UK - The Pensions Regulator is seeking to build a database of market research agencies to facilitate future procurements of market studies and industry surveys.

Interested market research agencies and consultancies have to have specific pensions knowledge and/or particular methodological capability.

Research the regulator is frequently seeks ranges from market research, such as satisfaction surveys ofpeople calling the regulator's enquiry line, to technical, pension-specific research with auditors, lawyers and actuaries.

A spokeswoman told IPE it was standard practice among some UK government authorities to come up with a research framework of possible contractors to choose from as it is then only able to use firms included on that list.

"That way, we do not have to start from scratch with every procurement. Particularly in the pensions area there are only a limited number of companies we can work with."

The regulator currently used approximately 20 companies to help with its research. The maximum number of companies in the framework agreement is limited to 40 but the regulator anticipates the number will be more somewhere around 30.

The framework which is now put into place for the first time will be reviewed regularly.

Deadline for participation in the tender is September 27.