Advisers are being invited to tender for the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation Estates Management Professional Services Contract, or ESPO.
The framework contract is valued at £60 million and is one of the most lucrative public sector frameworks following hot on the heels of larger framework tenders from Homes England and the Crown Commercial Service.
The framework period is 21 April 2026 to 20 April 2028 with an option to extend for a further two years. The tender seeks to create a multiple supplier framework for Estates Management Professional Services across the estate.
ESPO is a public sector buying organisation jointly owned by six local authorities, Cambridgeshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Norfolk County Council, Peterborough County Council and Warwickshire County Council, and operated through Leicestershire County Council.
The framework's structure focuses on assets across the country. It will be based on the government's nine defined regions of England but tenderers are also invited to indicate where else in the UK they can offer services for use by public sector bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The estimated value of the framework is £60 million.
The tender focuses on eight lots: Lot 1, valuation; Lot 2, agency split between commercial and agricultural agency; Lot 3, lease management; Lot 4, property and estate management; Lot 5, strategic asset management and development consultancy; Lot 6, compulsory purchase and compensation; Lot 7, workplace and workspace management; Lot 8, planning consultancy. It is anticipated that between 40 and 60 suppliers will be awarded a place on the framework.
Iain Mulvey, director, Graham and Sibbald, said: “Some think we have overcomplicated public sector procurement of property services in the UK by having too many frameworks. Given the vast array of services being procured in terms of discipline, geography and value, having a choice of platforms for contracting authorities to choose from ensures all requirements are covered and value for money can be demonstrated. Both are exceptionally important in the context of what the current government is trying to achieve in terms of driving delivery and performance while ensuring taxpayer’s expectations around budgets are met."