National broadcaster, RTÉ is set to pay an estimated €755,000 over a three-year period to firms to carry out audience market research on its behalf.
A new tender by RTÉ states that the broadcaster is seeking to set up a framework of suppliers for Market Research Services "to facilitate our understanding of our audiences and enable optimum performance of the business in fulfilling its public service remit”.
The tender states that the broadcaster is seeking the framework of suppliers “who can provide quality market research services in a cost-effective manner”.
The publication of the tender comes against the background of sliding TV licence revenues in the wake of spate of controversies that have engulfed RTÉ since late last June.
Recent figures show that TV licence fee income has dropped by €21.9 million from late June 2023 to late February compared to the same period the previous year.
The new tender states that RTÉ’s mission “is to enrich Irish life with content that challenges, educates and entertains”.
It states that central to this purpose “is a relentless focus on the audience as RTÉ’s primary stakeholders and reason for being”.
It states that “audience needs and behaviours, now and into the future will inform decision making to ensure that RTÉ continues to deliver relevant, quality and valued content and services”.
The tender states that a specific detailed specification for each research project will be provided when the research is being tendered for, using a document called a Mini Market Research Tender Request.
The tender states that those tendering should have experience in a wide range of qualitative technologies including focus groups.
A spokesman for RTÉ said on Monday: “This Framework of suppliers for Market Research Services is a continuation of the one already in place and allows RTÉ's Audience Insights team to work with a panel of expert agencies over the next three years on important research projects."
He said: “Understanding our audiences and their changing needs, interests and behaviours is essential to allow RTÉ to successfully reach and engage these audiences and in enabling RTÉ to fulfill its public service remit. As such it is business critical."
He said: “The amount quoted is an estimated value for the duration of the contract. The amount is not committed spend."
He said that “all tenders are approved by RTÉ's Interim Leadership Team”.
Those seeking to submit tenders have until April 29th to do so and the tender documentation states that RTÉ intends to proceed with selecting approximately 10 highest scoring tenderers to the Framework within an appropriately short timeframe.
The broadcaster is aiming to inform the top 10 highest score tenderers by May 17th.
