Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Frameworks
The definitive guide for UK suppliers on accessing the government's primary procurement vehicle — from application to call-off contracts.
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is the biggest public procurement organisation in the UK, managing over 100 frameworks covering £ billions of annual spend. If you supply IT, professional services, facilities management, construction, or virtually anything the public sector buys, CCS frameworks are your fastest route to revenue.
What Is CCS?
CCS is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office. It negotiates framework agreements on behalf of the entire UK public sector — central government, local authorities, NHS trusts, police, education, and devolved administrations.
Being on a CCS framework does not guarantee orders. But it puts you on a pre-approved list that 40,000+ public bodies can buy from directly — without running their own full tender process.
How Framework Agreements Work
1. Framework Competition
CCS runs an open tender to select a panel of suppliers. This is the only competitive stage. Evaluation is typically on quality and price against the framework scope.
2. Call-Off Competition (or Direct Award)
Once on the framework, public buyers can "call off" work. For low-value call-offs, they may award directly. For higher-value, they run a mini-competition among framework suppliers.
3. Contract Award
The buyer awards the call-off contract under the framework terms. No further SQ is typically needed because you were vetted at framework stage.
Major CCS Frameworks Open to SMEs
| Framework | Category | SME Friendly? | Value Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-Cloud | Cloud / SaaS | Very high | £1k – £1M+ |
| Digital Outcomes & Specialists (DOS) | Digital services | Very high | £1k – £2M |
| Public Sector Resourcing (PSR) | Contingent labour | Medium | £50k – £5M |
| Technology Products & Services 2 (TePAS 2) | IT hardware/software | High | £5k – £10M |
| Civil & Corporate Professionals | Professional services | High | £10k – £10M |
| Facilities Management (FM) | FM / Hard & soft | Medium | £100k – £50M |
| Construction (PAC/SAC) | Construction | Medium | £50k – £100M+ |
| Travel & Expense | Travel services | Medium | £10k – £5M |
G-Cloud: The SME Gateway
G-Cloud is the most SME-friendly framework in UK public procurement. It is a catalogue of cloud hosting, software, and support services. There is no minimum turnover requirement. Application is straightforward: describe your service, set your pricing, and publish.
Why G-Cloud works for SMEs:
- No turnover threshold — micro-businesses qualify
- Buyers can purchase directly (no mini-competition under £40k)
- Open application window (not once-every-few-years)
- Simple 400-word service description + pricing
- Average contract value: £20k–£50k (bite-sized for SMEs)
If you are a UK tech SME and not on G-Cloud, this should be your top priority. Over £5 billion has been spent through G-Cloud, with SMEs winning approximately 50% of that by number of contracts.
How to Get on a CCS Framework
Monitor CCS Pipeline
CCS publishes a commercial pipeline showing upcoming frameworks. Subscribe to alerts on ccscommercial.cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Register on Jaggaer (eSourcing)
Most CCS tenders are published on the Jaggaer eSourcing portal. Create a supplier account and set up CPV code alerts.
Read the Framework Agreement
The terms are non-negotiable. Check call-off mechanisms, pricing rules, KPIs, and termination clauses before bidding.
Prepare Evidence in Advance
You will need 2–3 years of accounts, insurance certs, case studies, and policies (modern slavery, equality, environmental).
Price Strategically
Framework pricing is often fixed for the duration. Factor in inflation, salary growth, and material costs. Under-pricing can trap you.
Winning Mini-Competitions
Being on the framework is just the start. Most valuable call-offs require a mini-competition — a faster tender run only among framework suppliers. Winning these is where the real money is made.
Direct Award (no competition)
Typically under £40k. Buyer picks you based on framework listing. No further bid needed.
Further Competition (mini-tender)
Buyer sends a brief to 3–10 framework suppliers. Short deadline (often 5–10 days). Requires a rapid, targeted response.
Find CCS framework opportunities faster
rTenders monitors CCS, Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, and regional portals — alerting you to framework openings and call-off competitions that match your capabilities.
Also see: NHS Frameworks Guide and Find a Tender vs Contracts Finder