Procurement frameworks control a huge share of UK public sector spending. Here is how they work, which ones matter for your sector, and how a small business gets on one.
A procurement framework, or framework agreement, is a pre-agreed arrangement between a public sector buyer and a set of approved suppliers. Instead of running a full procurement every time it needs goods or services, the buyer awards individual contracts, called call-offs, to suppliers already on the framework.
Think of it as an approved supplier list with the terms already negotiated. The buyer does the heavy lifting of checking suppliers once, sets the pricing structure and contract terms, and then uses that framework for the next few years. Suppliers on it can receive work without going through a full open tender each time.
Government procurement frameworks are used by central government departments, local authorities, NHS trusts, housing associations, schools, universities and emergency services. They cover almost every category of spend: construction and maintenance, facilities management, cleaning, IT and digital, professional services, grounds maintenance, catering, security, vehicles and energy.
The important consequence for a small business is this. When a buyer uses a framework, only suppliers on that framework can receive the call-off. You cannot bid your way in from the outside, however strong your business is. A large share of public sector work is therefore invisible to anyone who is only watching open tenders.
Frameworks are set up by three kinds of organisation, and knowing which is which tells you where to look.
Central purchasing bodies. Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is the largest, running frameworks used across central government and the wider public sector. Its frameworks are national and often large, though many have lots designed for smaller suppliers.
Professional buying organisations. ESPO, YPO, NEPO, the LHC Procurement Group, Scape and Pagabo set up frameworks that any eligible public body can use. They are particularly important in local government, education and social housing, and many are regionally focused, which suits SMEs.
Individual buyers. A single council, NHS trust or housing association can set up its own framework purely for its own use, for example, a borough repairs and maintenance framework. These are frequently the most accessible of all, because they are local, smaller and attract fewer national bidders.
The practical upshot is that "getting on frameworks" is not one thing. A cleaning company in Yorkshire is far better served by a YPO framework and its own council's cleaning framework than by chasing a national CCS agreement.
Being on a framework does not guarantee work. It makes you eligible to receive it, through one of two routes.
Direct award. The framework's terms allow the buyer to award a call-off directly to one supplier without further competition, usually based on a ranking from the original evaluation or a rota. Higher-ranked suppliers tend to receive more direct awards, which is why the quality of your original framework application still matters years later.
Mini-competition. The buyer invites all capable suppliers on the relevant lot to bid for a specific call-off. These are shorter and faster than full tenders, and you are competing against a handful of pre-approved suppliers rather than the whole market.
Which route applies is set out in the framework documents, and many frameworks permit both. It is worth knowing which your framework uses: on a direct-award framework the work comes from your ranking, while on a mini-competition framework it comes from how well and how quickly you respond.
Some suppliers get onto a framework and then never receive a call-off. The usual reasons are applying for lots they cannot realistically service, ranking low, or not responding to mini-competition invitations. Treat a framework place as the start of the sales process, not the end of it.
A framework and a Dynamic Purchasing System both pre-approve suppliers, but they differ in one way that matters enormously to a small business: timing.
A traditional framework opens for applications for a fixed window and then closes for the rest of its life. Miss the window and you wait for it to be re-procured, often two to four years later. It also usually appoints a limited number of suppliers per lot.
A DPS stays open for its entire duration. Any supplier meeting the criteria can join at any point, and there is no cap on numbers. Every piece of work on a DPS must be competed among the relevant suppliers.
For a smaller business that is new to public sector work, a DPS is generally the easier first step, because you are not waiting for a window and you are not competing for a limited number of places. We cover this in detail in our guide to dynamic purchasing systems.
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025 and changed how frameworks work for procurements started from that date. Anything started before then continues under the old Public Contracts Regulations 2015 until it ends, so you will see both kinds of framework in the market for some years.
Two changes matter most to small businesses.
Open frameworks. The Act introduced a new kind of framework that must be reopened to new suppliers at set points during its life. That addresses the biggest historic problem with frameworks: being locked out for years because you missed the original window.
Dynamic markets. New Dynamic Purchasing Systems can no longer be established. Their replacement is the dynamic market, which works in a similar way: suppliers can join at any time if they meet the conditions for membership, and buyers award contracts to members. Existing DPS arrangements set up under the old rules can continue until they expire, which is why you will still see plenty of live DPS opportunities.
The Act also places a stronger duty on buyers to have regard to the barriers SMEs face, and moves most public procurement notices onto the government's central digital platform. For a small business, the overall direction is helpful: more chances to get onto approved lists, and more transparency about what is coming.
