This is a list of central purchasing bodies serving public sector procurement in the United Kingdom. Central purchasing bodies are also known as "Public Buying Organisations" (PBOs).PASS Procurement, Procurement Frameworks – how to get on them and how they work, published 28 May 2020, accessed 5 July 2021 In May 2010 the National Audit Office estimated that there were just under 50 public buying organisations in the UK.National Audit Office, A review of collaborative procurement across the public sector, p. 5, published May 2010, accessed 4 March 2022
Background A "central purchasing body” is defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as "a contracting authority which provides centralised purchasing activities and which may also provide ancillary purchasing activities". The role of a central purchasing body, as defined in Regulation 37 of the regulations, is to support "the acquisition of supplies or services, or both, intended for contracting authorities", and "the award of public contracts or the conclusion of framework agreements [or dynamic purchasing systems] for works, supplies or services intended for contracting authorities".UK Legislation, Public Contracts Regulations 2015, regulation 37 The definitions are derived from Articles 2(1)(14) and 37 of the European Union's Directive on Public Procurement, Directive 2014/24/EU,Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC, Official Journal of the European Union, accessed 21 January 2022 transposed into UK legislation in 2015. Similar organisations can be found in other EU Member States, for instance Hansel Ltd. in Finland and Consip in Italy.
The EU rules provide that a contracting authority may use the services of a central purchasing body located in another Member State, and should do so in accordance with the national procurement rules which apply where the central purchasing body is located.UK Legislation, Public Contracts Regulations 2015, regulation 39 (3-4)
In the UK, central government organisations are required by HM Treasury guidance to use the Government Procurement Service (Crown Commercial Service) in its capacity as a central purchasing body.H M Treasury, Managing Public Money, Annex 4.6: Procurement], p. 96, accessed 3 January 2022
Organisations Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC), established in 2007, provides central procurement services and expertise for the universities and colleges of Scotland. APUC is based in Stirling.Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC), established in 1999, owned by the UK further education sector since 2009,Crescent Purchasing Consortium, About us, accessed 24 August 2021 and based in Salford, offers framework agreements for the education sector, including colleges, schools and multi-academy trusts.Crescent Purchasing Ltd., Your place to purchase, accessed 5 July 2021 CPL Group, the parent company of the CPC, was recognised as a 'great place to work' by the Great Place to Work Institute in 2021.Great Place to Work Institute, CPL Group, accessed 16 May 2022
Crown Commercial Service (CCS), part of the Cabinet Office, claims to be "the biggest public procurement organisation in the UK".Crown Commercial Service, About Crown Commercial Service (CCS), accessed 24 August 2021 Department for Education, operates framework agreements used to procure "traditional" school and public building construction works and for offsite construction.Department for Education, School buildings: construction framework 2021, published 30 November 2021, accessed 14 February 2023Department for Education, Modern methods of construction (MMC1), published 10 March 2021, accessed 14 February 2023 Devon County Council: Devon led a consortium of public bodies responsible for a framework agreement known as "Construction Framework South West" (CFSW),England and Wales High Court (Chancery Division), J B Leadbitter & Co Ltd v Devon County Council EWHC 930 (Ch), paragraph 3, delivered on 1 May 2009, accessed on 16 February 2025 now (since 2015) part of the Southern Construction Framework.Southern Construction Framework, accessed on 25 February 2025 ESPO, formally the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation, is a public sector-owned professional buying organisation established in 1981. It operates from a purpose-built warehouse and head office based in Leicester, England, adjacent to the M1, with a distribution centre in South Wales,ESPO, FAQs - Where is ESPO located?, accessed 31 January 2021 and is owned and managed by six English local authorities: Leicestershire County Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Norfolk County Council, Warwickshire County Council, and Peterborough City Council.ESPO, About us, accessed 31 January 2021 ESPO is one of four organisations which serve the local authorities of England and Wales, along with the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation, North Eastern Purchasing Organisation and the Central Buying Consortium.Hampshire County Council, About CBC, accessed 24 February 2021 A fifth consortium, West Mercia Supplies (WMS), now called Consortium Education,West Mercia Supplies: We've Changed, accessed 24 February 2021 was based in the West Midlands but after being purchased by a private sector company it lost its status as a public sector consortium. The five consortia collectively operated under the name Pro5,Guardian Professional, Pro5 Group plans major IT framework, published 22 June 2011, accessed 24 February 2021 until WMS ceased to be part of the public sector. "ESPO" is the trading name of a joint committee of these six local authorities established under the Local Government Act 1972 (section 101 (5) and section 102) and section 9EB of the Local Government Act 2000. Initially its purpose was to serve Leicestershire and Lincolnshire as a joint initiative.Leicestershire County Council and ESPO, Supplier Code of Conduct, published October 2018, accessed 31 January 2021 EN:Procure Ltd. is a consortium consisting of four South Yorkshire Councils – Sheffield City Council, Doncaster Council, Rotherham Council and Barnsley Council, and 4 South Yorkshire ALMOs – Sheffield Homes, Rotherham 2010, Berneslai Homes (Barnsley) and St Leger Homes (Doncaster). In October 2017 Efficiency North Limited changed its name to EN:Procure Limited.Efficiency North, accessed 8 March 2021 EN:Procure's Landsolve framework agreement provides land brokerage and land advice services.EN:Procure Ltd., Landsolve 2.0, accessed 4 August 2021
