diff --git a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_assessors_assignment_spec.rb b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_assessors_assignment_spec.rb
index 6ac7480d2..0086c93b4 100644
--- a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_assessors_assignment_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_assessors_assignment_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   let(:subject) { create(:admin) }
   let!(:form_answer_1) { create(:form_answer, :submitted) }
   let!(:form_answer_2) { create(:form_answer, :submitted) }
+  let!(:award_year) { AwardYear.current }
   let!(:settings) { create(:settings, :expired_submission_deadlines) }
 
 
diff --git a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_lieutenants_assignment_spec.rb b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_lieutenants_assignment_spec.rb
index 7858cf811..72b4c9b39 100644
--- a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_lieutenants_assignment_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/bulk_lieutenants_assignment_spec.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
   let!(:ceremonial_county_2) { create(:ceremonial_county, name: "B") }
   let!(:form_answer_1) { create(:form_answer, :submitted) }
   let!(:form_answer_2) { create(:form_answer, :submitted) }
+  let!(:award_year) { AwardYear.current }
   let!(:settings) { create(:settings, :expired_submission_deadlines) }
 
 
diff --git a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/eligibility_spec.rb b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/eligibility_spec.rb
index 8927d3629..0cd2ce911 100644
--- a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/eligibility_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/eligibility_spec.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   let!(:form_answer) { create(:form_answer, :submitted) }
 
   before do
+    AwardYear.current
     Settings.current_submission_deadline.update(trigger_at: 1.day.ago)
 
     login_admin(admin)
diff --git a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/final_verdict_spec.rb b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/final_verdict_spec.rb
index 4462d0ca8..a0f663236 100644
--- a/spec/features/admin/form_answers/final_verdict_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/admin/form_answers/final_verdict_spec.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   let(:admin) { create(:admin) }
 
   before do
+    AwardYear.current
     create(:settings, :expired_submission_deadlines)
     login_admin(admin)
   end
diff --git a/spec/features/users/eligibility_form_fulfillment_spec.rb b/spec/features/users/eligibility_form_fulfillment_spec.rb
index 20d92b30e..50e9aa54f 100644
--- a/spec/features/users/eligibility_form_fulfillment_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/users/eligibility_form_fulfillment_spec.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   let!(:user) { create(:user, :completed_profile) }
 
   before do
+    AwardYear.current
     create(:settings, :submission_deadlines)
     login_as(user, scope: :user)
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/admin_verdict_spec.rb b/spec/models/admin_verdict_spec.rb
index 2968c8b0e..5d1842dee 100644
--- a/spec/models/admin_verdict_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/admin_verdict_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe AdminVerdict, type: :model do
+  let!(:award_year) { AwardYear.current }
+
   before do
     create(:settings, :expired_submission_deadlines)
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/sendgrid_helper_spec.rb b/spec/models/sendgrid_helper_spec.rb
index cb9c6570a..b1083989b 100644
--- a/spec/models/sendgrid_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/sendgrid_helper_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,18 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe SendgridHelper do
+  before do
+    # SENDGRID RELATED STUBS - BEGIN
+    stub_request(:get, "https://sendgrid.com/api/spamreports.get.json?api_key=test_smtp_password&api_user=test_smtp_username&email=test@example.com").
+      to_return(status: 200, body: "", headers: {})
+
+    stub_sendgrid_bounced_emails_check_request("test@irrelevant.com")
+    stub_sendgrid_bounced_emails_check_request("test@example.com")
+    # SENDGRID RELATED STUBS - END
+
+    AwardYear.current
+  end
+
   context 'with sendgrid configured' do
     around do |example|
       smtp_settings = Rails.configuration.action_mailer.smtp_settings
diff --git a/spec/services/local_assessment_submission_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/local_assessment_submission_service_spec.rb
index be82b614d..43eb01cf9 100644
--- a/spec/services/local_assessment_submission_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/local_assessment_submission_service_spec.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 describe LocalAssessmentSubmissionService do
   let(:ll) { create(:lieutenant) }
   let(:nomination) { create(:form_answer, :submitted) }
+  let!(:award_year) { AwardYear.current }
   let!(:settings) { create(:settings, :expired_submission_deadlines) }
 
   before do
diff --git a/spec/support/shared_contexts/appraisal_form_context.rb b/spec/support/shared_contexts/appraisal_form_context.rb
index 0bb884816..3697e5adf 100644
--- a/spec/support/shared_contexts/appraisal_form_context.rb
+++ b/spec/support/shared_contexts/appraisal_form_context.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 shared_context "successful appraisal form edition" do
   let!(:form_answer) { create(:form_answer, :local_assessment_recommended, sub_group: assessor.sub_group) }
+  let!(:award_year) { AwardYear.current }
 
   before do
     login_as(subject, scope: scope)
diff --git a/spec/unit/pdf_generators/qae_pdf_forms/awards2014/qavs/base_spec.rb b/spec/unit/pdf_generators/qae_pdf_forms/awards2014/qavs/base_spec.rb
index 66db71364..e8ed09800 100644
--- a/spec/unit/pdf_generators/qae_pdf_forms/awards2014/qavs/base_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/pdf_generators/qae_pdf_forms/awards2014/qavs/base_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe "QaePdfForms::Awards2016::Qavs::Base" do
+  let!(:award_year) { AwardYear.current }
+
   include_context "pdf file checks"
 
   let(:step1_question_answers) {