How to choose between a framework and a DPS for your next housing contract

A boiler contractor going into administration on a Friday afternoon, with 200 residents facing a cold weekend, is not a hypothetical for most housing teams – it’s a matter of when, not if. In that moment, there’s no time for a six-month tender process. What actually determines whether this becomes a crisis or a minor hiccup is whether you already know your procurement route, long before you need it.

For housing professionals, the choice between a procurement frameworks agreement and a Dynamic Purchasing System isn’t just a technicality buried in the Procurement Act 2023. It’s a decision that shapes your timelines, your supplier relationships, and ultimately, how quickly you can act when residents need you most.

What’s the real difference?

Both routes are fully compliant with public procurement regulations, but they’re built for different jobs.

Procurement frameworks are pre-tendered agreements with a fixed panel of vetted suppliers, typically running for three to four years. You know exactly who’s on it, their pricing structure, and their track record before you ever pick up the phone.

A dynamic purchasing system, by contrast, is an open, ongoing marketplace. New suppliers can join at any point during its life, which means your supplier pool keeps growing and evolving rather than staying fixed at the outset. 

It’s also worth knowing that DPS arrangements are being phased out under the Procurement Act 2023, with Dynamic Markets taking their place for new arrangements. Dynamic Markets work on a similar open, ever-refreshing principle, but with wider scope, so they can be used across a broader range of goods, services and works. Existing DPS arrangements can continue under the previous rules during the transition period, but must end by 23 February 2029 at the latest.

Quick comparison

Factor	Framework	DPS
Supplier list	Fixed at award	Open, suppliers join anytime
Best for	Planned, recurring works	Variable or urgent needs
Speed to market	Fast (pre-vetted panel)	Fast, with wider ongoing choice
Ideal use case	Planned maintenance programmes	Reactive repairs, capital works
Supplier competition	Set at outset	Continuously refreshed

When a framework makes sense

Frameworks shine when you know what’s coming. If you’re running a multi-year planned maintenance programme – replacing kitchens, bathrooms, or windows across your stock – a framework gives you certainty. You’ve already done the due diligence, so your team can move straight to mini-competitions without re-running full tenders every time.

This is also where sector-specific expertise matters most. Generic public sector panels often lack housing-specific knowledge. Frameworks built for social housing bring suppliers who already understand tenant impact, void turnaround pressures, and building safety obligations. That matters enormously when you’re commissioning something like fire-safety-works, where contractors need real fluency in fire doors, compartmentation, and evacuation strategy – not just technical specification sheets.

When a DPS is the better fit

A DPS earns its keep when your requirements are unpredictable. Reactive maintenance, emergency repairs, and demand spikes – a burst pipe in January, a heating failure mid-winter – don’t wait for a framework renewal cycle. Because new suppliers can join a DPS throughout its lifetime, you’re never locked into a supplier list that’s gone stale.

This flexibility is particularly valuable in categories where technology and supplier capability shift quickly. Take heating-solutions: as heat pumps, smart controls, and low-carbon retrofit technologies mature, a DPS lets you bring in specialists as they emerge. You’re not stuck waiting years for the next framework refresh to catch up with the market.

Three questions to ask before you choose

1. Is this work planned or reactive? Planned favours frameworks; reactive favours a DPS.
2. Do you need supplier certainty or supplier breadth? Frameworks offer the former, DPS the latter.
3. Could requirements change mid-contract? If technology or scope is likely to shift, a DPS keeps your options open.

Not an either/or decision

Many housing providers use both routes side by side – a framework for their core planned works programme, and a DPS running in parallel to catch reactive and specialist demand. The two aren’t competitors; they’re complementary tools in the same toolbox.

How we can help

At PfH, we’ve spent over two decades helping social housing providers navigate exactly this decision. Our team doesn’t just hand you a framework or DPS and walk away. We work with you to understand your programme, your risk appetite, and your timelines, then match you to the right compliant route, backed by pre-vetted, accredited suppliers across the UK. 

Our support continues well beyond award. We help members hold suppliers to account throughout the contract term, on pricing, performance, and delivery, so value isn’t lost along the way. That’s backed by Quantum, our spend and contract management platform, available to all members. It brings your contract data, spend, and supplier performance into one place, so you can spot issues early and stay in control, without relying on spreadsheets or chasing suppliers for updates.

Whether you’re planning a five-year works programme or need to move fast on an urgent repair, we’re here to make procurement – and everything that follows it – one less thing to worry about.

Get in touch with our team today to discuss the right procurement route for your next project.

Frequently asked questions

Do frameworks and DPS agreements meet the same compliance standards?

Yes. Both are fully compliant procurement routes under UK public procurement regulations, including the Procurement Act 2023. The difference lies in structure and flexibility, not in compliance standards – each gives housing providers a legally sound path to appointing qualified, accredited suppliers.

Which route is better for urgent or unpredictable housing requirements?

A DPS is generally well suited to urgent or unpredictable requirements because suppliers can join throughout its lifetime. For new arrangements, however, Dynamic Markets now provide a similar open supplier model under the Procurement Act 2023.

Is a DPS more expensive to run than a framework?

Not inherently. Both routes are compliant procurement vehicles designed to reduce administrative burden. Costs depend more on the complexity of your requirements and how mini-competitions are run than on the vehicle itself. Choosing the right fit for your needs is what drives genuine cost efficiency.

How long do frameworks and DPS agreements typically last?

Frameworks are generally fixed-term, often three to four years, with a set supplier panel for the duration. A DPS has no fixed supplier list and can run for an extended period, continuously admitting new, qualified suppliers throughout its lifetime as the market evolves.

Can a DPS be used alongside an existing framework?

Yes. Many housing providers run both simultaneously – a framework for planned, recurring works like kitchen or bathroom replacements, and a DPS for reactive repairs or emerging requirements. This combined approach gives you supplier certainty where you need it and flexibility where demand is unpredictable.