NE Procurement Ltd ('NEP') is a consortium of Social Housing Providers located in the North East of England. NEP are procuring a Framework Agreement, for the supply of materials for various internal and external property works, including but not limited to; planned maintenance, investment programmes, responsive maintenance, void works, new development works, commercial and retail works. In addition, this procurement activity will also include the provision of merchant services.

This tender opportunity is divided into twenty five material lots and five merchant lots. The exact material categories are provided in Section II.2.1 – total quantity and scope.

The Framework Agreement shall be put in place for a maximum period of 4 years from 1.8.2014.

The following contracting authorities will be entitled to call off under the NEP Framework Agreement as and when required:

NEP members (both current and future) including, but not limited to:

Coast and Country www.cch-online.org.uk

Housing Hartlepool www.housinghartlepool.org.uk

Three Rivers Housing Group www.threerivershousing.co.uk

Durham City Homes www.durham.gov.uk

Dale and Valley Housing www.daleandvalleyhomes.co.uk

Your Homes Newcastle www.yhn.org.uk

South Tyneside Homes www.southtynesidehomes.org.uk

Homes for Northumberland www.hfn.uk.com

Derwentside Homes www.derwentsidehomes.co.uk

Home Group www.homegroup.org.uk

Fabrick Housing Group – consisting of Erimus Housing and Tees Valley Housing www.fabrickgroup.co.uk

Tristar Homes www.tristarhomes.co.uk

Cestria Community Housing www.cestria.org

Riverside North East www.riverside.org.uk

Durham Aged Mineworks Housing Association www.durhamhomes.org.uk

Community Campus 87 www.communitycampus87.com

East Durham Homes www.eastdurhamhomes.co.uk

The contracting authorities listed or referred to above have requirements predominantly within the North East and North Yorkshire region of England including; Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Cleveland and Middlesbrough.

It is intended that the resulting Framework Agreement will be capable of being used by other Contracting Authorities in the United Kingdom, including but not limited to educational establishments (including primary schools, secondary schools and universities) and NHS bodies.

This procurement is being undertaken by NEP for the benefit of its members as set out in Annex A (without any obligation for them to participate) and for the benefit of any Social Housing Provider that may fall within the geographical remit of the United Kingdom.

Social Housing Provider for this purpose means any provider of social housing and includes registered (housing) providers, local authorities, local government ALMOs, unitary authorities and third sector organisations / registered charities.

For the purpose of this procurement, the geographical area of local authorities are identifiable by reference to the Direct Gov website at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm and a full list of all current Registered Providers can be found at www.homesandcommunities.co.uk

Applicants should note that, under the Framework Agreement, none of the contracting authorities that are entitled to use the Framework Agreement shall be under any obligation to do so.

Please note that the award of the Framework Agreement will not constitute any guarantee of work.

The Framework entered into will be managed by NEP and all members and partners, either current or future, will be entitled to call off individual contracts pursuant to the Framework Agreement. Any such contract will be held, managed and supervised by the individual member organisation making the call-off. Applicants should note that over the life of the Framework they may be required to trade directly with contractors appointed by NEP members and partners.

Valueworks are NEP's supply chain integrator and have been engaged to assist NEP in carrying out this procurement exercise.