The Northern Ireland Health Collective is inviting tenders for an applied research commission exploring contracting between HSCNI bodies and VCSE organisations in Northern Ireland.
The commission will examine how VCSE organisations experience HSC contract design, management, monitoring and sustainability, with a particular focus on services delivered across health, social care and community-based health and wellbeing.
The research will produce a concise, evidence-informed recommendations brief for HSCNI commissioners and system leaders. It will identify practical and proportionate improvements that could strengthen outcomes, partnership working, service continuity, transparency and value for money within current commissioning and contracting arrangements.
The work will be grounded primarily in the experience of VCSE organisations that currently hold HSC contracts, with proportionate commissioner input to test the feasibility of emerging recommendations.
Who should apply
We are particularly interested in proposals from researchers or research teams with experience in:
- applied policy or service research
- commissioning and contracting
- health and social care
- VCSE sector delivery
- qualitative engagement
- producing accessible outputs for senior decision-makers
What to include in your proposal
Tenderers should submit a concise proposal setting out:
- understanding of the commission
- proposed methodology
- workplan and timetable
- relevant experience
- team roles
- governance and data protection arrangements
- key risks and mitigations
- any assumptions or dependencies
The full invitation to tender, including the research brief, submission requirements and assessment criteria, is available in the link below alongside the application form:
Research tender VCSE–HSC contracting in Northern Ireland
All submissions to be sent to paula@nihealthcollective.org.uk
Submission deadline
30 October, 11:59 pm
