Software License Reseller Agreement for Colleges
Framework Description
Crescent Purchasing Consortium's Software License Reseller Agreement (SLRA) for Colleges (tender reference ITS4052 SU) gives further education colleges one route to buy software licences, maintenance, renewals and related services from appointed resellers. It started on 22 March 2026 and runs to 22 March 2028, with an option to extend by 24 months to 31 March 2030. It is split into vendor and service lots, from Microsoft and Adobe to software asset management and cyber assessment.
Context & Use Case
Further education colleges use it to buy and renew Microsoft, Adobe and VMware licences, off-the-shelf software and associated support. Newer lots add software asset management, cloud readiness assessments and cyber security assessments. Colleges choose the lot that fits the requirement, then call off by direct award, a desktop exercise or a further competition. Pricing can include consumption-based software-as-a-service models.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Microsoft and Associated Services Lot 2a: Adobe Software Specific to ETLA Agreements Lot 2b: Adobe VIP Agreements and Other Adobe Products Lot 3: VMware and Associated Services Lot 4: Commercial Off The Shelf Software (COTS) Lot 5a: Software Asset Management Services Lot 5b: Cloud Readiness Lot 5c: Cyber Assessment Services
Lots
Lot 1: Microsoft and Associated Services; Lot 2a: Adobe Software Specific to ETLA Agreements; Lot 2b: Adobe VIP Agreements and Other Adobe Products; Lot 3: VMware and Associated Services; Lot 4: Commercial Off The Shelf Software (COTS); Lot 5a: Software Asset Management Services; Lot 5b: Cloud Readiness; Lot 5c: Cyber Assessment Services
Who Can Apply
Suits software resellers and licensing specialists with further education customers and partner status with Microsoft, Adobe or VMware, plus firms offering software asset management, cloud readiness or cyber assessment. Resellers were appointed through the original tender, so others cannot join now. The next opening is the re-tender, around March 2028, or March 2030 if the extension is used.
Buyer Benefits
Colleges hold dozens of licence agreements with different renewal dates and education terms. They value a reseller who manages renewals proactively, advises on the right licence model to avoid over-buying, and gives one point of contact across vendors, all bought through a pre-agreed CPC route.
Next Steps
Appointed resellers should map each college's renewal calendar and prepare for further competitions and desktop exercises on the big renewals. Others cannot join until the re-tender, so watch CPC's framework page for news of it ahead of March 2028. In the meantime, build vendor partner credentials, renewal savings evidence and further education references for the lots you would target.
How Athena Can Help
Reseller competitions are often decided on margin and service. Athena's bid and pricing specialists model how your uplift scores against other resellers and write the service answers that tip close calls.
If you are not yet appointed, our route onto CPC frameworks service builds a plan towards the re-tender, covering lot choice, partner evidence, policies and case studies. Our public sector bidding advice helps you judge whether the colleges market justifies the effort against other software routes.
