Telecoms Network and Infrastructure framework

Telecoms contracts fall within the scope of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 once they exceed the relevant thresholds. The Sustainable Procurement Duty requires Scottish contracting authorities to consider how procurement can contribute to social, economic, and environmental wellbeing, and Fair Work First requirements apply to Scottish public sector contracts. Because telecoms agreements are typically long-running and high-value, the compliance risk of an uncontrolled direct arrangement with a supplier is significant. The framework provides a fully FTS-compliant route to market with an audit trail that satisfies Scottish procurement requirements, and all suppliers have already been assessed on social value, workforce practices, and technical capability as part of the evaluation. 

The new framework replaces the previous seven-lot structure with five lots that reflect how the Scottish social housing telecoms market has evolved. The most significant change is the introduction of Lots 2a and 2b, which separate licence-based and pay-as-you-go unified communications into distinct lots, giving organisations a clearer procurement route based on how they want to contract for cloud telephony and collaboration tools. Lot 3 consolidates mobile and 5G capability under the SmartConnect branding, and Lot 4 brings digital inclusion, Wi-Fi, and IoT solutions together in recognition that these are increasingly delivered as integrated services rather than separate procurements. If you’re approaching renewal from the previous framework, PfH Scotland can help you identify which lot or combination of lots best suits your current requirements. 

The Sustainable Procurement Duty under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires Scottish contracting authorities to consider how their procurement activity can improve economic, social, and environmental wellbeing, including how it can facilitate the involvement of small businesses and third sector bodies, and how it can promote innovation. For telecoms procurement, this is most directly relevant in three areas: digital inclusion, where the framework’s Lot 4 includes suppliers offering community Wi-Fi and connected device provision that can directly address resident digital exclusion; social value, where suppliers were evaluated on their community commitments and workforce practices; and environmental impact, where energy-efficient infrastructure and responsible disposal of hardware are relevant considerations. Using the framework means these obligations are built into the supplier evaluation already, which makes it easier to demonstrate compliance.

Scotland’s geography creates connectivity challenges that don’t apply in the same way in England. Rural and remote properties may have limited access to FTTP and reliable 4G coverage, which affects both organisational connectivity for remote offices and community Wi-Fi provision for residents. Lot 1 covers SD-WAN and managed network solutions that can aggregate multiple connectivity types, which is often the most practical approach for multi-site organisations with a mix of urban and rural properties. Lot 3’s 5G and mobile broadband options are relevant for properties outside the FTTP footprint. Lot 4 includes suppliers with experience in rural and community connectivity deployment. PfH Scotland recommends engaging early to map your specific connectivity requirements by property type and location before selecting a lot or access route. 

The Scottish Social Housing Charter expects landlords to support tenants in sustaining their tenancies and to provide accessible services. Digital exclusion is increasingly a barrier to both, as more statutory services, employment support, and housing management interactions move online. While there’s no specific legal requirement to provide residents with internet access, the Scottish Government’s Connecting Scotland programme and local authority digital strategies create an expectation that social landlords will actively support digital inclusion, particularly for older residents, those on low incomes, and those in rural areas. Lot 4 provides a compliant procurement route for community Wi-Fi deployments, device provision, and digital skills training, and the suppliers have been assessed on their digital inclusion experience and social value commitments. 

Both lots cover unified communications platforms including cloud telephony, collaboration tools, and video-conferencing, but they’re structured around different commercial models. Lot 2a is for licence-based arrangements where you commit to a defined number of seats or licences for a set period, which gives cost predictability and is typically better value for organisations with stable, known user numbers. Lot 2b is for pay-as-you-go or consumption-based arrangements where you pay for what you use, which suits organisations with variable usage patterns, those transitioning between systems, or those that want flexibility to scale up or down without a long-term licence commitment. For many Scottish housing associations, Lot 2a will be the right choice for core staff communications, while Lot 2b might suit specific use cases like seasonal or project-based additional capacity. PfH Scotland can help you model the cost difference based on your usage profile. 

IoT sensors and connected devices can generate a significant amount of operational value for Scottish housing associations managing large or geographically dispersed stock. Practical applications include damp and condensation monitoring that can identify properties at risk before they generate complaints or disrepair claims, gas and water leak detection, lift and plant monitoring for predictive maintenance rather than reactive callouts, and energy monitoring to support EESSH2 compliance and decarbonisation planning. Lot 4 covers sensor hardware, connectivity, data analytics software, device management, and integration with housing management systems. For organisations starting out with IoT, PfH Scotland recommends beginning with a clearly defined pilot covering a specific asset type or estate before scaling, which the direct award route makes straightforward. 

PfH Scotland supports members throughout the process from requirements definition to ongoing contract management. For direct awards, we help you identify which lot is appropriate, scope the requirement, and approach the highest-ranked capable supplier. For mini-competitions, we provide template call-off documentation, specification assistance, and evaluation support. Our Quantum platform gives you spend visibility and contract performance data throughout the framework term, which is particularly useful for long-running telecoms contracts where price benchmarking and performance monitoring matter. If you’re planning a significant infrastructure upgrade or a digital inclusion programme across multiple sites, getting PfH Scotland involved early means we can help you structure the procurement to avoid the fragmentation that often drives poor value in this category.