How to respond to a framework mini-competition
A framework mini-competition, also called a further competition, is a procurement for a specific contract through an existing framework. First confirm that your organisation can compete under the relevant lot and that the invitation is genuine and current. Then assess the call-off pack on its own terms: scope, evaluation, price, contract conditions and timetable. Your framework place is the starting point. The response still has to set out a credible offer for this buyer.
Before you start
Who this helps
- An appointed supplier receiving a further-competition invitation
- A team moving from framework admission to its first call-off bid
- A bid lead checking call-off scope and commercial dependencies
Points to check
- Being on one lot does not make you eligible for every call-off.
- Your framework application does not answer this buyer’s specific need.
- Check which price changes and contract terms are permitted before assuming anything.
Confirm you can take part
Check the framework, the lot, the supplier’s legal entity and the invitation instructions. If you are taking part through a partner, check that the arrangement is permitted and who is responsible for what. If you are unsure whether you have access, ask through the buyer’s official route.
Frameworks awarded under earlier legislation continue under the relevant transitional rules. Keep the framework agreement and the call-off documents together so the team uses the correct conditions for this competition.
Qualify the actual contract
Read the locations, volumes, service requirements, mobilisation date and duration. Confirm that you have the capacity and evidence for this contract. A call-off may be much more demanding, or less attractive commercially, than the general framework description suggested.
Check whether the timetable leaves time for a sound response and get an early decision on whether to bid. Membership fees, or the effort already spent joining the framework, are not on their own a reason to bid for every invitation.
Understand what will be assessed
Pull out the call-off questions, criteria, weightings, response limits and any minimum scores. Note any presentations, demonstrations or other stages. Read how the framework terms allow the call-off requirements and award criteria to be applied.
Do not assume the buyer will give credit for information in your original application unless the instructions say it forms part of the assessment. Include what this competition asks for and make the method and evidence easy to find.
Adapt the offer to the buyer’s circumstances
Build the response around the actual sites, users, service risks and outcomes in the pack. Reuse approved evidence where it fits, but check the dates, scope and permissions. Explain how each past result relates to this call-off.
For a multi-site service, for example, a useful answer might show the local staffing pattern, regional cover, site onboarding and escalation route. A general company description would leave the buyer guessing how its sites will be served.
Make the price match the commitments
Check the framework pricing mechanism and the call-off schedule, including units, discounts, indexation and any restrictions on changes. Make sure the price pays for the resources, service levels and mobilisation you are proposing.
Read the call-off terms alongside the framework. If the instructions seem inconsistent or a requirement is unclear, raise a specific clarification question before the enquiry deadline. Do not fill the gap with an assumption the documents do not permit.
- Confirm the exact service and period being priced.
- Check the rules on options and variations.
- Make staffing and mobilisation match the quality response.
- Get sign-off from the person authorised to approve the price.
Submit and keep a record of the call-off
Use a response register and review the complete offer before approval. Check the portal fields, attachments and the final submission confirmation. Keep the invitation, clarifications, submitted files and commitments separate from the framework application.
When the result arrives, use whatever feedback this route provides. The Procurement Act assessment-summary requirement does not generally apply to framework call-offs, so do not expect the same feedback as in a standalone competition. Bidgen can help organise a call-off response once access, scope and availability are confirmed.
Common questions
01Can a supplier outside the framework respond?
Check the official invitation and framework terms. Further competitions are normally run among the relevant appointed suppliers. If you are not on the framework, do not assume you can bid directly, or join, just because a call-off is advertised.
02Can we copy our framework application answers?
Use them as a starting point where they fit, then check them against the call-off requirements and your current evidence. The buyer needs an offer for this contract, with the detail and commitments it has asked for.
03Can we change our framework price?
Follow the framework and call-off pricing rules. Some arrangements allow specified changes or competition on price; others restrict them. Ask a clarification question if you are unsure, and get commercial approval before submitting.
04What should we share with an external writer?
The invitation, call-off pack, relevant framework terms, current clarifications, your approved solution and evidence. Add anything the price depends on, and your internal review and submission dates.