Cirrus Consortium Materials Supply Framework

The Cirrus Consortium is a procurement consortium with members including Registered Providers of Social Housing, Local Authorities, ALMOs and NHS Trusts.

The Consortium is seeking bids for the following lots:

• Lot 1: Managed Services
• Lot 2: General building materials
• Lot 3: Plumbing and heating materials (including gas spares and renewables)
• Lot 4: Electrical materials
• Lot 5: Highways and civil materials
• Lot 6: Painting and decorating supplies
• Lot 7: Tool and plant hire

The outcome of the tender process will be a 4 year Framework Agreement expected to commence during January 2027. It is envisaged that the final framework will be awarded to approximately 7 suppliers for Lot 1: Managed Services and 10 suppliers per lot for all other lots.

In compliance with the Procurement Act 2023, Coastline Housing are the principal contracting authority for the establishment of this framework and Cirrus Purchasing Ltd are the managing agent on behalf of the Cirrus Consortium.

A managed services solution is usually a bespoke arrangement supplying a wide-ranging provision of building materials to a client. The relationship most commonly involves a single supplier route where the merchant stocks and supplies a comprehensive range of building materials to a client, who route their organisational expenditure through this merchant in particular.

The core service could be delivered through one, or a combination of the delivery methods listed in the service specification, although alternative solutions can also be supported.

Additional services the merchant may provide to a client through a managed services solution may include, but are not limited to:

• Direct integration with client IT systems
• Dedicated stock holding
• Van stock management
• Provision of welfare facilities for use by client staff
• Out of hours materials provision
• Dedicated account management
• Key performance indicator and service level agreement monitoring
• Training and 'Toolbox Talks'
• Waste management facilities and other ancillary services
• Consolidated invoicing
• Factoring items from third party suppliers

Merchants providing a managed service solution must be equipped to supply a comprehensive range of materials covering all categories named in lots 2, 3 and 4. Consortium members, on a case by case basis, may require a wider range of materials including, but not limited to, general building materials, plumbing and heating materials, electrical materials, highways materials, painting and decorating supplies, tool and plant (purchase or hire), kitchen materials and renewables.

It is a minimum requirement for lot 1 that bidders must have experience of providing a minimum of 2 managed service contracts for contracting authorities within the last 3 years.