Procurement for Housing (PfH) has launched a £943m framework for modular buildings and related professional services, creating a four-year procurement route for eligible public bodies across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The framework is due to run from 22 October 2026 to 21 October 2030 and is being procured through an open procedure. PfH is running the procurement on behalf of its administrator, Inprova, with the framework available to PfH members alongside other eligible public bodies.

The scope covers permanent modular buildings, temporary accommodation, relocatable buildings and secure facilities, alongside professional services supporting their delivery. It also includes feasibility work, modern methods of construction strategy, technical advice, carbon modelling and post-occupancy evaluation.

For public-sector procurement teams, the framework provides a structured route to market for organisations seeking modular construction solutions and associated services. PfH's wider procurement framework portfolio provides compliant purchasing routes for social landlords, local authorities and other public bodies across a range of construction and property requirements.

The framework also reflects the growing role of modern methods of construction within public-sector delivery. PfH's existing Modern Methods of Construction framework provides access to factory-built modular homes and other offsite construction solutions, demonstrating the wider use of framework procurement to support modern construction methods.

The new framework could appoint an unlimited number of suppliers, with tender documents allowing PfH to vary the number of appointed suppliers between individual lots depending on the bids received. This approach could provide greater opportunities for suppliers while allowing appointments to reflect market capacity and the quality of submissions.

The procurement follows earlier market engagement by PfH. A March 2026 procurement notice for the proposed Modular Buildings Framework described a four-year framework covering modular buildings and construction consultancy, with an estimated value of up to £1 billion and delivery planned from September 2026.

For public-sector buyers, the inclusion of carbon modelling and post-occupancy evaluation is particularly significant. These requirements extend the procurement focus beyond the initial construction phase and provide mechanisms for considering environmental performance and how buildings perform once operational.

The framework also demonstrates how centralised procurement can create scalable routes to market for specialist construction requirements. Rather than each eligible organisation establishing an individual procurement process, framework arrangements can provide access to pre-established suppliers and defined categories of work.

For the sector, the development highlights the growing importance of framework procurement in supporting modern construction, supplier access and public-sector delivery. With modular buildings increasingly being considered for housing, temporary accommodation and other public infrastructure requirements, the new framework provides a significant procurement route for organisations seeking specialist construction solutions.

Source: Construction News UK / Procurement for Housing (PfH) / Find a Tender / Inprova