A new £100 million Uniforms, Workwear, PPE, Clothing and Associated Services Framework is open for tenders, creating opportunities for suppliers of professional clothing, protective equipment and related services across the public sector.
Established by Kent County Council trading as Procurement Services, the framework covers everything from general workwear and healthcare uniforms to specialist respiratory protection, safety footwear and protective clothing. It also includes services such as garment customisation, stock management, laundry and decontamination.
The four-year agreement is scheduled to commence in January 2027, with tenders due by 5 November 2026 at 5pm. For manufacturers, distributors and specialist service providers, the competition offers a route to supply a wide range of eligible public sector customers. Contact Thornton & Lowe for bid writing support.
Uniforms, Workwear and PPE Framework: key details
Procurement Services is establishing the framework for local and national purchasing requirements, enabling eligible organisations to source clothing, protective equipment and associated support through a single procurement arrangement. The main details are:
- Contracting authority: Kent County Council trading as Procurement Services
- Framework reference: Y26008
- Estimated value: £100 million excluding VAT (£120 million including VAT)
- Framework period: 22 January 2027 to 21 January 2031
- Number of lots: Two
- Procurement procedure: Open
- Enquiry deadline: 21 October 2026, 5pm
- Tender submission deadline: 5 November 2026, 5pm
- Estimated award decision: 11 January 2027
The framework can be used by eligible customers across the UK, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. Potential users include local authorities, NHS organisations, emergency services, schools, universities, housing associations and other qualifying bodies. Suppliers can review the official Uniforms, Workwear, PPE and Associated Services tender notice for the full procurement information.
What does the framework cover?
The framework is divided into two main lots, separating general uniforms and workwear from personal protective equipment.
Lot | Category | Estimated value excluding VAT |
|---|---|---|
1 | Uniform Items | £60 million |
2 | PPE Items | £40 million |
Both lots include associated services, giving businesses the opportunity to compete on more than product supply alone.
Lot 1: Uniform Items
Lot 1 covers general workwear, professional uniforms and specialist clothing for different public sector environments. Its scope is divided into four subcategories.
- Sub-lot 1A: General Uniforms and Workwear
This includes polo shirts, trousers, shirts, fleeces, jackets, waterproof clothing, overalls, corporate wear and high-visibility garments. The category also covers accessories such as bags, belts, hats and non-safety footwear. - Sub-lot 1B: Emergency Services
This covers uniforms used by police, fire and rescue, ambulance and paramedic personnel. Products include operational clothing, station wear, specialist undergarments, ceremonial uniforms and associated accessories. - Sub-lot 1C: Healthcare
Healthcare clothing includes scrubs, clinical tunics, theatre wear and laboratory coats. Businesses supplying this market should consider the practical requirements of healthcare environments, including product suitability, garment durability and reliable supply. - Sub-lot 1D: Education and Corporate Services
This category covers school uniform items, branded staff clothing and uniforms for facilities, concierge and corporate service teams. The breadth of Lot 1 creates opportunities for general clothing suppliers alongside businesses specialising in particular public sector markets.
Lot 2: PPE Items
Lot 2 focuses on personal protective equipment used to manage workplace hazards. Its scope covers several product categories, including:
- Respiratory protection: Disposable and reusable respirators, filters, powered respiratory systems and escape hoods.
- Head, eye and hearing protection: Safety helmets, goggles, face shields, ear defenders and earplugs.
- Hand and body protection: Protective gloves, flame-resistant clothing, chemical-resistant garments and disposable coveralls.
- Safety footwear: Protective boots and shoes, including specialist footwear for particular workplace hazards.
- Fall protection: Safety harnesses, lanyards and fall arrest or restraint systems.
The lot also includes specialist protective products for hazardous environments and accessories such as protective aprons and respiratory fit testing equipment. For PPE suppliers, technical suitability and product compliance will be essential considerations. Businesses should be prepared to demonstrate that their products meet the requirements of the relevant safety applications and specifications.
Opportunities beyond clothing and equipment supply
An important feature of the framework is the inclusion of services associated with the supply, management and ongoing use of uniforms and PPE. Customers may require more than an initial order of clothing or protective equipment. Some organisations need ongoing stockholding, distribution, customisation and garment lifecycle support.
Relevant services include:
- Embroidery, branding and garment customisation.
- Alterations, tailoring and repairs where appropriate.
- Laundry and specialist decontamination.
- Stockholding, inventory management and demand forecasting.
- Bulk ordering, multi-site distribution and direct-to-employee delivery.
- Recycling, take-back schemes and sustainable product sourcing.
These requirements could be particularly relevant to larger public sector customers with employees working across multiple locations.
For suppliers already providing managed clothing or PPE programmes, the framework offers an opportunity to demonstrate the operational advantages of integrated services. A business capable of managing stock levels, distributing individual uniform orders and providing reliable replacement garments may be able to offer additional value beyond its product catalogue.
