Need Help with Design and Build Construction Projects Frameworks?

We are often asked about framework agreements for design and build construction projects. Although CPC don’t specialise in this field, to help our members, we have researched and collated a list of some of the consortia who do, and whose frameworks are open to colleges, schools and academies.

The list is available on the Further Education Library of Procurement (FELP), providing links to the relevant websites for both national and regional organisations. Whilst we aren’t in a position to endorse these organisations, we hope you find this resource useful when looking at the options for procuring goods and services for a construction project. The organisations provide differing routes to market and a number of them have different agreements depending on the size and scope of the procurement.

As a reminder, generally construction related projects fall under The Public Contracts Regulations when the value of the contract exceeds £4,104,394. If you are unsure as to whether your project falls within the definition of ‘works’ that is subject to this threshold, check the description of your project against the list of activities that constitute ‘works’ in Schedule 2 of The Public Contracts Regulations. However this doesn’t mean that these frameworks can’t be used for lower value projects and would still be worth considering.

If you decide to go it alone and run your own tender for a construction project, government guidance is to use PAS91, the standard construction industry PQQ, as a method for evaluating a bidders capacity and capability to tender for your project. PAS91 can be used in works contracts that exceed £164,176. For contracts below this value a pre-qualification stage is no longer permissible although you can set some minimum levels of suitability. An example of a tender document for a small works project below £164,176 in value can be found in the Generic Tender Documentation section of FELP.

If you have any queries, please don't hesitate to get in touch with your CPC Regional Procurement Advisor.