Are you looking for a faster, more compliant way to procure digital services for your public sector organisation? The Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework can feel complex, but understanding its structure is the key to unlocking its full potential. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step process for navigating the system effectively in 2026.
The Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) framework is a procurement agreement managed by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) for the UK public sector. It allows organisations to find and hire suppliers to design, build, and deliver bespoke digital services and to source individual specialists to augment their existing teams. This streamlined approach helps you access a wide range of pre-vetted suppliers through the official Digital Marketplace, ensuring compliance and value for money.
Understanding the Digital Outcomes and Specialists Framework
The Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework, often referred to as DOS, is a cornerstone for public sector organisations aiming to undertake digital transformation projects. Its primary purpose is to make the procurement of digital services and talent simpler, faster, and more transparent. By using this framework, you bypass the lengthy and often cumbersome traditional procurement routes, gaining access to a dynamic marketplace of suppliers, from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large corporations.
Managed by the Crown Commercial Service, the framework is designed to support an agile approach to project delivery. It encourages you to define your problems and desired outcomes rather than specifying a rigid, predetermined solution. This flexibility allows for innovation and ensures the final product or service truly meets user needs. All transactions and opportunities are managed through the Digital Marketplace, an online platform that serves as the central hub for both buyers and suppliers.
What You Can Procure Through the DOS Framework
The framework is structured into three distinct categories, each serving a different procurement need. Understanding which category your requirement falls into is the first step toward a successful purchase. Whether you need a full project team, an individual expert, or user research facilities, the DOS framework has a dedicated route for you.
Digital Outcomes for Bespoke Projects
The Digital Outcomes category is for when you need a team to deliver a complete project or a defined piece of work. This could be anything from a discovery phase to explore a problem, to building and launching a brand new bespoke digital service. Suppliers in this category are contracted to achieve a specific outcome, such as creating an integrated website, conducting an accessibility audit, or delivering a complex data migration programme.
When you procure a Digital Outcome, you are buying a result, not a person’s time. The supplier is responsible for managing their team and resources to meet the agreed-upon goals. This approach is ideal for organisations that have a clear objective but lack the in-house capacity or specific expertise to deliver it themselves. The focus is on agile delivery, collaboration, and achieving measurable results.
Digital Specialists to Augment Your Team
If you already have a project team but need to fill a specific skills gap, the Digital Specialists category is the right choice. This route allows you to hire an individual with a particular role, such as a data scientist, developer, user researcher, or delivery manager, to work as part of your existing team. You manage the specialist’s day-to-day work, and they operate under your direction.
This is a highly effective way to bring in temporary expertise for a specific duration without the overhead of permanent recruitment. For example, you might need a technical architect for six months to guide the initial build of a new platform. The framework provides a pre-vetted pool of professionals, allowing you to quickly find and onboard the talent you need to move your project forward.
User Research Services and Participants
The third category is dedicated to user research, a critical component of any successful digital service. Through this part of the framework, you can procure two distinct things. First, you can hire moderated user research labs or facilities, which provide the physical space and technology needed to conduct interviews and usability testing. These spaces are designed to facilitate effective research sessions.
Second, you can find suppliers who specialize in recruiting user research participants. Finding the right people to test your service is often challenging, especially when you need to reach specific demographics or individuals with particular needs. This service streamlines the recruitment process, ensuring you get valuable feedback from a representative sample of your target audience, which is essential for building user-centric services.
The Buying Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
Navigating the procurement process on the Digital Marketplace is a structured journey designed for clarity and fairness. Following these steps will ensure your procurement is compliant and sets you up for a successful partnership with your chosen supplier. This process is consistent for all categories, though the specifics of your evaluation will differ.
Step 1: Prepare Your Draft Requirements and Get Approval
Before you even log in to the Digital Marketplace, your most important work begins. You must clearly define the problem you are trying to solve and the outcome you want to achieve. This involves engaging with stakeholders, defining your budget, and establishing your timeline. For specialists, this means writing a clear job description; for outcomes, it means outlining the scope and objectives. Once your requirements are drafted, you must secure the necessary internal approvals to proceed with the procurement.
Step 2: Publish Your Opportunity on the Digital Marketplace
With your approved requirements in hand, you can now publish your opportunity. You will log in to your buyer account on the Digital Marketplace, choose the appropriate category (Outcome, Specialist, or Research), and fill out an online form with your detailed requirements. This includes information on budget, location, contract length, and key deliverables. Once published, your opportunity becomes visible to all relevant suppliers on the framework, who can then decide whether to apply.
Step 3: Answer Supplier Questions and Provide Clarifications
After your opportunity is published, there is a set period (typically one to two weeks) during which suppliers can ask clarification questions. All questions are submitted anonymously through the marketplace, and your answers are published publicly for all potential suppliers to see. This process ensures a level playing field, as all suppliers have access to the same information. It’s vital to provide clear and timely answers to avoid ambiguity.
Step 4: Shortlist and Evaluate Supplier Applications
Once the application deadline passes, you can download all the supplier responses. The first stage is to create a shortlist by checking that each supplier meets the essential skills and experience you requested. You will then evaluate the shortlisted suppliers against the criteria you set out in your requirements. This typically involves scoring their written evidence and, for more complex roles or outcomes, may include interviews or presentations. A robust evaluation ensures you select the most capable supplier based on merit.
Step 5: Award the Contract and Give Feedback
After completing your evaluations and identifying the winning supplier, you can formally award the contract through the Digital Marketplace. It is a legal requirement to notify all suppliers of the outcome and provide feedback to the unsuccessful applicants. This transparency helps suppliers improve for future opportunities. Once the contract is awarded, you will complete the necessary paperwork, typically using a standardized call-off contract provided by the framework.
