Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) is a major household panel survey funded by the Economic and Social Research Council with co-funding from some government departments. It includes 3 core annual mixed mode surveys — for the main sample — approximately 26 000 households interviewed continuously throughout the year — and the Innovation Panel (IP) — approximately 1 500 household interviewed spring/summer each year. In addition, we have a programme of continuous innovation both to improve the quality of data on the core surveys and to enhance the study to extended samples and/or content. This invitation to tender covers activities associated with data collection for Waves 13 to 15 of the main survey and Waves 15 to 17 of the IP. This includes the ‘core’ annual surveys, but also a number of enhancements:
1) A boost to the general population sample of 10 000 productive households at Wave 13;
2) A refreshment sample of around 500 households added to the Innovation Panel at IP17;
3) The inclusion at Wave 14 of additional households who are associated with the core sample, such as separated or co-parenting parents who are not in sample;
4) An online survey of sample members who are identified as emigrating from the UK (to be developed during Wave 12). In addition, we ask bidders to provide information about their capacity and capability on other parts of the project which may be taken up in the future;
5) Biomarker collection at Wave 15(subject to additional funding);
6) A regular between-wave data collection exercise to identify key events that have happened to the sample member, with appropriate follow-up surveys (subject to additional funding); and
7) A parallel pregnancy study, in which sample members who become pregnant are followed up and invited to participate in 1 or 2 data collection exercises, including online and in-person interviewing, and biomarker collection (subject to additional funding). The budget for the core study, including the 3 waves of the main-stage and the Innovation Panels and enhancements 1-4 is 30 000 000 GBP including VAT.
The fieldwork period for the main-stage of Understanding Society Wave 13 will start in early January 2021 and the sample will be issued over 2 calendar years. Wave 14 will start in early January 2022, and Wave 15 in early January 2023 — thus there will be an overlapping fieldwork design. There may be a pilot survey in September 2020. The fieldwork period for the annual Innovation Panel will start in late May and run through to mid-September, with IP15 being conducted in 2022. Understanding Society is a mixed mode survey using online, face-to-face (CAPI) and telephone (CATI) data collection. Survey Organisations need to be able to demonstrate their ability to manage mixed mode surveys, while maintaining interviewer motivation and capacity for high quality face-to-face interviews still required.
