Education buyer types and scale
~14,000 schools
Local Authority Maintained Schools
Council schools procure through their local authority's frameworks or independently. Contracts appear on Contracts Finder above threshold.
~1,200 MATs
Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs)
Larger MATs operate independent procurement, using CCS and sector frameworks. Published on Contracts Finder. Many use e-procurement portals.
~10,000 academies
Independent Academy Trusts
Single and small academy trusts largely procure through DfE frameworks and local arrangements. Some publish on Contracts Finder.
130+ HEIs
Universities
Independent universities publish significant contracts on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. Use HE purchasing consortia frameworks extensively.
~230 FE colleges
Further Education Colleges
FE colleges procure independently and through CPC and AoC frameworks. Published on Contracts Finder above threshold.
152 LAs
Local Authority Education Depts
Council education departments procure SEN transport, pupil referral, educational psychology, and support services.
Key education procurement frameworks
YPO Frameworks
NationalWidely used by councils and schools for everything from IT to catering supplies, stationery and facilities management.
ESPO Frameworks
East Midlands / NationalStrong in Eastern England but available nationally. Covers a broad range of goods and services for schools and councils.
Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC)
Higher & Further EducationSpecifically designed for HE and FE institutions — professional services, estates, IT, catering and more.
LUPC / NEUPC / SUPC
Regional HERegional university purchasing consortia covering the London, North East, and Southern HE sectors with specialist frameworks.
Crown Commercial Service
NationalAvailable to education bodies for a wide range of categories — technology, professional services, fleet, energy.
Scotland Excel
ScotlandScottish collaborative procurement including frameworks used by Scottish councils and education bodies.
Frequently asked questions
Where are education tenders published in the UK?
Education sector contracts are published across multiple portals. Local authority maintained schools procure through their council's procurement system, with contracts appearing on Contracts Finder and sometimes Find a Tender. Academy trusts and MATs procure independently and publish on Contracts Finder. Universities publish on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder, and often on sector frameworks. PSIP aggregates all five UK portals.
How do academy trusts procure goods and services?
Multi-academy trusts (MATs) operate their own procurement. Larger MATs often use collaborative frameworks from ESPO, YPO, Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) and Crown Commercial Service. Individual academy trusts typically use Contracts Finder for above-threshold requirements. Many smaller academy trusts use local arrangements for lower-value procurement.
What are the main education procurement frameworks?
Key education frameworks include YPO frameworks (widely used by councils and schools), ESPO (Eastern and East Midlands focus, used by schools and councils), Crescent Purchasing Consortium (higher and further education), Crown Commercial Service frameworks (available to education), Scotland Excel (Scottish education), and Procurement Wales frameworks for Welsh education bodies.
Do universities use the same procurement portals as schools?
Universities operate their own independent procurement, typically at higher values. Most universities above 15,000 students have dedicated procurement teams and publish contracts on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder above threshold. UK universities also participate in higher education purchasing consortia — LUPC, NEUPC, SUPC, HEPCW, APUC, NOPC — which manage collaborative frameworks.
What types of goods and services do education bodies procure?
Education bodies procure a very broad range: IT hardware and software, facilities management (cleaning, catering, maintenance), construction and building works, professional services (legal, HR, audit), energy, food and catering supplies, sports equipment, furniture, library resources, laboratory equipment, security, and specialist educational resources.
What CPV codes should I use for education tenders?
Core education CPV codes include 80000000 (Education and training services), 80100000 (Primary education), 80200000 (Secondary education), 80300000 (Higher education), and 80500000 (Training services). However, most education procurement is for goods and services used within education settings — IT (48000000), facilities management (79993000), construction (45000000) — so use the sector-specific CPV codes for your product or service.
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