Employers Agent Framework
Framework Description
The National Framework Partnership (NFP) Employers Agent Framework is a single-lot consultancy framework that gives public sector clients access to pre-qualified employers agents. It runs for four years, from 20 May 2024 to 19 May 2028. Clients appoint a firm either by direct selection or by running a mini-competition among the appointees. Applications for this framework are closed (it is not a Dynamic Purchasing System), so the supplier list is fixed for the whole term.
Context & Use Case
Contracting authorities use it when they need an employers agent on a design-and-build or other construction scheme: a consultant who administers the contract, controls cost and change, and reports on the contractor's performance on the client's behalf. With a single lot, every appointed firm is eligible for every commission, whether the client picks one firm directly or invites several to price and propose a team.
Scope of Services
Employers agent services on construction contracts Contract administration Project cost and change control Performance monitoring and reporting
Lots
Single lot
Who Can Apply
Suits construction consultancies that act as employers agent for public clients on design-and-build contracts. New firms cannot join the current framework; the next chance is the re-tender, likely around May 2028. Firms already appointed compete for direct selections and mini-competitions.
Buyer Benefits
An employers agent protects the client's commercial position once the contractor takes on design risk, so buyers want to appoint one quickly and without running a full tender. Direct selection suits urgent or follow-on commissions, while a mini-competition lets the client compare fees and proposed teams against the specific scheme.
Next Steps
Appointed firms should make sure NFP's clients know their scheme experience, since direct selection favours firms a buyer already trusts, and should answer mini-competition invitations quickly. Firms outside the framework should watch the NFP framework page for the replacement procurement ahead of 19 May 2028 and start collecting public sector employers agent case studies now.
How Athena Can Help
If you are one of the appointed employers agents, Athena can help you convert more mini-competitions into commissions. Our bid management team builds win themes around your contract administration and cost control record, models your likely score against rival consultancies and sets a fee that wins without eroding margin.
If you missed the original tender, use the time before the 2028 re-tender: our framework registration service plans the application and assembles case studies early, and our public sector bid consultants can give bid/no-bid advice on comparable commissions in the meantime.
