The procurement body has designed the new dynamic purchasing system to help its 900 social landlord members clear their backlog of non-essential maintenance jobs and have a flexible way of procuring repairs in the future.

This backlog of non-emergency social housing repairs had risen to an estimated 1.5m jobs by the end of May.

With the easing of lockdown restrictions, social landlords are remobilising repair teams.

New suppliers can join the DPS at any time, unlike a framework. Work categories will include full-service delivery of responsive repairs and voids, general repairs and joinery, plumbing and heating, electrical and specialist works.

For each category, contractors will be required to either supplement a social landlord’s in-house direct labour organisation or to fully manage an outsourced repairs and voids service, which may include call handling, repairs diagnostics and work scheduling.

Once suppliers have passed the DPS selection procedure, they can quickly bid for any opportunities by submitting a tender.

There is no need for them to go through the selection stage again and again for each contract opportunity.

Steve Malone, managing director at Procurement for Housing, said: “With a significant number of repairs operatives in the sector not working, social landlords are dealing with unprecedented staff shortages plus the pressure of social distancing on maintenance jobs.

“We hope this DPS will help the sector to overcome some of these problems while also supporting SME contractors who can quickly register and bid without having to go through a time-consuming tender process.”

To apply for inclusion in PfH’s DPS for Responsive Works & Voids click here.