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BETTESWORTHConstruction
call-off contracts

What Is a Medium Works Framework and How Does It Work?

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A medium works framework is a pre-arranged public-sector procurement route for construction projects. Contractors are appointed to the framework in advance, and eligible organisations then award individual projects, called call-offs, under the framework’s own rules. The framework is not the building project, a guarantee of work, or a licence to select any contractor without following the agreement.

Its practical value is that much of the supplier-selection process has already been completed. The buyer still has to confirm eligibility, define the project, use an allowed award method, execute the required agreements and manage delivery. Because frameworks differ, you must check the current documents for the relevant value band, geography, lots, suppliers and call-off procedure.

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What a medium works framework actually is

A framework agreement is a contract between a contracting authority and one or more suppliers that establishes the terms for future works contracts. In a medium works framework, those future contracts are construction projects within the scope set by that particular framework.

The framework normally defines:

  • which public-sector organisations may use it;
  • the types of construction work covered;
  • project-value limits or bands;
  • geographical lots and delivery areas;
  • the contractors appointed to each lot or band;
  • how a buyer must select a contractor; and
  • the documents, notices and approvals required before work starts.

A project buyer does not procure the framework again for every job. Instead, it makes a call-off: an individual contract awarded under the framework. The call-off creates the project-specific obligations, such as the scope, price, programme, design responsibilities, warranties, insurance and reporting requirements.

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The phrase “medium works” has no universal legal value threshold. It is a label used by different framework operators for arrangements with different scopes. Treat the name as a starting point, not as evidence that a project qualifies.

Why public bodies use this route

Establishing a construction procurement route from scratch can require a separate supplier competition, extensive selection questionnaires, financial checks, technical evaluation and contract set-up. A framework brings an appointed pool of contractors together under pre-agreed conditions. A buyer can then run a compliant call-off rather than repeating the full market exercise for every project.

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That can make procurement more predictable, particularly for repeat programmes such as school improvements, estate maintenance, housing works or civic-building projects. It may also give a buyer access to regional small and medium-sized contractors that would be difficult to assemble in a single, open competition.

The time and process savings are conditional. The buyer must be an eligible user, the project must fit the framework’s scope and lot, and the call-off must follow the specified method. A framework does not remove the need for a clear brief, budget approval, due diligence, contract management or statutory compliance.

How the process works from project idea to completion

1. Confirm that the organisation and project are eligible

Start with the framework agreement and user guidance, not with a contractor’s marketing material. Check that the buyer is named or otherwise permitted to use the framework. Some arrangements are limited to particular public-sector bodies, regions or participating authorities.

Then check the project itself. Confirm the work categories, maximum and minimum values, lot boundaries, term dates and any exclusions. A project that is within the monetary range may still be outside the permitted works or location.

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2. Contact the framework manager

YORhub’s published process for YORbuild3 Medium Works begins with contacting the framework manager. The manager can explain the access route, current documents, available contractors and the information needed to register a project.

Do not assume that an informal conversation gives permission to proceed. Obtain the formal access requirements and keep a record of the version of the framework documents used for the call-off.

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3. Define the project in the required form

YORhub uses a New Project Form. The equivalent document on another framework may have a different name, but the purpose is the same: to describe the proposed works sufficiently for the framework manager and contractors to assess the opportunity.

A useful project pack normally includes:

  • the site and location;
  • the client’s objectives and required outcomes;
  • the scope of works and known constraints;
  • design information and surveys available at the time;
  • an estimated value and funding position;
  • the required completion date and key milestones;
  • health, safety, environmental and social-value requirements; and
  • the proposed form of call-off contract and evaluation approach.

Early estimates should be identified as estimates. The final call-off value may change after design development, surveys or competition, subject to the framework’s variation rules.

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4. Agree the service and execute access documents

YORhub describes an agreement on the service followed by execution of an Access and Confidentiality Agreement. These documents establish the buyer’s right to use the framework and the conditions for sharing project information.

Read the access documents alongside the framework agreement. They may specify who can issue instructions, how confidential information is handled, which templates are mandatory and which approvals are needed before contractors are approached. Signing access paperwork does not itself award the construction contract.

5. Select a contractor through an authorised call-off

The buyer must use one of the selection methods allowed by the specific framework. The main possibilities are direct selection, a price-and-quality mini-competition or a price-only mini-competition. The procedure may also use rotation or client selection within a direct-selection model.

Pagabo’s guide for its 2019 National Framework for Medium Works describes two routes: direct award to a preferred contractor or a further-competition process. YORhub lists a wider set of options. These descriptions are framework-specific and should not be treated as interchangeable rules.

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6. Award, mobilise and monitor performance

Once the permitted selection process is complete, issue the award and execute the project contract in the required form. Set out the agreed scope, price, programme, responsibilities, reporting and change-control mechanism before mobilisation.

YORhub’s sixth step is monitoring performance. That should include progress against programme, cost reporting, quality inspections, health and safety, defects, payment, social-value commitments and the process for resolving issues. The framework manager may require performance information or escalation where a contractor is not meeting the call-off obligations.

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Call-off methods explained

Direct selection

Under direct selection, the buyer appoints an eligible contractor without asking the whole framework pool to submit a new tender. The framework must state when this is allowed and how the contractor is chosen. A rotation system can distribute opportunities; a client-selection model may allow the buyer to choose from contractors that meet the relevant criteria.

