Hauptstudie DiGeVe - Datenerhebung & Auswertung

Question: What is the contract timeline?

Context: Contract start date, end date, total duration, and any key milestones or phases mentioned. Return null if not stated.

The contract service is expected to start immediately after the contract is signed, with an anticipated award date of October 26, 2026. The binding period for offers extends until December 31, 2026.

Key milestones and phases are divided into two runs:

1. Durchlauf (1st Run):

• Development of survey design (questionnaire design, survey method, questionnaire programming): October–December 2026, with Milestone 1.1 by December 31, 2026.
• Operational execution of data collection ("completed field phase"): January–February 2027, with Milestone 1.2 by February 28, 2027.
• Data preparation and statistical analysis: March–April 2027, with Milestone 1.3 by April 30, 2027.
• Special evaluation of settlement-structural region types: March–April 2027, with Milestone 1.4 by April 30, 2027.

2. Durchlauf (2nd Run):

• Development of survey design (questionnaire design, survey method, questionnaire programming): August–September 2028, with Milestone 2.1 by September 30, 2028.
• Operational execution of data collection ("completed field phase"): October–November 2028, with Milestone 2.2 by November 30, 2028.
• Data preparation and statistical analysis: December 2028–February 2029, with Milestone 2.3 by February 28, 2029.
• Special evaluation of settlement-structural region types: January–February 2029, with Milestone 2.4 by February 28, 2029.

The overall duration of the contract spans from approximately late October 2026 (after contract signing) to the completion of the last milestone in February 2029.

The core scope of work for this tender involves the "Datenerhebung und Auswertung für eine Hauptstudie im Projekt: Die digitale Gesellschaft – verstehen, gestalten, stärken. Mechanismen, Hebel und Gelingensbedingungen digitaler Transformation (DiGeVe)".

Specifically, the services to be provided by the contractor include:

• Conducting two large-scale quantitative primary surveys.
• Developing and programming the survey design, including questionnaire design, survey methodology, and questionnaire programming. This also encompasses the sampling design.
• Operative execution of data collection ("abgeschlossene Feldphase"), including sample size, sampling, and field control.
• Data preparation and statistical evaluation in two runs, including designing complex statistical analyses. The client reserves the right to perform quality assurance on the results of the statistical analyses.
• A special analysis of settlement-structural region types, specifically a focus on structurally strong and weak regions, to examine the influence of a region's structural strength on dependent variables (digital participation, MSDL fulfillment, resilience, competencies). This involves assigning respondents to region types based on recognized classifications and performing further subgroup analyses.
• Project management, including preparing, conducting, and following up on a kick-off meeting with the client, and providing weekly reports on the progress of services and field progress, along with weekly coordination meetings.

The core deliverables, to be provided in two runs for most items, are:

• Finalized, approved questionnaires for CAWI and CAPI versions, and a pretest report.
• Field report with documentation of field control and quota actual-target comparison.
• Complete, quality-assured dataset (SPSS and Excel), weighting documentation, results tables (basic and subgroup analyses), and a commented methodology report (codebook).
• A special focus on the regional dimension, including prepared data tables according to region types.

The overarching goal is to generate data for two publications in 2027 and 2029 for the "DiGeVe" project by Initiative D21.