A large share of public sector spending never appears as a stand-alone tender. Instead, councils, NHS trusts, schools and government departments buy through frameworks: pre-agreed lists of approved suppliers they can go back to again and again. If your business isn’t on the right framework, you often won’t even be invited to quote. This guide explains how frameworks work under the Procurement Act 2023 and how a small business can win a place on one.
What is a public sector framework?
A framework is an agreement between a buyer and one or more suppliers that sets the terms for future contracts. Winning a place on a framework doesn’t guarantee any work. It gets you onto the shortlist. When a buyer has a specific need, it awards a “call-off” contract to one of the framework suppliers, either by running a mini-competition between them or, where the framework allows, by direct award using a fixed method such as a rota.
Frameworks are run by individual public bodies and by public buying organisations that let many buyers use them. The best-known include Crown Commercial Service (CCS), YPO, ESPO, NEPO, Fusion21 and regional consortia for councils and housing associations.
What changed under the Procurement Act 2023
The Procurement Act 2023 has applied to new procurements since 24 February 2025. For suppliers, the main framework changes are:
- Standard frameworks usually last up to 4 years (8 years for defence and utilities). A longer term is only allowed if the buyer publishes its reasons.
- Open frameworks are new. They must reopen to new suppliers at least once in the first 3 years and then at least every 5 years, for up to 8 years in total. Missing the first window is no longer fatal: you can apply when it reopens.
- No joining fees. Buyers can’t charge you to get onto a framework. Fees can only apply to call-off contracts you actually win, as a fixed percentage set out in advance.
- Dynamic markets replace dynamic purchasing systems (DPS). Suppliers who meet the conditions can join at any time, which makes them a useful entry route for SMEs.
Step 1: Get the basics in place first
Framework applications reject suppliers on missing basics more often than on weak answers. Before you apply, make sure you have:
- A supplier record on the Central Digital Platform. See our step-by-step guide to registering on Find a Tender
- Insurance at the levels the framework asks for (public liability, employer’s liability and, for services, professional indemnity)
- Your core policies: health and safety, equality, environmental, data protection and modern slavery where relevant
- Relevant accreditations, such as ISO 9001, Cyber Essentials, CHAS or Constructionline, depending on your sector
- Two to three named references from comparable contracts, ideally public sector
Step 2: Find the frameworks that match what you sell
Search Find a Tender and Contracts Finder for “framework” plus your service and region, and set alerts so you hear about new ones and reopenings. Check the CCS agreement list and the sites of YPO, ESPO and your regional council or housing consortia. Look at who already holds places on frameworks in your field: their award notices show which frameworks buyers in your sector actually use.
Prioritise frameworks where your lots are a close fit. A national multi-lot framework can be harder to win and quieter once you’re on it than a regional one where the buyers know local suppliers.
Step 3: Choose your lots carefully
Most frameworks are split into lots by service type, region or contract value. Apply only for lots where you can show real experience. Spreading yourself across many lots weakens every answer and can leave you on lots you can’t deliver. Smaller-value or regional lots are often where SMEs win.
Step 4: Write answers that score
Framework applications are scored against published criteria. To score well:
- Answer the exact question asked, in the order asked, and use the buyer’s own wording in your headings
- Back every claim with evidence: a named contract, a figure, a result
- Stay within word limits. Evaluators stop reading at the limit
- Treat social value as a scoring question in its own right, not an afterthought. Our guide to answering social value questions explains how
- Price sustainably. Framework rates usually cap what you can charge for the whole term
Step 5: After you win a place, make it pay
Getting onto a framework is the start, not the finish. Introduce yourself to the buyers who use it, keep your framework profile up to date, and respond to every mini-competition you can realistically win. Suppliers that go quiet after winning a place rarely see call-offs.
If you miss a framework
Missing a deadline isn’t the end. Open frameworks will reopen, dynamic markets accept new suppliers at any time, and many frameworks let lead suppliers subcontract to SMEs. Getting into a framework supplier’s supply chain is a good way to build the public sector track record that wins your own place next time.
Next steps
Buyers running below-threshold work and mini-competitions still search for suppliers they can trust. Make sure they can find yours: list your business free on LocoSearch with your accreditations and frameworks shown. Once your listing is live, you’ll unlock our Free Resources, including the in-depth Framework Application Pack with an evidence checklist and timeline.
Sources: Cabinet Office guidance on frameworks, Cabinet Office guidance on dynamic markets, Procurement Act 2023, Part 3 Chapter 4.
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