Barb combines establishment survey and recruitment contracts

There had previously been separate contracts for conducting the establishment survey, which provides data on the demographic, device and platform landscape, and recruiting homes onto the panel to achieve a representative UK sample.

Following a successful pilot study conducted by Ipsos MORI at the beginning of 2014, Barb plans to combine these into one contract, effective from January 2016. This means that establishment survey interviewers will be responsible for recruiting eligible homes onto the panel.

A tender process for the new contract will begin with immediate effect. The specification will be available to prospective tenderers in Q1 2015 and the contract is expected to be awarded by the end of Q2 2015, to come into force from January 2016.

• Barb has also announced the extension until 2018 of two other major contracts that make up its service, for survey design and methodology (operated by RSMB) and panel management, meter installation, data collection and data production (operated by Kantar Media)

“It is vital that we continually assess the best way to maximise the effectiveness of our approach to gathering data and ensuring the health of our panel,” said Simon Bolus, research director at Barb. “It remains the bedrock of the TV measurement system and we are convinced that this approach will be easier for our panel members, as well as more efficient.”