Sitemark has been appointed to two national ESPO frameworks covering catering and cleaning consultancy, strengthening public sector access to independent procurement and contract management expertise.
The UK-based facilities management benchmarking and best practice consultancy has been selected for ESPO 704C_25 (Catering Consultancy) and ESPO 263C_25 (Cleaning Consultancy). The appointments enable local authorities, NHS trusts, education providers, housing associations and blue-light services to procure specialist support for the planning, procurement and management of catering and cleaning contracts.
Both frameworks run from April 2025 to April 2027, with the option to extend to 2029, and were awarded following a competitive evaluation process. Sitemark was appointed alongside 19 suppliers on the catering framework and 20 on the cleaning framework.
Catering and cleaning represent a significant proportion of public sector FM spend and are widely recognised as complex service areas to optimise. Rising costs, tightening regulation and growing sustainability expectations have increased demand for independent, evidence-based advice.
Jiger Shah, associate procurement manager at Sitemark, said the appointments came at a critical time for public sector organisations. “Catering and cleaning are often underestimated in terms of complexity, yet when delivered well they have a direct impact on wellbeing, productivity and public health,” he said. “Our independence means we are focused solely on helping clients achieve the best outcomes, drawing on two decades of benchmarking data and sector expertise.”
Under both frameworks, Sitemark will provide end-to-end consultancy support across the contract lifecycle. This includes requirements definition, service specification development, market engagement, tender documentation, supplier evaluation and contract negotiation. Support during mobilisation covers transition planning and risk management, while ongoing performance management includes independent audits and KPI monitoring benchmarked against national data.
Specialist technical input is also available, including advice on balanced and healthy catering provision, cleaning standards and protocols, sustainability and social value assessment, and regulatory compliance.
The frameworks allow public sector bodies to appoint Sitemark via direct award for lower-value projects or through a further competition for more complex requirements, ensuring flexibility while remaining compliant with procurement regulations.
Mike Boxall, managing director at Sitemark, said independence was central to the consultancy’s role. “When decisions affect thousands of service users and involve millions of pounds of public investment, organisations need advisers who can challenge assumptions and provide objective analysis,” he said. “Our benchmarking data consistently highlights opportunities for improvement that might otherwise be overlooked.”
Sitemark said its work through the frameworks would also support wider public sector objectives, including sustainability and net zero targets, improved health and wellbeing outcomes, and demonstrable value for money.