Why should Public Sector organisations use frameworks?

Our Group Director of Procurement provides an overview of PCR 2015 compliant frameworks and how they provide an efficient route to market for public sector organisations.

What are frameworks?

A framework agreement is an agreement between a contracting authority and one or multiple contractors (suppliers). Prospective suppliers bid for a place on the framework, and are thereafter evaluated on factors including price and quality to meet a given criteria.

The framework agreement provides public sector bodies with access to competitively tendered goods and services, tendered in compliance with the UK Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015.

Why use frameworks?

Frameworks save time as they remove the requirement for public sector bodies to complete their own tender in compliance with the UK public contract regulations. Saving money from less resource intensive processes is a great benefit, along with the savings that often occur from the competitive pricing offered by framework suppliers.

As framework suppliers are selected through a competitive bid process, they have already been vetted which removes the need for public sector bodies to undertake similar intensive vetting processes, whilst also providing a measure of quality assurance. Frameworks are also underpinned by a common set of terms and conditions, which provides public sector bodies with added assurance and protection.

Typically, frameworks also offer the flexibility of different ways of purchasing goods and services, either via running a further competition, or via a ‘direct award’, where business is awarded to a supplier without subjecting the requirement to further competition.

Dukefield Procurement are the contract managers for a number of UK Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) compliant frameworks. We also provide a number of other tender support services that can be tailored to your individual needs.

Visit our dedicated procurement hub website to find out more.