Firebuy Ltd., a central government body established in 2006 to provide Fire and Rescue Service procurement at a national level across England.UK Government, Firebuy, accessed 15 July 2022 The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) was criticised by the National Audit Office in 2010 for the way it allowed Firebuy to operate, with insufficient usage made of its framework agreements by Fire and Rescue authorities. The claimed savings resulting from collaborative use of its frameworks were less than its setup and running costs. DCLG concluded in 2009 that it would be cost-effective to maintain Firebuy in operation,National Audit Office, Reducing the cost of procuring Fire and Rescue Service vehicles and specialist equipment, HC285,2010-2011, published 23 July 2010, accessed 25 August 2022 but it closed on 13 July 2011.Lewis, B., Firebuy Limited: annual report and accounts, published 26 March 2013, accessed 15 July 2022 Fusion21 Members Consortium, a social enterprise based in Prescot, Merseyside.Fusion21, Framework Index, accessed 23 June 2021 Grand Union Housing Group Trident Utilities, Case Study: Grand Union Housing Group, accessed 24 August 2021 Hampshire County Council operates the Southern Modular Building Framework, established in 2018 and available to public authorities in the south of England.Hampshire County Council, Southern Modular Building Framework, accessed 31 July 2022 The Higher Education Purchasing Consortium, Wales (HEPCW) (), which is supported and funded by the Welsh Higher Education institutions (HEIs).HEPCW, Welcome, accessed 25 November 2021 Home and Future, a public sector mutual company responsible for commissioning and contracting for child care placements in the south east of England.Samuel, M., Regional care co-operative becomes not-for-profit company, Community Care, published on 8 January [2026?], accessed on 28 September 2026 KCS, part of Kent County Council's Commercial Services Group.KCS, Frameworks, accessed 24 November 2021 Lancashire Procurement Cluster, a shared procurement and supply chain service jointly operated by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, established in 2017 and based in Leyland.Lancashire Procurement Cluster, What we do, accessed 31 July 2023 LGfL is a not for profit technology company which procures, develops and delivers technology and educational content to schools, Multi-Academy Trusts (MATS) and Local Authorities. LGfL provision includes broadband connections, filtering and safeguarding services, devices and software licences.LGfL, Your school, MAT or other Local Authority can direct award to LGfL and be procurement compliant, accessed 10th February 2025 Metropolitan Police Authority: the authority let a framework agreement in 2010 for the supply and delivery of body armour, whose use by police authorities in England and Wales was mandated under government regulations issued in 2011.UK Legislation, The Police Act 1996 (Equipment) Regulations 2011, Schedule, made 9 February 2011, accessed 10 September 2023 National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA, abolished in 2013): the NPIA let a framework agreement for police vehicles and spare parts in 2010, in conjunction with the National Association of Police Fleet Managers. NFP (the National Framework Partnership), based in London, in conjunction with Hyde Housing Association. NEPO, the North East Purchasing Organisation, established in 1976.NEPO, accessed 24 August 2021 NEPO is operated by The Association of North East Councils Ltd. Formerly based in Newcastle,NEPO, Terms and Conditions, archived on 8 February 2021, accessed 24 August 2021 NEPO moved to new offices in Gateshead in 2022.NEPO, Welcome to NEPO HQ, published on 14 March 2022, accessed on 9 June 2026 NEUPC, the North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium, based in Leeds.NEUPC Ltd., About Us NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), serving both NHS and non-NHS public bodies NHS Shared Business Services, Framework Agreements, accessed 25 November 2021 The NHS also has four procurement hubs, NHS Commercial Solutions, NHS North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative (NOE CPC, based in Sheffield),North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative, Home Page, accessed 19 August 2022 East of England NHS Collaborative Procurement Hub and NHS London Procurement Partnership, which support collaborative procurement opportunities for NHS organisations. The four hubs also work together as the "NHS Collaborative Procurement Partnership" providing framework agreements for appropriate areas of high value NHS expenditure.London Procurement Partnership, National procurement strategy boost as NHS hubs formalise collaboration, working together, and sharing of appropriate frameworks, accessed 19 August 2022