RM6393 Tactical Communicastion Systems (TacSys) Framework: Tender Documents Explained

Downloaded the TacSys tender pack, all 71 documents, and immediately thought, where do I even start?

Framework schedules, call-off schedules, joint schedules, general terms, attachments… The good news is this. Once you understand what each document is actually for, it all becomes much easier to navigate and you can save yourself a huge amount of time and frustration.

Let’s break it down.

Starting with the big picture

When a framework tender lands, you are not being sent dozens of documents for no reason.

They fall into three broad groups:

• documents that explain the rules
• documents that form the contract
• documents you need to complete and submit

The confusion usually comes from the fact that they all arrive at the same time. Each document plays a different role, at a different stage, for a different purpose. Once you know which is which, everything starts to make sense.

Framework schedules – the rulebook

Framework schedules are the core rules of the framework.

They explain:

• how the framework operates
• how call-offs will be run (that’s the point where a buyer actually buys something through the framework)
• what buyers and suppliers can and cannot do
• how long the framework lasts
• specific processes or templates

At tender stage

You need to read these carefully so you understand what you are signing up to.

Once you are on contract

You do not use them day to day, but they matter when there is a dispute or a “can we or can’t we” moment.

General Terms – the legal backbone

The General Terms are where the serious legal detail sits.

They usually cover:

• liability
• payment terms
• termination
• data protection
• intellectual property

At tender stage

These are all about identifying risk. Are there any red flags or deal breakers for your business?

Once you are on contract

These suddenly matter a lot if something goes wrong. This is why lawyers pay close attention to them.

The Framework Award Form – the official handshake

The Framework Award Form is what formally confirms you are on the framework.

It summarises:

• that you have been awarded a place
• which lots you are on
• when the framework starts
• who the contracting parties are
• key dates and procedures

At tender stage

You do not complete this. It is issued to you if you are successful.

Once your on contract

This is your proof that you are on the framework. It switches the contract on.

Call-off schedules – where the work happens

Call-off schedules do not really come to life until after you are on the framework.

They are used when a buyer actually wants to buy something from you and set out:

• the specific requirement
• delivery details
• pricing
• timelines
• any changes to standard terms

At tender stage

You are usually reading examples to understand how work will be awarded later.

Once you are on contract

Each call-off becomes the contract for that specific piece of work.

Joint schedules – the shared conditions

Joint schedules are standard schedules reused across multiple frameworks.

Instead of rewriting the same rules every time, buyers create one set and uses them into lots of frameworks.

They usually cover more general things like:

• definitions
• information assurance
• transparency
• governance

At tender stage

You are not filling these in. Your job is to understand what is in them and make sure you are comfortable with how they apply to your business.

If you already work in the public sector, much of this will look familiar. Even so, it is still about checking nothing conflicts with how you operate.

Once on contract

They quietly apply to everything you do under the framework.

Attachments – the documents you actually work on

Attachments are the practical, working documents. They include things like:

• questionnaires
• pricing templates
• technical responses
• compliance tables

At tender stage

These are the documents you actively complete and upload. This is where most of your time goes.

Once on contract

These form part of the contract if you’re successful. See Framework Schedule 2.

Framework Schedule 2

Schedule 2 often causes panic because when you open it, it looks almost empty. Usually it just says something like:

“Insert Supplier Framework Tender Response”

Nothing is missing. Schedule 2 is a placeholder for your entire tender submission. Once the framework is awarded, the buyer takes:

• your written responses
• your pricing
• your technical submissions

and inserts them into Schedule 2, locking them into the contract.

How your tender becomes part of the contract

A ring binder example really helps here. Imagine everything is printed.

For each awarded framework, the buyer has a ring binder with subject dividers labelled Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3, and so on. Behind each divider sit the printed documents that match that schedule.

When you get to the divider for Schedule 2, that is where your entire tender response is filed. That is how your tender becomes part of the contract.

What actually makes up the framework contract

Once awarded, the framework contract consists of:

• the Framework Award Form
• the Framework schedules
• the Joint schedules
• the General Terms
• Schedule 2, which contains your tender response

Together, these documents form the framework contract.

Call-off schedules sit underneath this. Each call-off creates its own job-specific contract but is governed by the framework above it.

They only come into play when a buyer is ready to buy something, and they add the detail for that specific requirement, things like scope, pricing, timelines and delivery. Each call-off creates its own contract, but it always sits under, and is governed by, the framework contract.

That’s why call-offs usually include wording along the lines of:
“In the event of conflict, the call-off takes precedence…”
Because both the framework contract and the call-off contract are legally binding, they just operate at different levels.

In simple terms:

• the framework sets the rules
• the call-off creates the job

Where should you start reading?

Start with the Attachments. Begin with Attachment 1, then Attachment 2.

In this case, the buyer has been very clear. Paragraph 2.3 explains the reading order and confirms that Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 should be read first.

Paragraph 8 of Attachment 2 How to Tender then sets out what each attachment is, what needs to be done, and who is responsible for each one, in order to submit a compliant tender.

This section is a really useful checkpoint to make sure you are approaching everything correctly.

Why Attachment 6 is not a separate document

You might notice a reference to Attachment 6, even though there is no separate document called Attachment 6.

That is because Attachment 6 is made up of:

• the General Terms
• all the schedules
• the Framework Award Form

It is essentially the contract pack.

The two ring binders that explain everything

Think of it like this.

Ring binder one – the supplier’s tender file

Created by you.
Used purely for tendering.
Organised by Attachments.
Attachment 6 contains all the contract documents (i.e. schedules) for reference.

Ring binder two – the buyer’s framework contract file

Created by the customer if you are successful.
Organised by schedules and contains the schedules that make up the framework contract.
Your completed tender is filed behind Schedule 2.

One final thing you really need to know

With frameworks, the contract does not start when you win a call-off. It starts when you are awarded a place on the framework. From that point:

• you already have a live contract
• you are bound by what you wrote in your tender
• you just do not have any work yet

That is why the schedules are not just background paperwork. They set the rules, capture your commitments, and define what you have agreed to deliver.

Schedule 2 is the one that quietly turns:
“This is how we would deliver”
into
“This is how we must deliver”

That is the TacSys tender document pack explained.

Good luck with your submission!