Recruitment Services
Framework Description
Recruitment Services is a four-year Procurement for Housing framework giving social housing providers access to suppliers for permanent, interim and temporary roles across the UK. It is divided into three lots: managed recruitment services, general recruitment services and a talent bank technology solution. The framework is live and runs until 24 September 2027, with no extension.
Context & Use Case
Housing associations and councils use it to fill roles across housing functions. Larger landlords may hand recruitment to one managed provider under Lot 1; others use Lot 2 to go to several agencies for specific roles, or Lot 3 for a software platform that manages their own pools of pre-qualified candidates.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Managed recruitment services Lot 2: General recruitment services Lot 3: Talent bank technology solution Permanent, interim and temporary staff for housing-sector roles
Lots
Lot 1 Managed Recruitment Services; Lot 2 General Recruitment Services; Lot 3 Talent Bank Technology Solution
Who Can Apply
Suits recruitment agencies, managed service providers and recruitment technology firms with social housing or public sector clients. Applications for this framework are closed, and with an end date of 24 September 2027 its replacement is the next opportunity to join, so preparation should start in the coming months.
Buyer Benefits
Members can match the route to their own capacity: a fully managed service, flexible access to several agencies, or a self-serve talent bank. Terms are pre-agreed across the UK, which gives HR teams consistent rates and contract conditions, and the framework saves them running their own recruitment tender.
Next Steps
Incumbents should secure call-offs and renewals before September 2027 and keep fill-rate and time-to-hire data, as that evidence supports a re-tender bid. Agencies not on the framework should check the PfH Recruitment Services page for successor plans, decide which lot suits them, and prepare housing-sector case studies and compliance documents.
How Athena Can Help
Recruitment bids are often close on price. Athena's pricing and win-theme work helps agencies set rates that win while keeping a margin, and a Bid Health Check finds weak spots in draft responses.
For the replacement framework, our support for public sector bids plans the submission early, and Athena's help getting onto recruitment frameworks covers the application, case studies and compliance checks, along with other staffing frameworks and DPSs that are open now.
