Estates Professional Services PA23
Framework Description
Estates Professional Services PA23 (EFM5099 LU) is a framework agreement led by LUPC (London Universities Purchasing Consortium) for all UK university purchasing consortia. Procured under the Procurement Act 2023, it covers estates and property consultancy across seven lots, from a lead contractor lot to project management, quantity surveying, engineering, planning and fire safety. It runs from 14 September 2026 to 13 September 2029, with an option to extend by 12 months to 13 September 2030. This framework is used by APUC, SUPC and NWUPC.
Context & Use Case
Estates and capital projects teams use it to appoint advisers across the property lifecycle, from strategic planning and design to delivery and asset management, including work on historic and heritage buildings. Every call-off is awarded by further competition, so buyers set project-specific criteria such as sustainability, heritage and social value. An architectural services lot was withdrawn and may be considered later.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Lead contractor Lot 2: Project management Lot 3: Quantity surveying services Lot 4: Structural engineering services Lot 5: MEP services Lot 6: Planning consultancy Lot 8: Fire safety services
Lots
Lot 1 Lead Contractor; Lot 2 Project Management; Lot 3 Quantity Surveying Services; Lot 4 Structural Engineering Services; Lot 5 MEP Services; Lot 6 Planning Consultancy; Lot 8 Fire Safety Services
Who Can Apply
Suits multi-disciplinary consultancies, project managers, quantity surveyors, structural and MEP engineers, planning consultants and fire safety specialists with higher education experience. The framework has just started and applications are closed, so firms not appointed cannot join until LUPC re-tenders it, likely ahead of September 2029, or 2030 if extended.
Buyer Benefits
Universities appoint professional advisers often and need to do so defensibly. A new framework procured under the Procurement Act 2023 gives them current terms, suppliers committed to the Sustain Code of Conduct, and example KPIs for call-off contracts. Further competition lets each institution test quality, sustainability and value for money against its own project.
Next Steps
Newly appointed firms should introduce themselves to APUC member estates teams, who may not yet know the framework is available, and prepare for frequent further competitions. Others face a wait of around three years: build higher education and heritage references, and consider sub-consultancy with appointed firms in the meantime.
How Athena Can Help
Every call-off here is a further competition, so appointed firms bid repeatedly against each other. Athena's win theme development helps you present a clear, differentiated offer on each project, including sustainability and heritage answers.
For firms that missed the award, our framework opportunity mapping identifies other estates frameworks due to be re-tendered sooner. Our Procurement Act bidding support keeps your bids compliant and your fees profitable, and helps sub-consultants decide which appointed firms to partner with.
