Find out how our Assisted Procurement Service could help your organisation

Get the procurement support you need with our assisted procurement service. Tiffany Davies from our Procurement Operations team explains how our Assisted Procurement Service works and whether it’s right for your organisation.

We know that providing high-quality public services requires efficient, well-managed procurement processes. We also understand that many public sector organisations are stretched for time and resources when it comes to buying the goods and services they need.

Your organisation might welcome some extra support with procurement activities. This frees you up to focus on other priorities like contract and supplier management.

CCS can help – the solution

Our end-to-end assisted procurement service (APS) saves public sector customers time and money. 

By choosing Crown Commercial Service (CCS), you’ll be working with the UK’s largest procurement organisation. That means you get access to substantial expertise, extensive knowledge and tailored advice that meets your specific requirements. We’ve already done the hard work behind the scenes with our agreements and services – now you can benefit from that work and make your procurement as smooth and stress-free as possible.

What is the Assisted Procurement Service?

Our APS is free for all public and third sector organisations. We’ve designed it specifically for customers who need support running their procurements, so you can focus your resources on other activities like contract management.

We cover any common goods and services that are available through our CCS agreements. Our experienced professionals have run tenders across all types of procurements and sectors. Whether you’re building a new hospital wing or digitally transforming your organisation, we have the expertise to help.

We’ve already supported customers right across the public sector – from the NHS and police forces to local councils and central government departments. In 2024/25, we helped deliver procurements worth £4 billion in total annual contract value through our Assisted Procurement Service.

When you choose our APS, you’re getting access to all the work we’ve already done behind the scenes. Our agreements and expertise are ready to use, making your procurement process efficient and straightforward. That means less stress for you and more time to focus on delivering great outcomes for the people you serve.

How does APS work? 

When you use our APS, we’ll assign you a dedicated procurement lead who becomes your single point of contact throughout the entire process.

Our procurement leads work on a small number of tenders at a time, which means you get a high level of personal service and support. All our procurement leads are experienced professionals, and we match each customer with the right person who has the specific skills to support your needs.

Your procurement lead will:

• work with you to prepare robust documentation using our proven templates and best practice guidance
• issue approved documentation to suppliers through our secure eSourcing Platform and handle all supplier questions
• arrange and lead bid evaluation, including training your evaluators and managing the process with a clear audit trail
• draft a recommendation report on the successful supplier, with full process details and any risks you need to know about
• draft and issue all contract documentation, including schedules, letters and supplier feedback

When not to use it

Our procurement support is available through our CCS frameworks only. We don’t provide assisted procurement through an open market or Find a Tender Service routes.

We want to make sure our procurement lead and team are genuinely adding value to your project. Sometimes it might be quicker and easier for you to run your own procurement using self-serve across our agreements – particularly when you need goods or services urgently.

Our APS works best when you need commercial advice and guidance for more complex requirements. We’re here to help you decide which route makes most sense for your specific needs.

What do I need to do as a customer? 

All customers are responsible for providing a complete Statement of Requirements (SOR), otherwise known as a specification and any supporting materials that suppliers will need to see. If you are a school for example, this could include requirements from central or local government, who will be providing funding for your procurement. 

Additionally, you will need to agree on the timeline at the start of the process and identify and provide evaluations for the bid evaluation process.

How do I access the ASP?

The service can be accessed in 2 ways: either by contacting our team at internal-triage@crowncommercial.gov.uk or, if you have one, through your Account Manager. 

Please note: your Account Manager will require high level detail such as timescales, value and a brief description of your procurement. Your procurement lead is allocated when this information has been received. Work will not start on the procurement until the SOR is received on the agreed date. The more notice we have in advance of your requirement, the more likely we will be able to support your procurement.

More information and guidance for public and third sector buyers, as well as full details of all of our commercial agreements, can be found in the latest CCS digital brochure or through our assisted procurement webpage.

For further information on using the Assisted Service, please contact your Account Manager or internal-triage@crowncommercial.gov.uk