What is a framework

What is a framework?

Frameworks are essentially catalogue agreements that a central body, in this case Crown Commercial Service, has already competed, negotiated and put under standard terms. Suppliers are sifted for basic capability, insurance and past performance before they are allowed on, and the agreement is sliced into themed sections called lots so you can go straight to the type of service you need. Because the heavy legal and commercial lifting has been done in advance, you can either run a light touch mini competition between the suppliers on a lot or, where the rules allow, make a direct award to the one that best meets your brief. The article also introduces related ideas such as dynamic purchasing systems, which are like rolling frameworks that suppliers can join at any time, and explains that each framework runs for a fixed period and has an overall spend ceiling.

How might a framework be useful for buying planning software?

For a planning team looking at new software to manage applications, preapplication advice or enforcement, a framework can be the quickest compliant route to market. You avoid a full procurement because the competition has already happened; you simply draw up a call off contract that sits under the parent agreement. That contract will still need your service specification, service levels and data handling requirements, but the baseline terms are locked in. If budgets are tight and timelines are short, using a framework can cut months off the process and give you comfort that suppliers have already met minimum standards, including cyber security and social value commitments. Even so, you will still need to involve your commercial or corporate procurement colleagues, because they hold the authority to place the call off and will keep records for audit.

Key terms in the guidance defined

A few terms in the guidance may be unfamiliar to planners. A call off contract is simply the purchase order you issue under the framework once you have picked your supplier. Direct award means choosing a single supplier without running a further competition; it is only allowed where the framework specifically says so. A further competition is a quick written exercise where the suppliers on the relevant lot submit prices or short proposals so you can choose the best fit. An aggregated e-auction is a bulk buy event run by CCS where several councils pool their requirements to drive prices down; planning software is rarely bought this way, but hardware to support it might be. If your requirement changes or you need new entrants, a dynamic purchasing system could offer more flexibility because new suppliers can join midterm. Keep these distinctions in mind and you will be able to approach your commercial team with clear, informed questions when the time comes to source your next digital planning tool.