The LHC public buildings framework is the Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure (PB3) framework. It gives eligible public-sector organisations a pre-procured route to appoint contractors for new buildings, refurbishment and specified civil-infrastructure work. LHC appoints suppliers after a competitive tender; an authority then selects the appropriate workstream, regional lot and value band, runs the required call-off process and signs a project contract directly with the appointed company.
PB3 is currently stated to run until 30 April 2027. Its terms, scope and value bands should be checked in the latest framework documents before starting a procurement, particularly as LHC has announced a forthcoming successor, PB4.
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What PB3 is—and what it is not
PB3 is an umbrella procurement agreement. It sets the terms under which individual project contracts, known as call-offs, can be awarded during the framework period. Those terms cover matters such as the required works, quality standards, pricing information and contractual conditions.
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“Frameworks are umbrella agreements that set out the terms, that include specification, quality, price, quantity, under which individual contracts (call offs) can be made during the lifetime of the framework (normally 4 years).” — LHC Midlands, London and South East, Public Sector Procurement Frameworks guidance.
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LHC first appoints suppliers through an open tender. The tender documentation sets out the work requirements and asks bidders to submit technical-quality and pricing information. Once appointed, those companies can be considered for projects covered by their lot and workstream.
PB3 is not a construction contract with LHC. For each project, the public body contracts directly with the appointed company under the call-off terms. LHC can support the procurement and monitor delivery, but it is not the party carrying out the building works.
Who can use PB3?
LHC identifies the framework as available to:
- local authorities;
- housing associations; and
- other eligible public-sector bodies.
The organisation still has to confirm that it is an eligible contracting body and that its project falls within the framework scope. PB3 should not be treated as a general-purpose route for any private construction client.
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PB3 is designed for public-building projects and related infrastructure. Listed project types include:
- education buildings;
- healthcare facilities;
- emergency-services buildings;
- community and social-infrastructure buildings;
- residential properties within mixed-use developments;
- commercial-to-residential conversions;
- student accommodation;
- associated building works; and
- civil infrastructure such as bridges, retaining walls, drainage and roads.
The correct route depends on whether the project is new construction, refurbishment, a combination of both, or infrastructure. The four PB3 workstreams divide those choices and the available project values.
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PB3 workstreams and value bands
The current PB3 page and framework guide list the following structure. The figures are PB3 terms and should be checked against the current procurement documents before a project is launched.
| Workstream | Permitted scope | Listed value band |
|---|---|---|
| Workstream 1 | New build only | £0–£2 million |
| Workstream 2 | Refurbishment only | £0–£2 million |
| Workstream 3 | New build and/or refurbishment, with associated infrastructure where needed | £2–£7 million |
| Workstream 4 | New build, refurbishment and infrastructure, including standalone infrastructure projects | £7–£14 million; £14–£25 million; and over £25 million |
Workstream 1: new build
Use Workstream 1 when the requirement is new construction only and the estimated project value falls within the listed £0–£2 million band. If the scheme also contains substantial refurbishment or infrastructure, check whether another workstream is required rather than forcing the project into this category.
Workstream 2: refurbishment
Workstream 2 is for refurbishment-only projects in the £0–£2 million band. Define the existing building, the condition issues and the planned alterations clearly so suppliers price the same scope.
Workstream 3: combined building work
Workstream 3 covers projects valued at £2–£7 million that involve new build, refurbishment or both. It can include associated infrastructure when that infrastructure is part of the building project.
Workstream 4: larger projects and standalone infrastructure
Workstream 4 covers the higher bands—£7–£14 million, £14–£25 million and over £25 million—and also permits standalone infrastructure. A bridge, retaining wall, drainage scheme or road project that is not attached to a building project therefore needs particular attention at the workstream-selection stage.
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Regional lots and appointed suppliers
The PB3 guide records 25 appointed suppliers across 11 regional lots, as reported by LHC Midlands, London and South East in 2021. A project must be matched to the relevant regional lot as well as to the workstream and value band. The supplier list, lot boundaries and appointment status should be verified in the current framework documents; an appointment recorded in an older guide is not, by itself, proof that a company remains available for a new call-off.
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How the PB3 procurement route works
- Define the project. Set out the building or infrastructure scope, estimated value, location, programme, performance requirements and any associated works. Separate new build, refurbishment and standalone infrastructure elements before choosing a workstream.
- Confirm eligibility. Check that the commissioning organisation is an eligible public body and that the proposed works are within PB3’s stated scope.
- Select the workstream, value band and regional lot. Use the project type and estimated value to identify the appropriate PB3 route. For infrastructure, establish whether it is associated with building works or needs the standalone-infrastructure route in Workstream 4.
- Read the current framework documents. The framework guide and tender documentation contain the applicable specifications, quality requirements, pricing information and call-off terms. Check the latest version rather than relying on a historic band, supplier list or template.
- Engage LHC for procurement support. LHC says it can advise on the procurement route, manage expressions of interest and verify prices. Agree what information must be supplied, which suppliers can be approached and what timetable applies.
- Run the call-off process. Invite and assess appointed companies in accordance with the PB3 terms for the selected lot and workstream. Use the stated quality and price requirements and retain an auditable record of the process.
- Award the project contract. The public body enters the individual contract directly with the successful appointed company. The call-off contract—not the umbrella framework alone—controls the project’s detailed obligations, price and programme.
- Manage delivery and close-out. The authority and contractor deliver the works under the call-off. LHC says it continues to monitor projects and liaise with the parties to help resolve delivery issues.
