YPO has launched a major national framework for Community & Healthcare Technology Equipment & Associated Services. The framework is estimated at £600 million excluding VAT and £720 million including VAT and covers 12 lots ranging from community equipment and mobility aids to fully managed services, maintenance and technology-enabled care.
The tender is live now, with submissions due on 4 November 2026. There is no maximum number of framework suppliers, and SMEs and VCSEs are specifically identified as suitable.
If your organisation supplies community equipment, assistive technology or associated services, speak to Thornton & Lowe about your YPO submission.
The 12 YPO framework lots
The framework contains:
- Integrated Community Equipment Service
- Bathroom Aids
- Bedroom Aids, including Care Beds & Mattresses
- Kitchen & Dining
- Living Aids
- Mobility Aids
- Multi-Sensory Equipment & Accessories
- Paediatric Equipment
- Seating
- Fully Managed Service for Lots 2 to 9
- Service & Maintenance for Lots 2 to 9
- Technology Enabled Care Products & Services, Managed Service
Lot 10 is restricted to suppliers able to provide a full suite of products across Lots 2 to 9. Lot 12 goes beyond equipment supply and includes technology-enabled care solutions, software and strategic managed-service support. The official Find a Tender notice provides the full scope, call-off rules and live tender requirements.
How will the framework operate?
YPO has set no maximum supplier number and applies a maximum framework fee of 1% on business transacted through the agreement.
Lots 2 to 9 can support award without competition as well as competitive selection. Direct awards will use desktop analysis based on the required product, description, quantity band, pricing, average recycling rate and region of supply. Lots 1, 10, 11 and 12 will use competitive selection because customer requirements are expected to be more individual and service-led.
For businesses selling into health and social care, our healthcare tenders guide explains the wider evidence buyers often expect around service quality, safety and outcomes.
Framework evaluation: 50% quality, 30% cost, 20% social value
The framework establishment criteria are:
- Quality, including delivery and customer service: 50%
- Cost: 30%
- Social value and sustainability: 20%
Quality includes lot-specific themes as well as framework governance, relationship management and reporting. Depending on the lot, bidders may need to address the ICES operating model, product quality and price integrity, strategic supply-chain integration, service and maintenance assurance or technology-enabled care partnerships and innovation.
The social value and sustainability element includes environmental initiatives and modern slavery. Suppliers should therefore make sure their ethical supply-chain controls and environmental evidence are as robust as their product and service descriptions.
What evidence should suppliers prepare?
Different lots will need different evidence, but common themes include:
- product quality, safety and compliance
- delivery performance and stock availability
- regional and national logistics
- decontamination, recycling and refurbishment
- repair and maintenance performance
- service mobilisation and transition
- customer service and complaint resolution
- management information and reporting
- supply-chain resilience
- environmental performance and recycling
- modern slavery controls
- technology integration and strategic partnership for managed services
Product suppliers should avoid treating the quality response as a catalogue exercise. YPO's criteria give significant weight to how the supplier manages availability, service, governance and customer outcomes.
Quick facts
- Buyer: Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation
- Reference: 001284
- Estimated value: £600m excluding VAT / £720m including VAT
- Term: Four years
- Lots: 12
- Maximum suppliers: Unlimited
- Supplier fee: 1%
- SME and VCSE suitable: Yes
- Enquiry deadline: 30 September 2026 at 5:00pm
- Tender deadline: 4 November 2026 at 12:00pm
- Evaluation: 50% quality, 30% cost, 20% social value and sustainability
Bid for the lot that matches your operating model
A supplier of mobility products, an ICES operator and a technology-enabled care managed-service provider will face very different requirements under this framework. The strongest submissions will be built around the selected lot rather than a generic community-equipment proposition.
Thornton & Lowe supports healthcare, equipment and technology suppliers with public sector frameworks and tender responses. Contact our bid team if you want help with YPO 001284.