Direct selection can be efficient for a well-defined project, but the buyer still needs an audit trail showing why the route was permitted and why the selected contractor was eligible. The framework may require a price check, confirmation of capacity or a written justification.

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Price-and-quality mini-competition

A mini-competition invites the relevant appointed contractors to respond to the project brief. The buyer evaluates both price and non-price factors such as methodology, programme, team, risk management, design approach, quality and social value.

The permitted weighting is set by the framework. YORhub notes that price-and-quality balances vary by procedure, so a buyer must use the stated evaluation rules rather than inventing a preferred formula for an individual project.

Price-only mini-competition

Where the framework permits it, a price-only competition compares compliant prices against a fixed scope and stated requirements. This route is most defensible when the specification is sufficiently complete for bids to be compared on a like-for-like basis. If the scope is uncertain, a price-only award can create disputes over assumptions, exclusions and subsequent changes.

Framework examples and why the dates matter

The following figures belong to named frameworks or notices. They are not a general definition of medium works.

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Arrangement Value and coverage described Supplier or term information What the source establishes
Pagabo National Framework for Medium Works (2019 guide) Works valued from £250,000 to £10 million 46 regional and national contractors across three project-value bands; presented as a public-sector route Historical, framework-specific scope in the 2019 user guide
YORbuild3 Medium Works Value bands and access conditions are set by its own current documents YORhub describes contact, project form, access agreement, call-off and monitoring steps A worked example of a regional framework process, not a universal model
Planned third National Framework for Medium Works The Education Alliance notice of 23 June 2026 proposes UK public-sector works from £0 to £15 million Proposed four-year term beginning in January 2027 A planned procurement notice; it is not confirmation that the framework is already operational

The planned 2027 arrangement should therefore be described as proposed unless a later official award or launch notice confirms that it has commenced. A project team should never rely on the 2019 £250,000–£10 million range, or the proposed £0–£15 million range, without checking the live framework documents.

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How contractors are appointed

Framework suppliers are appointed through a competition for the framework itself. YORhub says its appointments used an evaluation weighting of 40% price, 50% quality and 10% social value under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Those percentages describe that framework’s procurement; they are not a mandatory formula for every medium works framework or every call-off.

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Appointment means that a contractor is available for eligible call-offs. It does not mean the contractor will win a project, has capacity for every location or can be selected for every value band. Lots, regional coverage and workload restrictions can limit availability.

What buyers should compare before choosing a framework

  • Eligibility: Is the organisation an authorised user, and are any access agreements required?
  • Scope: Do the proposed works and contract type fall within the stated categories?
  • Value band: Does the estimated value fit the current minimum and maximum, including rules for extensions and variations?
  • Geography: Is the site inside the relevant regional or national lot?
  • Contractor pool: Which firms are appointed to the applicable lot, and do they have the required capacity and specialisms?
  • Call-off method: Is the project eligible for direct selection, rotation, price-only competition, price-and-quality competition or another route?
  • Evaluation rules: Which criteria, weightings, deadlines and clarification procedures are mandatory?
  • Term and version: Is the framework still open for new call-offs, and which edition of its documents governs the project?
  • Contract terms: What warranties, insurance, payment, change control, dispute and termination provisions apply?

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Assuming every medium works framework is the same

The title can conceal major differences in value, geography, suppliers and procedure. Record the framework name, lot, version and expiry date in the project procurement plan.

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Treating the framework as the project contract

The framework sets the route and baseline terms. The call-off contract still needs a complete scope, price, programme and responsibilities. Do not let mobilisation begin on the assumption that a framework appointment alone creates a project award.

Choosing direct award because it is faster

Speed is not a reason to use direct selection unless the framework permits it and the project meets its conditions. Keep the selection rationale and any rotation or capacity evidence with the procurement record.

Using an incomplete brief for a price competition

Unclear surveys, drawings or employer’s requirements make tender returns difficult to compare. Identify assumptions, exclusions and risk ownership before inviting bids, and use the clarification process consistently for all participants.

Quoting an old threshold as current advice

The £250,000–£10 million range belongs to the 2019 Pagabo guide. The £0–£15 million range belongs to a planned notice dated 23 June 2026. Neither should be presented as a timeless definition.

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A practical buyer checklist

  1. Download the current framework agreement, user guide, lot information and call-off templates.
  2. Confirm the organisation’s eligibility and complete any access or confidentiality agreement.
  3. Map the project scope, location and estimated value to the correct lot and band.
  4. Prepare the project brief, surveys, programme, budget and evaluation criteria.
  5. Obtain written confirmation of the permitted call-off route.
  6. Invite and evaluate contractors exactly as the framework requires, keeping an audit trail.
  7. Execute the call-off contract before mobilisation.
  8. Monitor cost, programme, quality, safety and any social-value commitments through completion and defects.

What this means for a construction client

A medium works framework is best understood as a controlled gateway to appointed contractors. It can reduce duplicated procurement work and provide a structured route to market, but it does not replace project definition or contract administration. The decisive question is not whether a project is informally “medium-sized”; it is whether the current framework documents allow that buyer to procure that project, in that place and value band, through the proposed call-off method.

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