The Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) at the Institute of Education, University of London (UK) is seeking tenders from survey research agencies to carry out the instrument development, data collection and initial data processing for the 1970 British Cohort Study Age 46 Survey.

The 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) follows the lives of 17 000 people born in England, Scotland and Wales in a single week of 1970. Since the birth survey in 1970, there have been eight further follow-ups at ages 5, 10, 16, 26, 30, 34, 38 and 42. The next follow-up will take place in 2016 when study members will be aged 46. The Age 46 survey is jointly funded by the ESRC and the Medical Research Council.

The Age 46 survey will have a substantial biomedical focus. It will involve a 45 minute core interview, cognitive assessments, anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist/hip circumference), grip strength measurement, standing balance assessment, blood pressure and resting heart measurement, collection of whole bloods, an advance self-completion questionnaire and an on-line dietary diary.

The anthropometric measurements, grip strength measurement, standing balance assessment, blood pressure and resting heart measurement and collection of blood samples must be conducted by trained nurses in the homes of study members. The core interview and cognitive assessments may be conducted by either nurses or standard interviewers. The core interview may be conducted as a face to face interview or via an alternative mode such as telephone. The cognitive assessments must be conducted within the homes of study members.

It is anticipated that around 12 200 cohort members will be invited to participate. Fieldwork must take place between May 2016 and March 2017.

The survey research agency will be required to:

— Work closely with CLS to design and develop the data collection instruments. The agency will be responsible for the production of all instruments (with the exception of the on-line dietary diary) including all CAI programming required;

— Work closely with CLS to design and develop fieldwork materials and fieldwork procedures;

— Supply and train nurses/interviewers to conduct the interviews, conduct the measurements and assessments, collect blood samples and monitor and oversee their work to ensure that the data collection is carried out on schedule and to a high standard;

— Carry out initial data processing, i.e. coding, editing and data checking prior to delivering the data to CLS, and provide full documentation of the data collection instruments.