How to Get Your Care Technology Onto NHS and Local Authority Frameworks

Last updated: 28 August 2026

Getting your care technology solution onto NHS and local authority frameworks can feel like navigating a maze. But if you're a supplier looking to work with the public sector, understanding these frameworks is essential. They're often the gateway to sustainable contracts and meaningful partnerships that can help your innovation reach the people who need it most.

Whether you've developed a digital care planning tool, remote monitoring technology, or assistive devices, frameworks provide a structured procurement route that benefits both suppliers and commissioners. Let's break down what you need to know to successfully position your care technology on these important purchasing routes.

Understanding NHS and Local Authority Frameworks

Frameworks are pre-negotiated agreements between public sector bodies and suppliers that simplify the procurement process. Rather than running a full tender each time they need a product or service, NHS trusts and local authorities can call off from an existing framework, saving time and resources.

The main framework operators you'll encounter include NHS Supply Chain, Crown Commercial Service (CCS), and specialist frameworks like the NHS Innovation Accelerator. Each has different requirements, timelines, and scope. NHS Supply Chain focuses on medical and non-medical equipment, whilst CCS runs cross-government frameworks covering technology and digital services. Meanwhile, local authorities often use regional frameworks through consortia or dedicated purchasing organisations.

Your care technology might fit several different frameworks depending on its application. A telehealth solution could sit within digital health frameworks, assistive technology categories, or integrated care system agreements. Understanding where your product naturally fits will help you target the right opportunities.

Meeting the Essential Requirements

Before you even consider applying to a framework, you need to ensure your organisation and product meet fundamental requirements. All suppliers must demonstrate financial stability, typically providing at least two years of accounts. You'll need appropriate insurance, including professional indemnity and public liability cover at levels specified in the framework documentation.

Quality assurance is non-negotiable. Most health and care frameworks require ISO certifications relevant to your product type. For medical devices, you'll need the appropriate CE or UKCA marking. Software solutions typically need to demonstrate compliance with NHS Digital standards, including the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).

Evidence of your product's effectiveness matters enormously. Clinical evaluations, user feedback, and outcome data strengthen your application considerably. If you've worked with care providers before, documented case studies and references carry significant weight. At Blue Cactus Digital, we often work with care technology suppliers to help them develop compelling evidence-based narratives that resonate with commissioners.

Your solution must also meet accessibility standards and demonstrate consideration of equality and diversity in its design and deployment. The public sector takes these responsibilities seriously, and your framework application should reflect your commitment to inclusive technology.

Navigating the Application Process

Framework applications aren't quick wins. Most processes take between three and six months from application to award, and some operate on annual or biennial cycles. You'll need to monitor upcoming opportunities through platforms like the Find a Tender service (which replaced OJEU after Brexit) and individual framework operator websites.

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The application itself typically involves completing a comprehensive questionnaire covering your organisation's capabilities, experience, and the specifics of your product or service. You'll provide detailed technical specifications, pricing structures, and demonstrations of how you meet quality and compliance requirements.

Pricing deserves particular attention. Public sector buyers are understandably cost-conscious, but they're increasingly focused on value rather than just the lowest price. Your pricing model needs to be transparent, scalable, and demonstrate clear return on investment. Consider total cost of ownership, including implementation, training, and ongoing support.

Many suppliers underestimate the importance of the social value element. The Public Services (Social Value) Act requires public bodies to consider social, economic, and environmental benefits when procuring services. Your application should articulate how your technology and your organisation contribute to broader social outcomes, whether through local employment, environmental sustainability, or addressing health inequalities.

Building Relationships and Demonstrating Value

Getting onto a framework is only the beginning. Being selected from that framework requires ongoing relationship building and market engagement. Attend NHS and local authority engagement events, respond to prior information notices, and participate in market warming exercises where commissioners explore available solutions before formal procurement.

Consider regional variations in priorities and needs. A council in Cornwall might have different care technology priorities than one in Manchester. Understanding local integrated care systems and their strategic objectives helps you position your solution appropriately.

Demonstrating your technology in real-world settings builds confidence. Pilot programmes, even small-scale ones, provide the evidence base that risk-averse public sector buyers need. Some frameworks and innovation programmes specifically support piloting and evaluation phases.

Working with partners can strengthen your position, particularly if you're a smaller supplier. Partnerships with established framework suppliers, care providers, or academic institutions can enhance credibility and fill gaps in your capability or capacity.

Staying Framework-Ready

Framework agreements typically run for four years with possible extensions. Requirements evolve, and you need to maintain compliance throughout the agreement period. Regular reviews of your certifications, insurance, and quality standards are essential. Your DSPT status, for instance, requires annual renewal.

Keep your product development aligned with emerging NHS and care sector priorities. The shift towards integrated care systems, population health management, and personalised care creates opportunities for solutions that support these agendas. Monitoring publications from NICE, NHS England, and the Care Quality Commission helps you anticipate future requirements.

Documentation is crucial throughout your framework journey. Maintain up-to-date technical specifications, user guides, evidence of outcomes, and compliance certificates. When opportunities arise for call-offs from the framework, you'll need to respond quickly, and having materials ready makes a significant difference.

Making Your Framework Strategy Work

Accessing NHS and local authority frameworks requires patience, preparation, and persistence. It's not a quick route to market, but for care technology suppliers committed to the public sector, it provides a structured pathway to sustainable contracts and genuine impact on health and social care delivery.

The investment in meeting requirements and completing applications pays dividends through access to a substantial market and the opportunity to make your technology available where it can benefit vulnerable people and support stretched services. Blue Cactus Digital works with health and social care technology providers to develop their go-to-market strategies and communicate their value to public sector buyers effectively.

Start by thoroughly researching which frameworks align with your technology, ensure you meet the baseline requirements, and build your evidence base systematically. The framework landscape may seem complex, but with the right preparation and understanding, it's entirely navigable for innovative care technology suppliers ready to make a difference.

Sources

Crown Commercial Service Frameworks: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements - NHS Supply Chain Procurement: https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/ - Find a Tender Service (UK Government): https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/ - NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit: https://www.dsptoolkit.nhs.uk/