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Knowledge exchange and adoption in UK public services

Cabinet Office · Central government

In brief

Cabinet Office has announced plans to buy research work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

The estimated value is £100,000 excluding VAT.

The contract runs for 6 months, starting 1 September 2026.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Competition

Usually high: a median of 6 bids per contract for research contracts across the UK (from 426 awards in the last 12 months).

What the notice says

The Cabinet Office and No10 Delivery Unit are exploring how government can support the exchange of learning and the successful adoption of smart practice across the UK's public services. The requirement is still being developed, and this preliminary market engagement will be used to understand market interest and capacity to deliver a 6-month research project in late 2026/early 2027 and to help refine the final requirement. A potential requirement may involve conducting an evidence review of approaches to knowledge exchange in complex systems, with a focus on knowledge which supports the practical process of adoption; and producing recommendations for government to accelerate adoption (e.g.…Read the full description
The Cabinet Office and No10 Delivery Unit are exploring how government can support the exchange of learning and the successful adoption of smart practice across the UK's public services. The requirement is still being developed, and this preliminary market engagement will be used to understand market interest and capacity to deliver a 6-month research project in late 2026/early 2027 and to help refine the final requirement. A potential requirement may involve conducting an evidence review of approaches to knowledge exchange in complex systems, with a focus on knowledge which supports the practical process of adoption; and producing recommendations for government to accelerate adoption (e.g. through the use of targeted incentives, capability-building and accountability frameworks) across the public sector, drawing from international examples as well as evidence from the private sector. This research will support the government's Test, Learn and Grow programme - which looks to design, test and scale innovative solutions to complex challenges, with a focus on continuous learning and improvement - and No10 Delivery Unit, which aims to turn policy into real-world impact that is felt by the public whilst supporting the adoption of delivery best practice across government. This notice is not a call for competition, does not formally commence a procurement process, and is issued solely for the purpose of gathering information and insight from the market. It is likely that the existing Crown Commercial Services Research and Insights DPS (RM6126) will be used for any future procurement. If you would like to attend a Market Engagement Event please advise by email by Monday 6 July.

How to bid

  1. Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
  2. Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
  3. Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.

Timeline

  1. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 060304-2026
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 060560-2026

About the buyer

Cabinet OfficeLast 12 months

Procurements

45

Awards

27

Suppliers it has used most for research

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From notice 060304-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 26 June 2026, last updated 29 June 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.