Supplier Guidance for Framework Agreements

Congratulations on being appointed as a Framework Agreement Supplier by NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS). We look forward to working with your organisation.

On this page you can find advice, assets, and best practice examples to help you with your marketing and communication activities relating to the framework agreement. There’s also guidance on how to acknowledge your relationship with us.

As an NHS Shared Business Services framework agreement supplier, we encourage you to promote your award to ensure existing and potential healthcare and public sector customers are aware of what you offer, and to help encourage healthcare and public sector spend through our agreements to maximise patient care benefits and savings for the taxpayer.

Logos and badges

We encourage you to use the supplier badge to promote your agreement position and explain your partnership with NHS Shared Business Services to potential customers. You are able to use the badge on digital channels and print materials, including:

  • presentation slides
  • promotional material (brochures, leaflets, emails, banners)
  • promotional graphics (social media)
  • web pages
  • event stands
nhs sbs framework agreement supplier logo

You should use the badge in line with our brand guidelines (PDF) and only use it where permitted. For example, you should not use our supplier badge to promote products or services you may also offer but are outside of your NHS SBS agreement.

You can also refer to NHS Shared Business Services in plain text to explain your partnership with us on web pages and printed material. When doing so, you must not use the colour blue, as this is strongly associated with the NHS.

Download the full set of badges available

The supplier badges are available with a background, or available with a transparent background. The full folder of images can be easily downloaded via the file link below.

Our corporate logo

Sorry, you can’t use the NHS Shared Business Services logo.

As NHS SBS is a joint venture between the Department of Health & Social Care, the NHS ‘lozenge’ is a key part of our visual identity. However, the lozenge device is a UK trademark owned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, protected by law. Therefore, NHS Shared Business Services doesn’t have permission to authorise third parties to use it in any form. This is to protect the NHS from being seen as:

  • the source of information that has not originated from the NHS, or
  • formally endorsing suppliers’ goods and services

This also means you can’t use the NHS logo on its own.

Press release/communications guidance

Issuing a press release or article is a great way to announce and explain your partnership with NHS Shared Business Services to existing and potential customers. The following guidance will help you position the messages correctly.

How to describe NHS Shared Business Services:

  • Please use our full name ‘NHS Shared Business Services’ in the first instance, which can be abbreviated to NHS SBS
  • Please include a link to our website: https://www.sbs.nhs.uk/

Our boiler plate text (below) provides more detail on our organisation, some of which you may wish to include within the text of your press release and/or other communications relating to the framework agreement:

    • NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) was created in 2004 by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to deliver corporate services to the NHS. A unique joint venture with Sopra Steria, a European leader in digital services and software development, it makes life easier for NHS employees, patients and suppliers, and delivers value for money to the taxpayer.
    • Proud members of the NHS family, NHS SBS is the country’s leading supplier of corporate services to the NHS, they manage over 40 framework agreements covering a wide range of clinical and corporate goods and services.
    • Committed to being a force for good, NHS SBS is dedicated to acting responsibly and sustainably at organisational, team and individual level. Sharing common values and unity of purpose with the rest of the NHS family, its solutions are underpinned by cutting-edge technologies and the teams’ expertise, in-depth understanding of the NHS, and commitment to service excellence.

What to say about your agreement:

      • “[Insert company name] has been named as a supplier on NHS Shared Business Services’ [insert name of framework agreement] framework agreement [and hyperlink using the link provided in the information pack emailed to you].”
      • Give the full title of each Lot your company has been named on
      • Explain what customers can access through the Lot, and check the wording of this with the NHS SBS category manager leading on the framework agreement.

We will provide you with an approved quote from a member of the category team to include in your press release.

Before issuing your press release(s), please check the content with us (even if you don’t use our quote), outlining your target press/media, and include the date you intend to issue it. Please contact the marketing and communications team.

Endorsements

Our team at NHS Shared Business Services can provide endorsements or testimonials. However, this is not appropriate in all circumstances. Each case is decided on its own merits. Please get in touch to discuss this further.

Client Stories

Please take the time to develop client stories and case studies to showcase the benefits of the framework agreement, and the savings customers have successfully achieved by working with you. These will help other customers make the commitment to use the framework.

We encourage you to work with the NHS SBS category manager leading on the framework agreement to develop your client stories, which should be sent to us for approval once completed, and before use. By submitting them to us you give us permission to add them to our website and use them in our customer communications as we deem appropriate. You can also use them in your own marketing activity of course.

Website

Suppliers can include a link to the NHS Shared Business Services website from their own. Please link to the specific framework agreement page, rather than to an individual article or download file, to ensure link permanence.

Social Media

Social media is a quick and easy way to announce your partnership with NHS Shared Business Services. We’re happy for you to publicise our relationship in this way.

We’ve included a set of pre-approved supplier logos that you can use with your text content. The framework agreement lead will also provide you with a social media image that you can add your logo too alongside the NHS SBS supplier logo.

We will share/retweet from our own accounts LinkedIn and Twitter whenever possible. Please tag us using the following @tags:

Please remember that suppliers are not permitted to use the NHS Shared Business Services logo in any way, including social media.

Promoting your position

DO:

  • Send all press releases and literature regarding your award to us for approval before they are distributed. This helps ensure they are factually correct and keeps us aware of what is being issued to potential customers.
  • Refer only to the goods and services that you offer that are available under the terms of the framework agreement i.e., that you have been awarded a place on [insert framework name] agreement for the supply of [insert examples of range of goods and services you offer under the arrangement].
  • Make sure you have fact checked all press releases and written content.
  • Make sure you use our supplier badge when promoting your organisation (this will help to highlight your position to potential customers).
  • Use the supplier badge in line with our brand guidelines.

DO NOT:

  • Use the following words to describe your position:
    • Approved
    • Supported
    • Endorsed
    • Authorised
    • Certified
    • Accredited supplier
    • Chosen supplier
    • Endorsed supplier
    • Selected supplier
  • Describe your agreement as a “contract”.
  • Present the indicative potential spend value stated in the Find a Tender Service [FTS] notice as committed spend.
  • Refer to your score or ranking in the tender process in any marketing and communications materials. Once awarded all suppliers are equal.
  • Refer to goods or services that you offer but that are not available under the terms of your agreement Always include specific benefits related to the goods/ services you offer and your actual savings opportunities where possible.

Contact

For content approvals, or if you require further support or guidance, please contact the marketing and communications team

Why Partner with us?

Created as a unique joint venture with the Department of Health and Social Care, our sole purpose is to deliver the most cost effective and highest quality shared services to the NHS. Our scale and scope are unparalleled.

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