Find frameworks in your sector. Watch Contracts Finder and Find a Tender for framework establishment notices. These appear when a buyer is setting up a new framework and inviting supplier applications. Also check the websites of the purchasing organisations that serve your region, which publish pipelines of upcoming frameworks.
Read the lots carefully. Most frameworks are split into lots by service type, geography or contract value. Apply only for lots you can genuinely deliver. Applying for everything looks unfocused, weakens your submission and, if you are appointed, means turning down call-offs, which damages your ranking.
Prepare your evidence pack. Almost every application asks for the same documents: two or three years of accounts, insurance certificates, health and safety accreditation such as CHAS or Constructionline, relevant certifications such as ISO 9001, and two or three case studies of comparable work. Assemble these once and keep them current.
Complete the selection questionnaire. This covers your company details, financial standing, compliance declarations and experience. Then, for most frameworks, you answer quality questions and submit pricing, which are scored against other applicants. Answer every question directly, mirror the buyer's language, and use specific, measurable evidence.
Submit, and ask for feedback either way. Evaluation typically takes four to eight weeks. If you are unsuccessful, request feedback. Buyers are required to give it, and it will make your next application considerably stronger.
Start local and narrow. A council's own maintenance or services framework, or a regional framework from ESPO, YPO or NEPO, attracts far fewer national bidders than a national CCS agreement and is far more likely to generate call-offs you can actually service.
Look for SME lots. Many larger frameworks include lots that are deliberately smaller in value or narrower in geography, with lower turnover thresholds, specifically to bring smaller suppliers in.
Prioritise anything open. Existing DPS arrangements, new dynamic markets and open frameworks can be joined without waiting for a window. They are the quickest route to being eligible for work.
If you are an IT or digital business, start with G-Cloud. It is free to apply, open to suppliers of any size including sole traders, and is the main route into central government and NHS technology spend.
Build a calendar. Frameworks are re-procured on predictable cycles. Knowing that the framework you missed is due to reopen in eighteen months means you can be ready for it, with accreditations, accounts and case studies already in place.
A framework agreement is a pre-agreed arrangement between a public sector buyer and a set of approved suppliers. Instead of running a full tender every time it needs something, the buyer awards individual call-off contracts to suppliers on the framework. Frameworks typically last up to four years and account for a significant share of UK public sector spending.
The largest framework providers are Crown Commercial Service (CCS), ESPO, YPO, NEPO, the LHC Procurement Group, Scape and Pagabo, alongside G-Cloud for technology services. Individual councils, NHS trusts and housing associations also run their own frameworks, which are often the most accessible for smaller businesses.
No. Many government contracts are advertised as open tenders on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, where any business can bid directly. But being on relevant frameworks gives you access to call-off work that is never publicly advertised, so the more relevant frameworks you are on, the more of the market you can reach.
Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, most frameworks lasted up to four years. Under the Procurement Act 2023, closed frameworks are generally limited to four years, and the new open frameworks can run for up to eight years but must be reopened to new suppliers at set points during that time.
A traditional framework accepts applications during a fixed window and then closes, usually appointing a limited number of suppliers. A Dynamic Purchasing System stays open for its whole life and admits every supplier that meets the criteria. Under the Procurement Act 2023, new DPSs have been replaced by dynamic markets, which work in a similar way.
An open framework is a type introduced by the Procurement Act 2023 that must be reopened to new suppliers at set points during its life. It addresses the long-standing problem of businesses being locked out of a framework for years because they missed the original application window.
A call-off is an individual contract awarded under an existing framework. The buyer either awards it directly to one supplier, usually based on ranking or rotation, or runs a mini-competition between several suppliers on the relevant lot. Call-offs range from small one-off jobs to multi-year contracts.
The application itself typically takes one to four weeks to prepare depending on complexity, and evaluation usually takes another four to eight weeks. Realistically, from spotting the opportunity to being confirmed as a supplier takes six to twelve weeks. Having your evidence pack ready in advance makes a large difference.
Most applications ask for two or three years of accounts, public liability and employers liability insurance certificates, relevant accreditations such as CHAS, Constructionline or ISO 9001, and two or three case studies of comparable work. Prepare these once and keep them updated so you can move quickly when a relevant framework opens.
Yes. Some larger frameworks have minimum turnover requirements, but many include SME-specific lots, and regional and single-buyer frameworks tend to be considerably more accessible. G-Cloud in particular is open to individual consultants and small IT firms.
No. A framework place makes you eligible for call-offs but does not guarantee any. Work comes either from your ranking on direct-award frameworks or from winning mini-competitions. Suppliers who apply only for lots they can genuinely service and respond promptly to invitations tend to see the most work.