Before using this agreement you need to read our buyer guide. It will help you to select the right award procedure for your needs. You can also select suppliers capable of meeting your needs by using the digital tool.
You can buy services under this agreement in two ways:
- further competition
- direct award
Before running a further competition or direct award, you have to complete Framework Schedule 6:
- order form templates
- call-off schedules
Framework Schedule 6 is the only template you have to complete as part of your call-off procedure. You can use your own internal tender documents as part of your bid pack.
You can also use your own internal eSourcing system to run your further competition or direct award or you can use our eSourcing tool. If this is your first time using our eSourcing suite, you will need to register an account.
If you have already registered, sign in to your eSourcing account.
Check your own internal policies and processes to make sure they follow your standard operating procedures.
Further competition
To award a call-off contract through further competition you should:
- Write a clear specification that defines your needs.
- Shortlist the number of suppliers you want to invite to bid, you can use our digital tool to do this.
- Use Framework Schedule 6 order form template and call-off schedules as the basis of your call-off contract.
- Refine your contract deliverables, including liability caps.
- Develop your further competition award criteria, including the intended pricing mechanism.
- This will form the basis of your decision to award your call-off contract.
- Invite all identified suppliers to submit a tender in writing by publishing your tender documents in line with Public Contract Regulations.
- This can be by email or through your preferred e-Sourcing tool.
- Contact details for each supplier representative can be found in the RM6360 supplier contacts document.
- Set a deadline for the submission of tenders. Allow enough time based on how complex your needs are.
- Keep all tenders confidential until the deadline has passed.
- Apply your published award criteria to each submitted tender.
- Award your call-off contract by sending the following to the successful supplier:
- a completed and signed Framework schedule 6.
- a completed and signed order form.
- suppliers should promptly sign and return this document.
- Provide unsuccessful suppliers with written feedback.
- Publish your contract on Contracts Finder.
Direct award
To direct award under this agreement you should:
- Write a clear specification that defines your needs.
- Determine which suppliers are capable of meeting your needs by using the digital tool and/or applying your direct award criteria to the prospectuses for each supplier to establish which supplier provides the best solution for your needs.
- Contact the supplier that you have selected and provide them with your specification so that they can:
- complete their conflict of interest checks
- confirm that they have the relevant capability and capacity
- If you want the work to be done under a different fee arrangement, ask for a fee quote.
- Award the call-off contract with the supplier by sending a completed and signed framework schedule order form template and call-off schedules.
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- suppliers should promptly sign and return and this can be done electronically
Agreement pricing
Pricing for all suppliers and lots, together with information on supplier capability, jurisdictional cover and links to prospectuses, can be found in our digital tool.
