Buy through CCS

CCS has a wide range of commercial agreements you can use. Depending on what you are buying you should consider:

• How much of it you want – do you want one item or thousands, in one location or many?
• When you need it delivered – do you require delivery quickly or can you wait?

You can access CCS commercial agreements in two main ways: catalogues and running a competition. There are a number of buying routes for each.

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Catalogues

Catalogues are for simple everyday purchases, such as technology products, which can be bought online for next-day delivery. You will pay the price per item published in the catalogue

• Purchasing platform

  • What you can buy:
    • technology products and education technology products, such as a laptops
  • Time to supply: From next day
  • Pros: Quick, click-to-buy, low admin
  • Cons: Limited to 2 catalogues
  • Links:
    • Visit site

• Digital marketplace

  • What you can buy:
    • cloud hosting, software and support
    • user research labs and participants
    • digital specialists
    • digital outcomes
    • datacentre space
  • Time to supply: Depends on complexity of requirements, for example, 4 weeks to supply a digital specialist
  • Pros: Wide range of digital services and people, flexible agreements
  • Links:
    • Visit site
    • Learn more

• eMarketplace

  • What you can buy:
    • Back Office Software
    • Data and Application Solutions
    • Network Services
    • Technology Services
    • Transport Technology and Associated Services
    • Cloud Compute
    • Building Materials and Equipment
  • Time to supply: From next day, depending on procurement route
  • Pros: Quick direct award mechanism
  • Cons: Limited to 7 frameworks
  • Links:
    • Visit site
    • Learn more

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Frameworks

You can use frameworks to buy a range of common products and services, from simple to complex requirements and from low to high volumes of products. Frameworks comprise a description of the requirements, a list of suppliers and standardised contract terms. They are often divided into lots by product or service type.

Search frameworks

• Further competitions

  • What you can buy:
    • high-value or complex goods and services: anything from stationary to complex facility management contracts.
  • Time to supply: From a few weeks to several months depending on complexity of requirements
  • Pros: Thorough, open and fair way to compare suppliers. Lower prices possible by committing to spend
  • Links:
    • Learn more

• Direct award

  • What you can buy:
    • Anything you can buy through a framework that permits direct award
  • Time to supply: Depends on the type of goods or services required. Common stock items could be delivered in 1 or 2 days.
  • Pros: Quick for off-the-shelf goods and services
  • Cons: Does not demonstrate competition
  • Links:
    • Learn more

• Dynamic Purchasing System

  • What you can buy:
    • Research, fleet vehicle conversions and health and social care network connectivity services
  • Time to supply: Depends on complexity of requirements. Simple requirements can be quoted within 10 days
  • Pros: Suppliers can join at any time, unlimited number of suppliers
  • Cons: Buyers have to check supplier credentials
  • Links:
    • Visit site
    • Learn more

• eAuctions

  • What you can buy:
    • Items which benefit from bulk buying
  • Time to supply: Depends on the complexity of requirements, evaluation process and number of customers aggregated
  • Pros: Maximises commercial advantages
  • Cons: Requires upfront commitment from customers
  • Links:
    • Visit site
    • Learn more

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Information for buyers and suppliers

Find helpful information to help you start buying or supplying.

Learn moreInformation for buyers and suppliers

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Glossary

Find explanations for common terms and abbreviations used in public procurement.

Learn moreGlossary