Business Support Services
Framework Description
The KCS Business Support Services framework is a national agreement running from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2029. It covers professional and operational support for UK public bodies, from advisory and consultancy to HR, payroll, IT, finance, procurement and project management. It is a traditional framework agreement rather than a Dynamic Purchasing System, and it has no lots.
Context & Use Case
Councils, NHS bodies, education providers and emergency services use it to add specialist capacity to in-house teams, whether to deliver a transformation programme, cover a resource gap or bring in expertise for a specific project. Buyers can appoint a supplier from the pre-qualified panel by direct award or run a further competition.
Scope of Services
Advisory and consultancy services HR, payroll and workforce support IT and digital services Finance, audit and compliance Procurement, contract management and source-to-pay Project management and operational support
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
Consultancies, professional services firms and shared service providers with UK public sector delivery experience and the ability to resource at scale. The framework is awarded and applications are closed, so new firms cannot join until KCS re-tenders, likely around 31 May 2029. Appointed suppliers win work through call-offs.
Buyer Benefits
Buyers can bring in support for back-office functions without a separate procurement for each assignment, and direct award lets them act quickly when a resource gap opens. Having HR, finance, IT and procurement support on one framework suits organisations that want a single supplier for a joined-up change programme.
Next Steps
Appointed suppliers should make sure buyers know which service areas they cover and have case studies ready for further competitions. Firms not on the framework can explore sub-contracting with appointed suppliers, and should build public sector case studies, SME supply-chain policies and capacity evidence for the re-tender expected before 31 May 2029.
How Athena Can Help
For appointed firms, the challenge is standing out in further competitions across very different service areas. Athena's bid and pricing specialists build win themes with our F.V.D. model and check your offer against likely rivals.
If you're not on it yet, our route-to-market planning finds professional services frameworks opening sooner, and our support with public sector tenders gets your case studies, policies and capacity evidence ready for the 2029 re-tender, with a compliance check before you submit.