Who can apply for the framework?
The procurement is open to suppliers capable of meeting the requirements of their selected lots. Lot 1 is identified as particularly suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs). Lot 2 specifically identifies suitability for VCSEs, although this does not necessarily exclude SMEs or other qualifying suppliers.
The framework has no stated overall maximum number of supplier appointments. This could make it relevant to businesses of different sizes, from specialist workwear manufacturers and regional distributors to established national PPE suppliers. However, applicants should review the full Conditions of Participation and technical specifications before submitting a tender.
The two lots cover different product and service requirements. Suppliers should therefore concentrate on categories where they can demonstrate appropriate capabilities, product quality and delivery capacity. For example, a manufacturer specialising in healthcare uniforms may have a strong proposition under Lot 1 without necessarily being equipped to supply specialist respiratory or fall protection equipment under Lot 2.
How will suppliers be evaluated?
Both lots use the same published evaluation weightings:
- Quality: 60%
- Price: 30%
- Social value: 10%
With quality carrying the greatest share of the available marks, suppliers will need to demonstrate that their proposed products and services meet customer requirements reliably. Price remains important, but a competitive commercial proposal should be supported by clear evidence of delivery capability. Several areas are particularly relevant when preparing a response.
- Product quality and compliance: Suppliers should demonstrate the suitability of their products, including relevant technical specifications, quality controls and applicable standards.
- Supply and distribution: Customers need confidence in stock availability, accurate ordering, delivery times and the ability to manage changing requirements.
- Customer support: Arrangements for handling enquiries, replacing defective products, managing orders and resolving delivery issues can help demonstrate service quality.
- Sustainability: Product sourcing, garment durability, recycling and lifecycle management may provide relevant opportunities to demonstrate environmental benefits.
- Social value: Commitments should be appropriate to the framework, supported by practical arrangements for delivery and measurement.
These are useful areas for preparation. The detailed tender questions and scoring methodology will determine precisely how each supplier's response is assessed. Thornton & Lowe's bid writing services help suppliers develop structured, evidence-based responses that address procurement requirements and demonstrate their capabilities.
How will contracts be awarded through the framework?
Once established, the framework will support three methods of awarding individual contracts. Direct award allows customers to select suppliers without running a new competition where the framework's published objective mechanisms can identify the most advantageous tender. These mechanisms include overall supplier ranking, quality scores, commercial scores and performance against particular evaluation criteria.
Rapid Request for Quote (RFQ) provides a streamlined process for simpler requirements where suppliers can be assessed against defined criteria, with price determining the outcome between compliant offers. Further competition enables customers to invite relevant framework suppliers to compete for individual requirements. The framework also specifies a maximum supplier fee of 1%.
For suppliers, the potential for direct awards means the initial framework submission may have an important influence on future purchasing opportunities. Businesses should consider how their quality responses, pricing and service commitments may affect their position once customers begin using the framework.
Preparing a competitive uniforms or PPE tender
The broad range of products and services makes it important for suppliers to identify the requirements most relevant to their offering.
- Start by reviewing the technical specifications and confirming which categories your business can supply. For specialist PPE, ensure that product documentation and appropriate supporting evidence are available.
- Next, consider how to demonstrate reliable delivery. Public sector customers may operate across multiple locations and require a mixture of standard products, customised garments and urgent replacements.
- Suppliers offering managed services should explain their ordering arrangements, stock control, distribution capabilities and customer reporting processes.
- Relevant contract examples can help demonstrate experience with comparable organisations or requirements. Where possible, include measurable information about fulfilment, service performance or product quality.
- Businesses should also give appropriate attention to the social value questions, ensuring that commitments are relevant and achievable.
- With quality accounting for 60% of the evaluation, clear explanations and strong supporting evidence will be particularly important.
How to submit a tender
The procurement is being administered through Delta eSourcing. Suppliers can access the Uniforms, Workwear and PPE tender using access code 775V5K2842. The key deadlines are:
- 21 October 2026 at 5pm: Enquiry deadline
- 5 November 2026 at 5pm: Tender submission deadline
Businesses should review the relevant tender documents, complete the required pricing information and allow sufficient time for final checks before uploading their responses.
Bid writing support for clothing and PPE suppliers
The Uniforms, Workwear and PPE Framework offers suppliers access to a broad range of potential public sector customers, from healthcare and education to emergency services and facilities management. Success will depend on demonstrating that products and services meet the required standards, supported by reliable delivery arrangements and a competitive commercial offer.
Thornton & Lowe supports suppliers preparing public sector framework applications, helping businesses organise supporting evidence, develop quality responses and strengthen their approach to tendering. If you're planning to compete for the Uniforms, Workwear and PPE Framework, contact Thornton & Lowe to discuss how we can support your application.
