HCC 04/26 Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) Regarding A Framework for Recruitment Agencies
Framework Description
Hertfordshire County Council has carried out preliminary market engagement on a new framework for recruitment agencies. Its corporate contract with Guidant Group for temporary staff runs until March 2027, and the new framework would cover key skill areas, set out as lots, that the corporate contract cannot fill. It is expected to run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029, with a possible extension to March 2030.
Context & Use Case
Council services use the corporate contract for most temporary staffing, but some specialist or hard-to-fill roles need agencies with particular networks. The new framework would give the council direct access to specialist agencies for those skill areas. The engagement helps the council decide which skill areas to include and how to structure the lots.
Scope of Services
Recruitment agency services for key skill areas Lots for skills not covered by the corporate contract Temporary staffing for Hertfordshire County Council
Lots
Yes: - Development of a new Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) framework to cover key skill areas (lots) that cannot be fulfilled through the corporate con
Who Can Apply
Suits specialist recruitment agencies with strong candidate pools in skill areas that are hard for councils to fill. The framework is at preliminary market engagement, so there is nothing to join yet; the route in will be the formal tender.
Buyer Benefits
The council wants specialist roles filled through a managed route alongside its corporate contract, which remains the first point of contact for agency work. It values agencies with proven candidate networks in hard-to-fill areas, strong compliance and vetting, and transparent rates that it can manage and compare.
Next Steps
The engagement closed on 29 May 2026, so the next step is the formal tender, if the council proceeds. Watch Find a Tender for Hertfordshire County Council's recruitment framework notice, and prepare placement data for your specialist skill areas, compliance processes, rate structures and local government references.
How Athena Can Help
With engagement closed, the next stage is the tender. Athena's public bid planning advice helps you decide whether this opportunity suits your agency and how to position your specialist skill areas.
When the tender is published, our recruitment bid writers build answers on candidate supply, compliance and rates, and our forward framework planning lines up other council recruitment frameworks and dynamic markets over the next 6–12 months, so you have other options if this framework is delayed or narrower than expected.
