Find the right route to buy

When to buy from a framework agreement, when to get bids or quotes and when to run a public contracts regulations (PCR) compliant buying process.

Follow your school’s procurement rules. You can get these from your school or your local authority.

Route 1: use a framework agreement

DfE have reviewed and approved framework agreements for schools to buy goods and services.

Framework agreements help schools to procure goods and services from a list of pre-approved suppliers, with agreed terms and conditions and legal protections.

Framework agreements are provided by third parties. They run a tender to select the right suppliers to provide specific goods and services.

Each framework agreement tells you how to choose a supplier and place an order.

You will have 2 options:

  1. Select the supplier from a list
  2. Run a ‘mini-competition’, this is where you ask all suppliers on the list to send you a bid and you choose the best one

Read more about framework agreements and how to find one.

See the steps to buying using this route.

Route 2: use catalogues to find low value goods

Buy this way if you are buying goods that are low value.

Check your school’s procurement policy to see what they class as low value. We generally say low is under £10,000.

See the steps to buying using this route.

Route 3: get at least 3 quotes from suppliers

Buy this way if:

  • you cannot get what you need through a framework agreement
  • what you are buying is low to medium value

Check your school’s procurement rules to see what they class as low to medium value. We generally say:

  • low is under £10,000
  • medium is £10,000 to £40,000

See the steps to buying using this route.

Route 4: advertise a contract and run a buying process under the PCR threshold

You must run your own buying process, inviting suppliers to submit bids if:

  • you cannot get what you need through a framework agreement
  • you are buying high-value things

Your school’s procurement rules will set what is classed as high. We generally say high is over £40,000.

However, if what you are buying is over the PCR threshold you may have to run a PCR compliant buying process.

See the steps to buying using this route.

Route 5: run a public contracts regulations (PCR) compliant buying process over the PCR threshold

You need to run this kind of process if:

  • you cannot get what you need through one of our framework agreements
  • you are buying something over the PCR procurement thresholds

The thresholds are:

  • goods: £214,904
  • works: £5,372,609
  • most services: £214,904

Some services for education, health and care are covered by the ‘light touch regime’.

The threshold for these is £663,540.

Check the list of all the services covered by the light touch regime in the legislation.

We recommend that you get legal advice if what you are buying is over, or near to the thresholds.

See the steps to buying using this route.