CPC fires gun on next phase of lucrative framework

About £117m has gone through previous versions of education buying group's framework

Education-focused buying group Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) has cut the ribbon on the latest version of a high-value IT framework.

The Salford-based group - which aims to provide the further education sector with best-value equipment - published a tender for its Desktop Hardware and Peripherals (DHP) framework on Saturday. About £117m of business has gone through the framework over the past three year, it said.

The likes of Softcat, Viglen and Insight have popped up on some of the CPC's other frameworks.

The DHP framework will be split up into seven lots: Lot 1 - desktop PC Solutions; Lot 2 - laptops, notebooks, netbooks, tablets, PDAs and mobile devices; Lot 3 - peripherals such as printers and monitors; Lot 4 - IT hardware compatible with Apple's operating system; Lot 5 - installation and maintenance services; Lot 6 - IT disposal and recycling; and Lot 7 - ICT managed services.

In the tender document, the CPC said it expects the use of the framework and the number of members signed up to it to grow.

"The CPC intends to put a framework agreement in place with suitable manufacturers and resellers which will offer additional benefits through collaborative and innovative partnerships with our members," it said in the document.

"The framework agreement will be for the supply of a wide range of ICT equipment and the provision of support services, to be purchased continuously and in varying quantities during the contract period. All members heavily rely on having a robust ICT infrastructure and the equipment required will be utilised for a variety of administrative, research and academic applications."