transparently; in accordance with the GLA’s equality policy and subsidy control rules; and in a manner that affords value for money in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code. Officers must ensure that an appropriate funding agreement is put in place and executed by the GLA and the recipient before any commitment to funding is made.
 

7.1.    TfL Commercial has been consulted. We will follow a competitive tender process via a request for quotation among market research fieldwork suppliers.

7.2.    The Opinion Research team will manage the contract.