Published
By Ashley Cox
As schools and academies around the UK prepare to limber up for their annual summer sports days, our all-star team at Crescent Purchasing Consortium is eager to remind institutions of some of the related buying frameworks we can offer.
From artificial pitches and playground equipment to outdoor gym kit and cricket wickets, CPC can offer the UK's education sector an extensive array of sporting solutions, linking our members with approved suppliers via our compliant agreements.
Looking to lay down a real-deal athletics track ahead of the summer season? Our Sports Facilities Installation, Refurbishment and Maintenance framework has proven a worthy replacement for the prior Synthetic Sports Facilities agreement, continuing its remit to cover the construction, maintenance and refurbishment of such running tracks, as well as heavy-use, multi-season 3G sports pitches, tennis courts, multi-use games areas and more. Launched in 2024, this compliant buying framework is now recommended to Schools and Academies by the Department for Education, in a swift validation of its usefulness and suitability.
Hoping to add to your selection of school sporting apparatus in time for the annual field events? Our Sports, Fitness & Play Equipment framework was renewed last May, expanding its scope in the process to encompass equipment and accessories used in sports and athletics, as well as gymnastics, strength and resistance training and health and fitness pursuits.
How about kitting out your pupils in the colours of their house or class? Our PPE, Clothing & Uniforms framework facilitates the purchasing of sports clothing and PE kits, with First Aid kits and supplies also procurable via this agreement, helping our institutions to deliver a smoother and more successful day in the sun, through a supply of potentially priceless provisions.
With summer sports events often welcoming parents and guardians on site, institutions will be keen to look their best on the big day and CPC's Minor Works Dynamic Purchasing System provides no fewer than 29 building works categories that could help our members achieve this. By using the DPS, which expires in October, institutions are able to call on a pool of approved suppliers with a wide range of specialist trades and these providers can enable the construction or refurbishment of sports hall premises, gymnasiums or changing facilities, which can keep that sports day spirit alive into future years.
While being gradually phased out under the new Procurement Act 2023 regime, Dynamic Purchasing Systems are typically intended to encourage greater competition and differ somewhat from regular CPC frameworks, as they permit applications from new suppliers at any time. With a theoretically limitless number of suppliers in waiting, the DPS allows greater potential participation from smaller and medium-sized businesses, which can drive further savings for our 10,000+ member institutions, making their financial and procurement hurdles a little less daunting this summer.
On behalf of all at CPC, we hope all our schools and academies enjoy a safe, fun and rewarding summer sports day season.