Title and Reference – PCC/D/113
Subject: Project to identify Academic Research Provider of Independent Needs Assessment to inform 24/25 Commissioning
Report of: Police and Crime Commissioner
Date: 13/11/2023

Summary:

A decision was made to allocate funding up to £25,000 for an independent academic needs assessment to build upon a needs assessment generated by the commissioning team, covering the topics detailed above and will form a usable document to inform future commissioning cycles, development of the police and crime plan, inform collaborative conversations and to support lobbying of funding authorities.

The process was completed in line with the OPCCs commitment to working closely with 7 Force Commercial Services, ensuring that the Commissioning Team and wider OPCC adhere to the local Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders which set out the following financial thresholds:

• £0-£5,000 – one written quote required to commission services
• £5,000 – £50,000 – three written quotes required to commission services
• £50,000 and above – services to be commissioned via competitive tender.

For this process, 4 academic bodies were contacted to obtain quotes to complete the academic research that was to be commissioned. The following academic bodies were contacted, each have an interest/ specialism in policing/ sociology/ victim and offender engagement which relates to the need for the research piece.

• Anglia Ruskin University – Policing Institute for the Eastern Region
• University of Bedfordshire – Research and Innovation Service
• Cambridge University – Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing (CCEBP)
• Hertfordshire University – Research for Police and criminal justice.

Following contact with each academic body, formal quotations were received from the CCEBP and University of Bedfordshire and introductory conversations to discuss the scope of the project were held, with the other organisations declining to engage with the opportunity. A process was completed by the Commissioning Team to determine the most advantageous approach to completing the research and due to the format of research that was presented, availability, capacity and experience, a decision was made to progress with CCEBP to deliver a focused piece of research with a mixed methodology.

Actual Cost – £20,833 – however the OPCC have allocated £25,000 to allow for any contingencies that come from the team that will conduct the research.

The OPCC will reallocate any of that underspend if it is not used.

Recommendation

A recommendation is made to commission CCEBP to complete the academic research piece following the outcome of the procurement exercise where 4 quotations were requested, and quotations were provided by 2 academic bodies. Due to the timeliness of the activity and the format of research that was presented, availability, capacity, and experience, CCEBP present as the most appropriate provider.

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner
I hereby approve the recommendations above.