Framework Agreements

Combined Framework Agreement Solutions are groups of framework agreements that, together, support you in achieving key NHS targets and objectives.

Easy to access

Our framework agreements are easy to access and utilise and designed to ensure competitive pricing, help drive savings and improve efficiencies. To allow more flexibility, customers have the ability to directly call-off from a framework or run a further competition. They offer a compliant route to market, providing a comprehensive choice of suppliers and excellent geographic coverage.

Flexible Options to Suit You

Depending on your needs, we can arrange one-off access to certain framework contracts to meet a specific demand. Alternatively, we can offer you access to our full portfolio of framework agreements, enabling you to shift away from simply buying at the lowest price and towards procurement based on total cost of ownership. Whatever procurement support you need, we have flexible options for you.

Specialist Support and Advice

Our specialist healthcare procurement team help NHS customers to procure best value for money, health-related products, and services at no cost to them. In addition to accessing our healthcare framework agreements, local procurement teams can also benefit from a portfolio of specialist, value-added procurement services and expertise free of charge. This includes:

• Commercial advisors and category specialists who advise on which framework agreement best suits customer needs
• Clinical advisors to support clinical engagement to ensure all procurements meet clinical standards
• A self-serve framework agreement portal, featuring our user-friendly buying guides advising whether a direct award or further competition is required
• Creation of bespoke data-led workplans to help deliver local and regional CIP challenges
• Delivery of strategic sourcing (including further competitions of aggregated volumes and switch to save projects) to unlock savings
• Support with contract implementation locally and regionally

Our framework agreements and value-added services are tailored specifically to the needs of NHS customers and their Integrated Care Systems. Through the help of our specialist advisors and buyers, local procurement teams can drive maximum value and efficiency from their procurement. They are not charged for this service.

We also do not charge suppliers to appear on our framework agreements, but we do ask suppliers for a nominal competitive fee should they successfully sell through one of our frameworks agreements. This fee is reinvested back into our service so we can keep delivering and developing new support services that enable the NHS to buy more easily and cost effectively.

Guidance regarding award of contracts under framework agreements, as per the Public Contract Regulations 2015:

• When the terms of a framework agreement are not precise enough to directly award a contract under Regulation 33(7) or 33(8)(a), the buyer must run a further competition, as per Regulation 33(8)(b) or 33(8)(c)
• When the terms of a framework agreement are precise enough to directly award a contract, the buyer must award the contract in accordance with any pre-prescribed rules (call-off protocol) regarding the use of catalogues, or reassessment of award criteria based on requirements configuration variations
• For further information about awarding contracts under our framework agreements please contact sbs.complianceandqualityassurance@nhs.net

Contact our Commercial Advisors

If you’re a customer who is interested or have a query relating to our framework agreements, please contact the relevant commercial advisor from the list below.

If you’re a supplier, please see more details on our Supplier Information Page.