Glossary

We understand that procurement can be confusing. Organisations often use different terms to describe the same thing. With that in mind, we designed this glossary to make buying with us and navigating our website easier. It is not designed to be an extensive list of all procurement terms.



Containing

O

Open framework

A type of framework introduced under the Procurement Act 2023 that allow new suppliers to join at different times throughout the agreement’s life.

They can last up to 8 years (or 4 years if only one supplier is on the agreement). The framework must be reopened for new suppliers to join:

  • at least once during the first 3 years
  • at least once during the following 5 years before the agreement ends

This keeps the agreements competitive and up-to-date while providing long-term stability.