A framework agreement is a pre-approved list of suppliers that public sector buyers draw from without running a full tender each time. Frameworks typically run two to four years and appoint a limited number of suppliers per lot.
This guide covers how frameworks work, the major UK frameworks by sector including Scape, Pagabo, LHC, Crown Commercial Service, ESPO, YPO and G-Cloud, how call-offs are awarded, and what a small business needs in place to apply.