RM6397 Clinical and Non-Clinical Staffing Framework: Tender Guide

The tender submission stage for Government Commercial Agency's (GCA) RM6397 Clinical and Non-Clinical Temporary and Permanent Staff has now closed. RM6397 is expected to launch in early 2027, replacing both RM6281 National Framework for the Provision of Clinical and Healthcare Staffing and RM6277 Non Clinical Staffing. As such, it will bring clinical and non-clinical temporary, fixed-term and permanent recruitment together under one agreement.

For suppliers that submitted a tender, attention now shifts from bid preparation to evaluation, award and potential mobilisation. For organisations that did not bid, understanding RM6397 is still important because it will become a significant route into NHS and wider public sector staffing opportunities.

RM6397: Key facts

RM6397 is a framework procurement being run by the Government Commercial Agency (GCA, formerly Crown Commercial Service) under an open procedure. The new agreement is designed to provide one route covering a much broader range of workforce requirements across the NHS and other public sector organisations.

• Framework: Clinical and Non-Clinical Temporary and Permanent Staff
• Reference: RM6397
• Status: Tender submissions closed
• Tender deadline: 21 September 2026 at 3pm
• Anticipated start: 28 February 2027
• Anticipated end: 28 February 2031
• Number of lots: 12

RM6397 is being delivered through the NHS Workforce Alliance and Government Commercial Agency.

It will replace:

• RM6281 National Framework for the Provision of Clinical and Healthcare Staffing
• RM6277 Non Clinical Staffing

What will RM6397 cover?

RM6397 covers temporary, fixed-term and permanent recruitment across both clinical and non-clinical roles. The scope includes areas such as:

• nursing and midwifery, medical and dental, allied health professionals, health science services, emergency services personnel, social care staffing
• administration/secretarial, finance/accounts/audit, IT roles, legal roles, environmental/scientific roles, coders/health records secretaries
• caterers, drivers, security, estates and maintenance including specialist labour

The framework is intended for use by NHS organisations as well as other eligible public sector buyers. The combined agreement should simplify access to staffing by bringing requirements that previously sat across separate clinical and non-clinical frameworks into one commercial route.

RM6397 lot structure

RM6397 operates using a 12-lot structure covering clinical staffing, non-clinical staffing, permanent recruitment and managed service provision.

The structure creates routes for specialist staffing businesses as well as larger organisations capable of operating managed workforce models.

Why GCA is moving to a combined agreement

RM6397 will replace both RM6281 and RM6277. The aim is to provide new opportunities for growth, more efficient processes and management, and a simpler customer experience.

The rationale for a combined agreement is straightforward from a buyer’s perspective: one commercial route can cover a wider spread of recruitment requirements, with aligned processes and tools. For suppliers, a combined agreement typically means two things at once:

• A bigger total addressable market, because the framework is built to cover more than one staffing segment
• A clearer expectation of consistency, particularly around compliance standards and core recruitment controls.

What happens now that the tender has closed?

The immediate bidding phase is over, but suppliers that submitted to RM6397 still have work to do.

Keep your final submission organised

Retain a complete copy of the tender submitted, including supporting documents, policies, pricing information and clarification correspondence. Having this material readily accessible will make it easier to respond if the buyer asks for further information during the evaluation process.

Prepare for the outcome

Suppliers should make sure the people responsible for the tender know how award communications will be received and who will review them. Once outcomes are issued, it will be important to understand:

• which lots the organisation has been appointed to
• any conditions or actions associated with appointment
• feedback provided on the submission
• what needs to happen before the framework goes live.

Start thinking about mobilisation

Successful appointment is only the beginning. Suppliers should be ready to turn commitments made in their bid into operational delivery. Depending on the lot, this could include workforce availability, compliance controls, account management, reporting, supply-chain arrangements and processes for responding to buyer requirements.

The NHS Workforce Alliance currently lists RM6397 as an upcoming agreement with an anticipated start date of 28 February 2027.

How buyers will use RM6397

RM6397 is intended to give public sector organisations access to temporary, fixed-term and permanent staff across a wide range of disciplines. The NHS Workforce Alliance highlights features including:

• agreed supplier rates
• discounts linked to areas such as placement length and hiring volume
• transparent costs for temporary workers
• quality assurance against NHS employment check requirements
• alternative pre-employment checks for non-NHS buyers where appropriate
• the ability to award without further competition
• supporting buyer tools such as rate cards and region or skills information.

This means suppliers appointed to the framework will still need to compete commercially after award. Securing a framework place creates access to opportunities, but it does not guarantee work.

What RM6397 means for staffing suppliers

The combined framework reflects the amount of overlap that now exists between clinical and non-clinical workforce procurement.

For specialist suppliers, that creates an opportunity to demonstrate depth in particular roles, regions or hard-to-fill requirements. For broader recruitment businesses, it creates the potential to support buyers across multiple workforce categories through a single agreement. Managed service providers have a different challenge again: demonstrating that they can govern larger workforce programmes, coordinate supply chains and provide consistent reporting and service management.

Whatever the route, suppliers appointed to RM6397 will need to turn the evidence and commitments made during the tender into reliable delivery once buyers begin using the framework.

What if you did not bid for RM6397?

Missing RM6397 does not mean public sector staffing opportunities disappear. Individual authorities continue to procure recruitment and workforce services through a variety of frameworks, dynamic markets and standalone tenders. Existing NHS Workforce Alliance agreements also remain in place until their scheduled end dates.

The useful next step is therefore to review your pipeline rather than simply wait for the next version of RM6397. Look at:

• other national recruitment frameworks
• regional NHS and public sector opportunities
• specialist frameworks relevant to your staffing market
• individual buyer tenders
• future framework renewals.

This also gives you time to review why RM6397 was or was not suitable for your organisation and improve your evidence before the next major opportunity.

RM6397 FAQs

Is the RM6397 tender still open?

No. The deadline for tender submissions was 3pm on 21 September 2026. The NHS Workforce Alliance now lists RM6397 as an upcoming framework.

When will RM6397 start?

The current anticipated start date is 28 February 2027. The agreement is expected to run until 28 February 2031.

What frameworks will RM6397 replace?

RM6397 will replace RM6281 National Framework for the Provision of Clinical and Healthcare Staffing and RM6277 Non Clinical Staffing.

How many lots are included in RM6397?

There are 12 lots, covering clinical staffing, non-clinical staffing, permanent recruitment and two managed service provision models.

Is RM6397 still run by CCS?

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) became the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) on 1 April 2026. RM6397 is now run by GCA, though it was originally developed under the CCS name.

Is RM6397 only for NHS organisations?

No. The framework is intended to support the NHS and other eligible public sector organisations with clinical and non-clinical workforce requirements.

Does getting onto RM6397 guarantee contracts?

No. A place on a framework provides a route through which eligible buyers can purchase services, but it does not guarantee a particular level of work.

Plan your next public sector staffing bid

Whether you submitted for RM6397 or are now looking towards the next opportunity, the period between major frameworks is a useful time to strengthen your bidding position. Thornton & Lowe supports staffing and recruitment suppliers with bid writing, bid reviews, framework applications, tender strategy and mobilisation planning.

If you want to review your next public sector opportunity or strengthen the evidence you will need for future staffing frameworks, speak to our bid team.