ESPO (Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation)

ESPO (Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation) is a public sector shared service owned by six East Midlands local authority member councils: Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, and Rutland County Councils. Despite its regional ownership, ESPO's framework agreements and buying services are available to public sector organisations across the UK, and its catalogue covers thousands of product lines serving schools, local authorities, NHS bodies, emergency services, and other public sector buyers.

What is ESPO?

ESPO operates two main services: a catalogue of commonly purchased goods available for direct order, and a library of framework agreements for goods and services requiring a more structured procurement approach. The ESPO framework library covers categories including stationery, cleaning materials, food and catering supplies, furniture, IT equipment, professional services, and utilities. These frameworks are established through competitive procurement exercises, published on Find a Tender Service (FTS) and Contracts Finder where required, and then made available for call-off by eligible buyers.

ESPO also operates bespoke procurement services, helping individual public sector organisations run their own procurement exercises where no suitable framework exists. This advisory and managed service function complements the consortium's framework activity.

The ESPO online portal allows buyers to search frameworks, download call-off documents, and place catalogue orders. Suppliers registered on ESPO frameworks can manage their listings and receive call-off requests through the portal. Framework competitions are managed through the portal's eProcurement module or through linked eProcurement systems.

Why it matters for bidders

ESPO's strong presence in the education and local government sectors in the East Midlands and beyond makes it a significant route to market for suppliers in those categories. Schools and multi-academy trusts are heavy users of ESPO frameworks for consumables, furniture, and catering supplies. Local authorities use ESPO for a range of goods and professional services where ESPO frameworks align with their categories.

Like YPO and CCS, ESPO provides suppliers with the benefit of a single qualification exercise giving access to many buyers. Suppliers with products or services well matched to ESPO's category mix should monitor the ESPO framework pipeline and apply during open competition windows.

Example

A catering equipment manufacturer wants to supply commercial kitchen equipment to schools across the East Midlands and beyond. By winning a place on the ESPO Catering Equipment framework, the company is accessible to thousands of schools and local authority catering services that use ESPO as their preferred route to market. When a secondary school in Lincolnshire needs to replace its servery equipment, it searches the ESPO framework, identifies the manufacturer's listed products and prices, and places a call-off order without any further competitive process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are ESPO frameworks limited to East Midlands buyers?

No. ESPO frameworks are open to public sector buyers across the UK, not just in the East Midlands. Any eligible public sector body can access ESPO frameworks. The consortium's founding membership is East Midlands-based, but the commercial reach is national.

How is ESPO governed?

ESPO is a collaboration of six county councils and is governed by a Joint Committee of elected members from those councils. As a public sector shared service, ESPO operates on a not-for-profit basis, with any surpluses reinvested in the organisation or returned to member councils. This structure means ESPO is accountable to its public sector owners rather than to private shareholders.

Can ESPO run a bespoke procurement for my organisation?

Yes. ESPO offers managed procurement services where no suitable framework agreement exists. These bespoke exercises are run in compliance with public procurement regulations and published on FTS and Contracts Finder as required. Contact ESPO directly to discuss whether a bespoke exercise is appropriate for your category and value.