Buying from the Framework

How do Members buy from the framework? This can be done in one of two ways:

Direct Award

Direct Award is an option under the framework. The rules governing Direct Award are defined within the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Members’ attention is drawn to these rules. Direct Award takes place where a Member direct awards business to a supplier without the supplier having to engage in a further competitive process to win the contract.

Each supplier has an agreed price list for the services and supplies available under the framework and these can be accessed by contacting either the specific supplier Account Manager, the framework Contract Manager or via the CPC website. The price lists may be of assistance to Members when deciding whether or not to Direct Award to a supplier.

It is anticipated that Direct Award will be most commonly used in cases of urgent and/or one‐off need. Members are encouraged to engage in Further Competition to secure best value in all other cases.

Further advice and guidance can be obtained from the Crescent Purchasing Consortium Members Help Desk (not the framework specific Help Desk detailed in section 7).

Further Competition

A Member can engage suppliers in a further competition in pursuit of additional value. When engaging in a further competition exercise, Members must invite all the suppliers to participate in the further competition. All suppliers must be given the opportunity to engage in a further competition. Whereas all suppliers must be given the opportunity to engage in the further competition, they are not obliged to submit a quotation and may decide not to submit a bid under the further competition. This doesn’t invalidate your further competition.

The following is an example of a traditional further competition process (for illustrative purpose only):

Stage 1

  • Services audit undertaken to determine requirements

Stage 2

  • Requirement sent out to suppliers in a Further Competition Invitation to Submit Proposal document

Stage 3

  • Suppliers to review specification and submit bid proposals

Stage 4

  • Member evaluates submitted bid. Presentation may be recieved as part of the clarification process

Stage 5

  • Preferred supplier selected and award communicated

Basic advice and guidance upon conducting further competitions can be obtained from the framework Help Desk.

If conducting your own further competition, exercise members should note the base evaluation criteria and weighting for the Lot under which they are conducting the process. Full details of the weighting that underpins each Lot can be found in Appendix F.

A standard further competition template for use in a traditional further competition is attached in Appendix B for Members wishing to undertake their own further competition exercise.

Placing an order

Having selected your chosen Telecommunications supplier, orders can be placed in one of the following ways:

  1. By signing the Framework Order Form (a copy is detailed in Appendix C).
  2. By signing the Call-Off Contract Terms and Conditions which are available from the framework website – www.nationalpublicsectortelecomsframework.org.
  3. By signing the Framework Access Agreement (a copy is detailed within Appendix D).

Your preferred supplier will populate your choice of order documentation with the full details of your requirement and then present you with the completed document for signature. Please note, it is not necessary to sign the Call-Off Contract terms and conditions, as both the Framework Order Form and Framework Access Agreement under which the contract will be enabled clearly references the framework call-off terms and conditions.

Please note, framework users will contract under one of the three sets of framework call-off terms and conditions. The selection of the appropriate set of terms and conditions, that depends upon what and how a framework user wishes to procure. The Purchase Terms should be used where a framework user is purchasing their hardware/equipment, whereas the Lease Terms should be used where the framework user is leasing/renting/hiring their hardware/equipment. Services and software can be supplied alongside the hardware under both sets of call-off terms. Should the framework user wish to purchase a pure service, or managed service arrangement, where hardware, software and services are procured together for a defined service fee, the framework user should use the Service Agreement terms. Your preferred supplier will assist and guide the framework user in the selection of the most appropriate call-off terms and conditions to be utilised.

Please ensure a copy of your order is emailed to the framework Help Desk at the address detailed below. enquiries@nationalpublicsectortelecomsframework.org. This information will be treated in confidence and is required for internal framework management information purposes only.