As a property service partner, we have highly skilled and qualified tradespeople who are able to complete a broad portfolio of projects. This can include:

• M&E works
• Plumbing and gas
• Roofing
• Cladding and FRA
• Exterior and interior painting and redecorations
• Restorations and refurbishments
• EV charge point installation

We are dedicated to supporting our public sector framework clients to improve their properties, by taking a value-driven approach. We focus on consistently providing the best quality and professional standards in every project we deliver. Our long-standing, water-tight supply chain ensures that we have constant access to quality and sustainable materials to complete a range of projects.

Whilst we are lead by our client’s ambitions and requirements, we are also wholeheartedly committed to supporting the social and economical growth and development of the communities that we work within. That also means taking care of the environment and protecting it for future generations. Axis proactively seek greener ways of doing things, across all areas of the business.

Axis is currently working across a number of frameworks and supporting a range of public sector clients to improve the value, efficiency and long-term quality of their properties.

We have been accepted onto the Minor Works and Maintenance NHS Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) by NHS London Procurement Partnership (LPP).

Axis is also one of seven contractors selected for a four-year framework valued at £86m with the Metropolitan Police to conduct Minor and Intermediate Building Works. We have already been successful in a mini-competition, and have commenced work at Heathrow and Paddington.

And, most recently, Axis was awarded a place on LHC’s pitched roofing framework – a framework available to local authorities, housing associations and a range of other public sector bodies.

You can find out more about our frameworks and latest contract wins here.

The benefits of frameworks are that they allow public bodies to tender work when they know what they need but not necessarily how much. Rather than setting up a procurement process for each project, frameworks take a far more efficient process. They help to reduce their downtime between identifying their needs and fulfilling them as and when needed.

There are also great financial cost-saving benefits related to economies of scale and competitiveness amongst suppliers. For public sector clients, frameworks help to reduce administration costs, too and reduce risk as pre-existing contractual relations are already set up with suppliers. Public sector clients can also take a far more agile approach to appointing suppliers and have improved contractor flexibility.

Frameworks reduce confusion over which suppliers are appointed and help to avoid disputes among bidders early on, creating a fair and efficient approach to public sector supply chain management. And, because provisions are standardised across projects, there is a greater focus on consistency in quality and value for money.

In order to comply with UK public Contracts Regulations 2015, publicly funded contracting authorities must advertise framework opportunities on the GOV.UK Contracts Finder website. This then gives individual suppliers, such as Axis, the opportunity to compete via open competition to be appointed to a public sector framework.

Suppliers who have applied to join the framework are then evaluated, commonly via the MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) principle. The most suitable supplier or suppliers are selected for the framework agreement. Once the list of chosen suppliers is complete the framework is ready.

Call-offs can be made by the public sector contracting authority at any time within the pre-outlined framework agreement. Chosen suppliers, such as Axis will then contract when appointed. If there are multiple suppliers within the framework, there may be a mini-competition between the pre-approved suppliers to find out which offers the best value for money.

A framework agreement works to enable public sector buyers to contract private sector products and services on multiple occasions, without the need to carry out a full tender process for each occasion that they wish to contract, or call off, a chosen supplier. This is an essentials process in economies that heavily rely on public procurement.

Frameworks enable public authorities to behave more like buyers than sellers as they specify their requirements in terms of “must-haves” and “nice to haves”. As well as being an efficient buying method, frameworks are also great for open-sourcing innovation by inviting suppliers on board already at the pre-qualification stage.

A framework agreement is a specific contract created for the purpose of enabling procuring authorities to obtain goods or services from one or more providers. They are templates that outline a set of rules and objectives in a given area and can include guidance on what needs to be achieved and how, as well as the necessary resources available. It also usually omits any market research or budgeting information.

The agreement outlines the terms, including the specification, price, quantity and quality, that can be made during the lifetime of the framework. Framework agreements can last anywhere between 4 and 10 years and can be drawn up for one specific purpose, or type of work, such as painting and decorating or roofing works. Alternatively, it may take a more general approach in respect of various commodities, such as cyclical maintenance or facilities management.