Using Procurement Frameworks: A smart choice for school purchasing

Schools are under pressure to achieve best value while following strict procurement rules. 

Procurement frameworks offer a convenient alternative to running a full tender, enabling schools to purchase goods and services faster and more compliantly. In fact, the Department for Education (DfE)’s latest guidance encourages schools to consider established framework agreements as a compliant route to obtain value for money. Below, we explain what frameworks are, how they simplify procurement, and highlight how we can support you in this process.

Frameworks Simplify Procurement
Pre-vetted suppliers and ready-to-use contracts make purchasing quicker and fully compliant, avoiding the need for a lengthy tender.

DfE-Endorsed Approach
The Department for Education advises that using existing frameworks is an efficient, value-for-money route for schools under public procurement rules.

What are Procurement Frameworks?

Procurement frameworks are pre-established agreements with a roster of pre-vetted suppliers for specific categories of goods or services. They are set up by public sector buying organisations, through a competitive process that ensures each supplier meets stringent quality, compliance, and value criteria. For schools, using a framework means you don’t have to run a full tender every time – the heavy lifting (like advertising, supplier evaluation and legal contracting) has already been done. You can simply choose from trusted suppliers on the framework, confident that procurement regulations (e.g. UK Public Contracts Regulations) are being followed. This saves significant time and effort while ensuring transparency and value.

Importantly, frameworks often allow two ways to buy: a direct award (choosing one supplier without further competition, if certain conditions are met) or a mini-competition (inviting all framework suppliers to quote, but on a much faster timeline than an open tender). Both options are fully compliant and give schools flexibility to either quickly appoint a known best-fit supplier or compare bids on a smaller scale. The result is a quicker, simpler purchasing process that still delivers best value. As the DfE’s guidance notes, frameworks provide a “quick and compliant route to market” for schools  , aligning with public sector procurement rules and best practices.

Key Benefits of Using Frameworks

Using procurement frameworks offers several tangible benefits for school leadership teams:

• Speed & Efficiency
  Direct Award options enable a quick purchase without a full tender, providing a fast-track to secure the services you need. All framework agreements offer a quick and compliant route to market, often cutting procurement timelines from months to just weeks or even days.
• Flexibility & Ease
  Framework terms are flexible and designed to accommodate schools’ needs. Documentation (like call-off contracts) is quick and easy to use, with pre-established templates that simplify the paperwork. There’s no rigid pricing catalogue – allowing negotiation or adjustment to get the best fit (“no fixed price list” means pricing can be tailored).
• No Cost & Compliance
  Frameworks are free for schools to access nationwide – there are no fees to join or use them. Because suppliers have been vetted and terms pre-agreed, any purchase through the framework automatically meets public procurement regulations, giving you peace of mind on compliance.
• Value & Confidence
  Suppliers on the framework have been through rigorous competition, ensuring competitive pricing and quality standards. Schools benefit from economies of scale and expertise that single-school tenders might not achieve. You can be confident that you’re choosing from proven, trusted suppliers rather than going into the market cold.

In summary, frameworks offer speed, simplicity, and security in procurement. You can quickly engage services via direct award when time is critical (for example, hiring an urgent advisory service without delay), or run a short competition among framework suppliers to ensure best value, all within a legally compliant structure. The paperwork is minimal – standardised contracts and templates are provided – and there’s flexibility to define your requirements without the strict confines of a one-size-fits-all tender specification. Crucially, access to these frameworks is completely free for schools  , with costs typically covered by a minimal supplier rebate.