Temporary and interim staff (SP-22-01; SP-22-02; SP-22-03; SP-22-04)
Framework Description
Temporary and Interim Staff Services (SP-22-01 to SP-22-04) is the fourth-generation suite of four Scottish Government frameworks for agency staff. Two cover temporary administrative, catering and manual staff, split into north and south regions; two are national, covering interim professional staff and interim IT staff. They run from 13 April 2023 to 12 April 2027. The national interim professional staff framework is also available to APUC member institutions. These frameworks are used by Scottish Government and APUC.
Context & Use Case
Public bodies of every type, from central government and health boards to councils, colleges and charities, use the frameworks to fill short-term gaps and bring in interim specialists. Call-offs are made by ranked direct award or by mini-competition. Buyers can use the regional temporary frameworks for local cover and the national interim frameworks for specialist roles anywhere in Scotland. Permanent recruitment, fixed-term appointments and consultancy are outside their scope.
Scope of Services
Temporary admin, catering and manual staff: north region Temporary admin, catering and manual staff: south region Interim professional staff: national Interim IT staff: national
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
They suit recruitment agencies supplying temporary or interim staff in Scotland, from regional temp agencies to national interim specialists. Applications for the frameworks are closed until they are re-tendered, likely to be around 12 April 2027, so agencies not on them should prepare now.
Buyer Benefits
Buyers can save around 8 to 10% against market commission rates and rely on KPIs and service levels agreed with every agency. Ranked direct award gives quick access to staff for urgent needs, while mini-competition suits larger or specialist interim assignments.
Next Steps
Agencies should prepare for the next generation ahead of 12 April 2027: choose which frameworks and regions fit, gather fill rates, time-to-fill, compliance and candidate vetting evidence, and review your commission rates against the current benchmark. The Scottish Government's framework page also points to a DPS for similar services, which may give agencies an earlier route in.
How Athena Can Help
Recruitment frameworks are competitive on price and on evidence of fill rates and compliance. With the re-tender due in 2027, Athena's framework registration consultants help agencies choose the right frameworks and regions and write the application, with a compliance check before submission.
For agencies already appointed, our staffing bid specialists build responses for interim assignments and mini-competitions, and our commission pricing advice helps you set rates that win and still cover the cost of compliant, well-vetted candidates.
