What is a framework contract?

Look, the famous framework contract (or framework agreement, or supply contract, because the bureaucracy loves having a thousand names for the same) is basically the wild card of public purchases. Think about him like Spotify's playlist that we gun for the week: you don't know exactly when you're going to want to hear what song, but you already have everything ready for you to, when you have the craving, you simply give it play. This is how these contracts work: the public entity knows that it will need things - pale for printer, laptops, that I know - but no idea when or how many.

The grace of the framework contract is that it speeds up the entire roll to buy. Forget about walking quoting every time someone needs toner. With this, a fixed price and conditions are negotiated with one (or several) suppliers, and then you simply ask what you need. It is cheaper, it is faster, and you do not have the shopping people praying so that the stock does not finish just before an important meeting.

Do you want examples? Think of anything that is worn in a public office: coffee, toilet paper, laptops for when "the new" arrives. There applies the framework contract.

Of course, to reach this agreement, you have to go through the entire show of the public tender. Several companies launch their offers, the public entity reviews and chooses the one that suits it most (eye, here it is not only the price, they also tell quality, delivery time, etc.). When everything is already determined, they sign the framework and ready contract, to buy without drama.

A detail that not many know: this contract does not assure you that they will buy you something yes or yes. That is, the company undertakes to sell when asked, at the price and conditions agreed, but the public entity can buy a lot or little, as I painted. If you sell, you have to be ready to meet, even if the order is minimal ... or giant.

For companies that participate in these processes, it can be a goal. Because? Because it guarantees you the possibility of selling to the public administration for several years, and if everything goes well, you can even hook other contracts later. But be careful, you have to be batteries: it is time to present a proposal that highlights in price, quality and service, and always fulfill, because if not, you close the door for the next.

Anyway, the framework contracts are the practical solution so that the public sector does not go crazy every time you need to buy something. They are also a good business opportunity for companies that are encouraged to deal with bureaucracy (and survive to tell it).