Strategic HR and Recruitment Services
Framework Description
ESPO's Strategic HR and Recruitment Services framework (reference 3S_26) covers executive and interim recruitment, temporary and permanent recruitment, assessment, outplacement, recruitment process outsourcing, payroll, HR consultancy, workforce planning and coaching. Split into 28 lots, it was let under the Procurement Act 2023 as a standard framework rather than a DPS. It runs from 7 July 2026 to 6 July 2028, with an option to extend to 6 July 2030.
Context & Use Case
Councils, schools, blue light services, NHS and care organisations and other public bodies use 3S_26 to fill senior and specialist posts, recruit in volume for roles paid under £45,000, outsource recruitment or HR administration, or plan and develop their workforce. Call-offs can be made without competition or through a further competitive selection process, so an urgent interim appointment can be made quickly.
Scope of Services
Lots 1a–1f and 2a–2f: Recruitment by sector (admin, HR and business support; blue light; commercial; education; health and social care; IT, digital, media and marketing) Lots 3–4: Temporary and permanent recruitment (sub £45k) Lot 5: Assessment and testing services Lot 6: Outplacement and career transition services Lots 7a–7h: RPO, applicant management, onboarding, HR administration, payroll, screening and background checks, HR consultancy, statement of works Lots 8a–8d: Workforce planning, recruit-train-deploy, career coaching, skills development
Lots
Lot 1a – Admin, HR & Business Support; Lot 1b – Blue Light & Emergency Services; Lot 1c – Commercial (Finance, Procurement and Legal); Lot 1d – Education; Lot 1e – Health & Social Care; Lot 1f – IT, Digital, Media & Marketing; Lot 2a – Admin, HR & Business Support; Lot 2b – Blue Light & Emergency Services; Lot 2c – Commercial (Finance, Procurement and Legal); Lot 2d – Education; Lot 2e – Health & Social Care; Lot 2f – IT, Digital, Media & Marketing; Lot 3 – Temporary Recruitment (sub £45k); Lot 4 – Permanent Recruitment (sub £45k); Lot 5 – Assessment and Testing Services; Lot 6 – Outplacement and Career Transition Services; Lot 7a – Recruitment Process Outsourcing; Lot 7b – Applicant Management; Lot 7c – Onboarding; Lot 7d – HR Administration; Lot 7e – Payroll Management; Lot 7f – Employment screening and background checks; Lot 7g – HR Consultancy; Lot 7h – Statement of Works; Lot 8a – Workforce Planning and Demand Management; Lot 8b – Recruit, Train, Deploy (RTD); Lot 8c- Professional and Career Coaching Services; Lot 8d -Professional and Career Skills development
Who Can Apply
Suits recruitment agencies and executive search firms with sector specialisms, RPO and HR outsourcing providers, payroll and screening firms, assessment providers and coaching businesses. 3S_26 was awarded in July 2026 and applications are closed, so new suppliers cannot join until ESPO re-tenders, likely around 6 July 2028 or, if extended, 6 July 2030.
Buyer Benefits
Sector-specific recruitment lots mean a fire service or academy trust can go straight to agencies that know its candidate market. Buyers can also bundle recruitment with onboarding, screening and payroll, or plan a recruit-train-deploy programme for hard-to-fill roles, all under one ESPO agreement with pre-agreed fees.
Next Steps
As the framework has just started, appointed suppliers should introduce themselves to buyers in their sector lots and have fee schedules, time-to-hire data and candidate diversity results ready for competitions. Firms not appointed should review the 3S_26 page on espo.org to see which lots fit them and start building public sector placement evidence for the re-tender.
How Athena Can Help
With 28 lots, the hard part of 3S_26 is competing well within the right ones. Athena's recruitment bid specialists write call-off responses on candidate attraction, time to hire and diversity, and test your fee proposal against competing agencies.
If you are not on the framework, our framework lot selection work identifies the lots that fit your sectors and prepares the re-tender application, and our recruitment tender support helps you win standalone council and NHS recruitment tenders now.