What the tender and call-off documents do
The original supplier tender establishes who is eligible to receive call-offs. It includes the technical-quality and pricing documents and the terms that govern later contracts. A project call-off then applies those terms to a defined site and scope.
This distinction matters. A supplier’s framework appointment does not set the final price for your project, guarantee capacity on your preferred dates or remove the need for a project-specific specification. The authority must still provide the information needed for a comparable response and evaluate the submissions using the procedure stated in the framework documents.
Because the exact call-off mechanics are controlled by the current PB3 documentation, do not assume that every project uses the same award method. Confirm whether the relevant lot requires a particular expression-of-interest, invitation, evaluation or approval sequence before issuing project information.
Who is responsible for what?
| Party | Practical responsibility |
|---|---|
| LHC | Maintains the framework, appoints suppliers through the framework tender, provides procurement support, can manage expressions of interest and verify prices, and monitors projects. |
| Public authority or other eligible client | Defines the project, confirms eligibility and the correct lot, conducts the call-off in line with the framework terms, awards the project and manages its client-side obligations. |
| Appointed company | Responds to the call-off and, if selected, enters the direct project contract with the public client and delivers the agreed works. |
Does using PB3 cost anything?
LHC says its frameworks are free for eligible public bodies to use. “Free to use” means there is no stated framework-access charge; it does not mean that design, construction, professional services, surveys, statutory approvals or other project costs are free. The authority pays the appointed contractor under the individual call-off contract.
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LHC’s general framework guidance says the not-for-profit group rebates excess revenue generated through levy income to clients annually, based on project invoice value. It says these rebates typically focus on local community social-value projects. The published material does not establish a standard rebate percentage or guarantee that a particular project will receive a payment, so the authority should treat any rebate as a framework-policy matter to be confirmed rather than as part of its construction budget.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Social value and community benefits
The PB3 page describes LHC Lifetime Values and says LHC works with clients and appointed companies to promote, identify, implement and monitor social-value and community-benefit activity. In practice, a client should define measurable outcomes—such as local employment, skills activity or community improvements—within the project requirements and then agree how delivery will be recorded. The framework description supports the opportunity to pursue those outcomes, but it does not promise a specific benefit or result for every call-off.
PB3’s current status and the PB4 transition
The current PB3 page states an expiry date of 30 April 2027. The 2021 framework guide gives the term as 1 October 2021 to 30 April 2027. Authorities planning a procurement close to that date should confirm that the intended call-off can be awarded and completed under the applicable terms, rather than assuming that a project started near expiry can automatically continue afterward.
In an article published on 19 April 2026, LHC described PB4 as the forthcoming fourth iteration. That announcement says its planned scope includes public-building construction and refurbishment and associated civil infrastructure across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It also describes a dedicated hard-facilities-management workstream and broader eligibility for community organisations and other groups receiving public or charitable funding.
Those PB4 characteristics were presented as plans, not final operating terms. The announcement does not establish PB4’s final launch date, supplier appointments, value bands, call-off rules or eligibility wording. Until LHC publishes and confirms the procurement documents, PB3 users should continue to rely on the current PB3 terms and verify any transition advice directly with LHC.
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Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Calling every LHC route “the public buildings framework”
LHC operates more than one framework. Use the specific name PB3 in approvals, market notices and internal records so it is not confused with another LHC route or with PB4.
Choosing a workstream by budget alone
The value band is only one test. A £1.5 million project that combines refurbishment and new infrastructure may not fit the same route as a £1.5 million new build. Classify the scope first, then check the corresponding band.
Treating historic figures as permanent
The supplier count, regional lots and bands cited in the 2021 guide describe PB3 at that point. Check current documents for amendments, expiry arrangements, supplier status and any changes to lot coverage before procurement.
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Assuming LHC signs the building contract
The client contracts directly with the appointed company. Make sure internal governance, insurance, payment, variations and dispute procedures are allocated in the call-off contract between those parties.
Assuming framework access makes the project free
There is no stated framework-access charge for eligible public bodies, but the construction project remains a paid contract. Budget for the full project and treat any potential social-value rebate separately.
Leaving infrastructure classification until late
Decide early whether bridges, retaining walls, drainage or roads are associated with the building works or constitute a standalone infrastructure project. That decision can change the appropriate workstream and value band.
A practical PB3 readiness checklist
- Confirm the client is an eligible public-sector body.
- Describe the project as new build, refurbishment, combined work or standalone infrastructure.
- Estimate the value using the basis required by the current framework documents.
- Identify the correct regional lot and check appointed-supplier availability.
- Verify that the selected workstream and band are current.
- Obtain the latest PB3 call-off terms, technical requirements and pricing documents.
- Ask LHC to confirm the expression-of-interest and call-off procedure for the project.
- Build quality, price, programme and social-value requirements into the project information.
- Record the evaluation and award decision for the authority’s audit trail.
- Check the 30 April 2027 expiry and any published transition instructions before committing to a long programme.
Bottom line for public clients
PB3 is a structured route for eligible public bodies to procure construction, refurbishment and specified infrastructure from suppliers already appointed through an LHC tender. Its usefulness comes from the pre-agreed framework terms and the ability to call off a project without creating an entirely new supplier market. The client must still match the project to the right scope, workstream, value band and regional lot, follow the current call-off procedure and contract directly with the appointed company. With PB3 due to expire on 30 April 2027 and PB4 still described as forthcoming, checking the latest LHC documents is essential for every live procurement.
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