Key Considerations for a Successful Procurement
A successful procurement goes beyond just following the steps. Certain strategic considerations can significantly impact the quality of your outcome and the smoothness of the process. Paying attention to these areas will help you avoid common pitfalls and maximize the value you get from the framework. complete buyer’s guide.
Deciding the Employment Status of Specialists
When hiring a Digital Specialist, you must consider their employment status for tax purposes, particularly in relation to IR35 legislation. As the buyer, you are responsible for determining whether the role falls inside or outside IR35. An ‘inside IR35’ determination means the specialist is treated as an employee for tax purposes, and the appropriate deductions must be made. It is crucial to make this assessment correctly before publishing your opportunity to ensure compliance and attract the right candidates.
Writing Clear and Effective Requirements
The quality of your procurement hinges on the clarity of your requirements. Instead of prescribing a specific technical solution, focus on describing the user needs and the problem you are trying to solve. Use formats like user stories and define clear, measurable success criteria. A well-written requirement document not only attracts more suitable suppliers but also serves as a foundational guide for the project’s delivery, ensuring everyone is aligned on the goals from day one.
“The most successful digital projects start with a deep understanding of the problem, not a premature attachment to a solution. The DOS framework encourages buyers to articulate their desired outcomes, empowering suppliers to bring their expertise and innovation to the table.”
Running a Fair and Transparent Evaluation Process
Fairness and transparency are at the heart of public procurement. Before you even see any applications, you should create a detailed evaluation matrix with clear scoring guidelines. This ensures that every application is judged by the same standards. During the evaluation, stick to the criteria you published and document your scoring and rationale. This rigorous approach not only leads to better decision-making but also provides a defensible audit trail, which is essential for public sector accountability. A key part of this is performing due diligence on the suppliers you shortlist, a process often referred to as The Due Diligence and Valuation process.
After the Contract Is Awarded: Next Steps
Awarding the contract is not the end of the journey. Effective post-award management is crucial to ensure the supplier delivers on their promises and the project achieves its intended outcomes. This phase requires active engagement from you as the buyer.
Managing Your Contract and Supplier Relationship
Once the contract is signed, schedule a kick-off meeting to align on goals, timelines, and ways of working. Establish a regular cadence of communication, whether through daily stand-ups for agile projects or weekly progress reports. Proactive supplier relationship management helps to identify and resolve issues early, fostering a collaborative environment focused on shared success. Monitor performance against the agreed-upon key performance indicators (KPIs) and deliverables throughout the contract lifecycle.
Publishing Details to the Contracts Finder Service
For transparency, central government departments are required to publish details of all contracts worth over £12,000 (including VAT) on the Contracts Finder service. Other public sector bodies have different thresholds. This is a mandatory step that must be completed after the contract is awarded. Publishing these details contributes to a more open and accountable public sector, allowing citizens and other suppliers to see how public money is being spent.
Key Takeaways
To effectively use the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework in 2026, it’s essential to grasp its core principles and processes. Here are the key points to remember for a successful procurement:
- Understand the Categories: Choose the correct procurement route by distinguishing between a Digital Outcome (a full project), a Digital Specialist (an individual), and User Research services.
- Prioritize Clear Requirements: The success of your procurement depends heavily on how well you define your problem and desired outcomes. Focus on ‘what’ you need to achieve, not ‘how’ to do it.
- Embrace a Fair Process: Follow the step-by-step guide on the Digital Marketplace, from publishing your need to answering questions transparently and evaluating suppliers against pre-defined criteria.
- Manage Post-Award Actively: Awarding the contract is just the beginning. Effective contract and supplier relationship management is vital to ensure the project’s success and delivery of value.
- Ensure Compliance: Pay close attention to legal and procedural requirements, such as determining IR35 status for specialists and publishing contract details on Contracts Finder.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the procurement process on the DOS framework usually take?
The timeline can vary depending on the complexity of your requirement, but the DOS framework is designed to be much faster than traditional procurement routes. Typically, you can expect the process from publishing your opportunity to awarding a contract to take between 4 to 6 weeks. This includes time for supplier questions, evaluation, and notifications.
What is the main difference between a Digital Outcome and a Digital Specialist?
A Digital Outcome is a team you hire to deliver a whole project or a defined piece of work with clear deliverables, like building a new website. A Digital Specialist is an individual expert, like a developer or a user researcher, whom you hire to work as part of your own team under your day-to-day management.
Are there fees for public sector organisations to use the Digital Marketplace?
No, there are no fees for public sector buyers to use the Digital Marketplace or the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework. The platform is a free service provided by the UK government. The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) charges a small management fee to the suppliers on the framework, which is typically factored into their pricing.
Can organisations outside the UK public sector use this framework?
No, the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework is exclusively for UK public sector organisations. This includes central government departments, local authorities, NHS bodies, emergency services, and many other publicly funded bodies. Private sector companies and international organisations are not eligible to buy services through this agreement.
What types of suppliers are available through the DOS framework?
The framework features a diverse range of suppliers, from large, well-known technology consultancies to highly specialized small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This variety is a key benefit, as it promotes competition and gives buyers access to a wide pool of talent and innovation. You can find suppliers specializing in everything from cloud infrastructure to user-centered design.
Conclusion
The Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework is a powerful tool for any UK public sector organisation looking to procure digital services efficiently and effectively in 2026. By understanding the different procurement categories, writing clear and outcome-focused requirements, and running a fair evaluation process, you can access top-tier digital talent and partners. Mastering this process empowers you to deliver better public services that truly meet the needs of your users.
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