When embarking on any procurement journey, whether it's a local authority building new housing or a housing association retrofitting existing stock, the chosen procurement route can either unlock success or complicate delivery.
Why does the route really matter? Here are three reasons for you to consider:
1. Start together, finish strong
Every major project is shaped long before ground is broken or contracts are signed.
The procurement route determines who you engage, how early they come on board and how aligned your delivery is from start to finish.
For example, Procurement Hub’s Major Projects Framework is designed to support early contractor engagement, ensuring that the right expertise is on board from the very start, not just at contract award.
This is crucial for projects following the RIBA stages, where early input from key stakeholders can guide the design and planning phases. In many cases across the sector, contractors are brought in at a later stage with limited input, rather than being engaged early to shape the project from the outset, this is a missed opportunity that can lead to misalignment and inefficiencies down the line.
So choosing a procurement route that enables early collaboration and informed decision-making, ensures better outcomes in both the short and long term.
2. Frameworks aren’t all created equal
Frameworks are now widely used across the public sector for good reason: they can simplify procurement, accelerate timelines and deliver value.
But not all frameworks are created on equal ground. Frameworks can be powerful tools, when they’re the right fit. But the rise of speculative frameworks has rightly raised eyebrows.
Some are developed by organisations that aren't officially recognised as Contracting Authorities.
This matters, because frameworks led by private entities without that legal status can fall foul of procurement regulations, potentially exposing public bodies to compliance challenges, audit risk and reputational damage.
This issue is precisely what the Scottish Government’s Scottish Procurement Policy Note (SPPN) 3/2017 addresses. It warns against so-called speculative frameworks, those that are created without a legitimate Contracting Authority behind them.
These types of frameworks may appear compliant on the surface, but lack the legal standing to offer the protection and transparency public procurement demands.
So how do you know what’s legitimate? Ask:
- Who awarded this framework?
- Are they a recognised Contracting Authority?
- Is there a clear legal basis for their role?
By contrast, an example is Procurement Hub’s frameworks, which are awarded by recognised Contracting Authorities such as Places for People Group Ltd.
As one of the UK’s largest Registered Social Landlords and a body governed by public law, Places for People ensures full compliance with Scottish and UK procurement regulations. This provides buyers with confidence that the frameworks are legally sound and meet all necessary procurement directives.
3. Procurement should reflect purpose, not just process
In public procurement, the conversation often centres around compliance, cost and efficiency.
But there’s an increasing need for a broader discussion about purpose.
In a world where public money is stretched and community needs are growing, procurement shouldn’t just be compliant or efficient, it can and should be transformational.
That’s why the procurement route matters. When the route you choose has the power to give back, every contract becomes more than a transaction, it can become part of a wider story of real impact.
At Procurement Hub, the frameworks are governed by Places for People, a non-dividend organisation with no shareholders.
This means that any surplus generated is reinvested into social housing, community support and projects that create lasting social value. Since 2020, over £1million has been donated to these causes.
This approach doesn’t make it less commercial, it sharpens focus. Procurement Hub solutions are designed to keep fees well within reach, never exceeding 2%.
In comparison, some private providers managing public sector contracts have been reported to charge fees of up to 11% of the contract value, which can significantly increase overall costs to taxpayers.
This makes Procurement Hub’s approach not only cost-effective but also focused on delivering value without the high margins seen in some other procurement models.
They operate within a commercial space, but with a social heart. Procurement should never be detached from the communities it serves and the long-term impacts it has on people's lives.