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Tender description

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) was established in 2006 to transform research in the NHS. As the most integrated clinical research system in the world, the NIHR drives research from bench to bedside for the benefit of patients and the economy. The NIHR: — funds high quality research to improve health, — trains and supports health researchers, — provides world-class research facilities, — works with the life sciences industry and charities to benefit all, — involves patients and the public at every step. The NIHR has a number of contracts for the provision of support services to assist with the management and coordination of the health research system. Two such contracts come to an end in March 2020: — The NIHR Centre for Dissemination (NCD), and — NIHR Coordinating Centre for Patient and Public Involvement, Participation and Engagement (PPIPE) in Research. The aim of this tendering exercise will be to identify suitable contractor(s) for the above mentioned centres. The NIHR Centre for Dissemination (NCD) was established in April 2015, with a remit to improve awareness and uptake of research evidence, particularly from the NIHR, by people working in health and social care. The NCD produces regular, accessible summaries of recent single studies (NIHR and non-NIHR) through Signals; broader Themed Reviews of key topic areas 3 times a year; and a range of shorter topic-based summaries, collections and blog campaigns (Highlights, 6 per year). In addition The NCD undertakes a range of engagement and communications work, including events, partnership working and social media campaigns. The NCD has built a significant and engaged audience over this period, and has embarked on a number of potentially high-impact partnerships with organisations such as Royal Colleges and the BMJ. It is therefore important that the next phase of NCD activity effectively capitalises on this progress, enhancing the successful elements of work and generating new approaches based on learning to date. It is envisaged that the NCD will: — play a key role within the NIHR to support dissemination activity and help shape NIHR thinking in this area, — produce a range of evidence summaries at appropriate pace and scale and based on robust and efficient business processes, — forge active partnerships with practitioners, patients and service users at every stage of the dissemination process to ensure products are relevant and usable, — work at national level to inform policy and practice, drawing on extensive knowledge in health services research, public health, mental health and social care research. The aim of the proposed tendering exercise is to identify a suitable contractor to undertake the role of the NCD. The new Contract is for the function to be in place from April 2020 with an anticipated 5 year duration. Please be advised that TUPE may apply to this contract. The NIHR’s partnership with the public has become one of its hallmarks and the NIHR remains firmly committed to Patient and Public Involvement, Participation and Engagement (PPIPE) in research. The NIHR works to ensure that patients, carers and the public are involved in all the processes by which research is identified, prioritised, designed, conducted, evaluated and disseminated. Central to the leadership, coordination and delivery of this agenda is the role of the INVOLVE Coordinating Centre, a national Centre which has, to date, focused its efforts on Patient and Public Involvement in NIHR research. There remains a need for a national Coordinating Centre going forward and this Prior Information Notice is designed to advise interested parties of this on-going need. It is envisaged that the Coordinating Centre will: — provide expertise, support, guidance and challenge to NIHR and stakeholder research to be done ‘with’ and ‘by’ the public, — ensure NIHR structures and strategic decision-making involve, and are informed by, patient and public voice, — support NIHR policy development and strategy in this area, including anticipation of emerging involvement issues / trends to maximise continuous improvement, informed by patient and public patient voice, — generate and influence partnership, connectivity and knowledge exchange in and beyond NIHR, including regional networks that enable national to local structure and leadership The re-tendering exercise is for the NIHR Coordinating Centre for PPIPE. The aim of this tendering exercise is to identify a suitable contractor to provide national coordination of NIHR work that aims to promote PPIPE in health and social care research. The new contract is for an NIHR Coordinating Centre function to be in place from February 2020 with an anticipated five year duration. Please be advised that TUPE may apply to this contract.