Procurement for Housing (PfH) has launched a new Materials Supply Framework for building and construction materials used by social landlords, local authorities and other eligible public-sector bodies. The framework is estimated at £1.538 billion excluding VAT / £1.8456 billion including VAT and will run for four years from 1 April 2027.
The procurement is split across national, Scotland and Wales routes alongside specialist supply models. It is relevant to plumbing, heating and gas suppliers, electrical wholesalers, construction materials providers, independent merchant consortia, renewables and retrofit suppliers, kitchen suppliers, managed-store operators and van-stock technology providers.
If you are considering a place on the PfH Materials Supply Framework, speak to Thornton & Lowe for an objective bid/no-bid review and practical support with the next steps.
One Framework, Two Related Notices
Suppliers may have seen both the main PfH tender notice and a later notice published under PfH Scotland. These relate to the same Materials Supply Framework, not two separate £1.85bn opportunities. The main procurement already contains Scotland-specific lots alongside national and Wales-specific routes.
That distinction is worth making when sizing the opportunity: the values should not be added together.
How the 16 Lots Are Structured
The framework has 16 lots when the national and regional sub-lots are counted:
- Plumbing, Heating & Gas: National (£100m ex VAT), Scotland (£50m) and Wales (£50m).
- Electrical: National (£75m), Scotland (£37m) and Wales (£37m).
- Building Materials: National (£75m), Scotland (£37m) and Wales (£37m).
- Aids & Adaptations: £30m.
- National Consortia for Independent Merchants: £100m.
- Managed Solutions: £500m.
- Renewable Materials: £150m.
- On Demand Supply: £150m.
- Responsive Kitchen Materials: £100m.
- Multi Vendor (Van Stock Management) Technology: £10m.
Individual lot values may be shared with other lots, so these figures should be treated as estimates within the overall framework ceiling.
Thornton & Lowe has a broader guide to PfH frameworks and how suppliers can approach them, which may be useful alongside the tender documents.
Supplier Access and Call-Offs
The notice states an unlimited maximum number of framework suppliers and identifies SMEs as suitable. Call-offs can be awarded either with or without further competition, depending on the framework rules and customer requirement. The maximum supplier fee is stated as 2.5%.
Those features make the framework relatively accessible on paper, but the lot-specific requirements still matter. A merchant bidding for a national materials lot will face different operational demands from a technology supplier targeting van-stock management or a specialist business bidding for renewable materials.
What Materials Suppliers Should Prepare
- Choose the right geography and supply route. National, Scotland and Wales lots are deliberately separated for several core categories.
- Evidence distribution capability. Show stock availability, branch or delivery coverage, fulfilment performance and contingency arrangements.
- Plan for social-housing customers. Consider responsive repairs, planned works, occupied homes, emergency needs and the reporting requirements of housing providers.
- Demonstrate product and supply-chain assurance. Prepare evidence around quality, product compliance, responsible sourcing and continuity.
- Do not overlook service and technology. Managed solutions, on-demand supply and van-stock technology require a broader proposition than simply competitive product pricing.
Quick Facts
- Buyer: Procurement for Housing (PfH)
- Estimated value: £1.538bn excluding VAT / £1.8456bn including VAT
- Term: Four years, 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2031
- Lots: 16 including regional sub-lots
- Coverage: United Kingdom, with specific Scotland and Wales lots
- Maximum suppliers: Unlimited
- Maximum supplier fee: 2.5%
- SME suitability: Yes
- Enquiry deadline: 17 September 2026 at 11:59pm
- Tender deadline: 9 October 2026 at 12:00pm
- Estimated award decision: 18 December 2026
Use the Lot Structure to Shape Your Bid
This framework has a broad headline scope, but suppliers will be evaluated against the requirements of the lot or lots they choose. The best starting point is to match your geography, product range, distribution model and evidence to the relevant route, then build a focused response around what PfH customers need from that category.
If you would like help with bid planning, drafting or an independent review before submission, contact Thornton & Lowe to discuss your PfH framework bid.
