What is the CCS CWAS3 Framework?
CWAS3 stands for Construction Works and Associated Services 3. It is a procurement framework operated by Crown Commercial Service (CCS), the UK government's purchasing organisation. The official reference number is RM6320. CCS published the Invitation to Tender on 27 March 2026, with a submission deadline of 21 May 2026 at 15:00.
The framework is the primary route for UK public sector bodies to procure construction works, civil engineering, infrastructure, offsite solutions, healthcare construction, defence estates, international projects, and nuclear construction. It replaces the previous CWAS2 framework (RM6116) and incorporates ProCure24, the NHS healthcare construction framework that replaces ProCure23 (RM6267).
The estimated value of CWAS3 exceeds £30 billion. The framework runs for 96 months from its commencement date of 21 January 2027, making it one of the most significant public sector construction frameworks ever tendered in the United Kingdom. Contracting authorities that can use the framework include central government departments, NHS trusts, local authorities, universities, arm's length bodies, and devolved administrations.
For firms operating in the built environment - both construction contractors and professional services consultancies - placement on CWAS3 is the single most effective way to access a sustained, multi-year pipeline of public sector work. The framework is aligned to the Procurement Act 2023 and uses FAC-1 (Framework Alliance Contract) as the overarching contract model. For a complete overview, visit our CWAS3 Framework Support hub.
CWAS3 Lot Structure: 7 Lots and 78 Sub-Lots
CWAS3 is a construction delivery framework structured across seven core lots. This is a significant change from CWAS2, which was organised around professional services disciplines. CWAS3 is organised by construction delivery type, with professional services (architecture, planning, project management, cost management, sustainability, digital/BIM) delivered as associated services within each lot.
Lot 1: Construction Works, General Projects
29 sub-lotsGeneral construction including new build, refurbishment, extensions, alterations, and maintenance. Six value bands from under £5m to over £250m. Twelve regional geographies for the under-£5m band.
Lot 2: Civil Engineering and Infrastructure
30 sub-lotsTransportation, water systems, urban infrastructure, energy projects, groundworks, and demolition. Same value band and regional structure as Lot 1.
Lot 3: Offsite Solutions
7 sub-lotsPrefabricated buildings and turnkey offsite construction covering Built Estate, Hire, Health, Justice, Defence, and Education.
Lot 4: ProCure24 (Healthcare)
3 sub-lotsNHS and healthcare construction. Projects under £50m, £50m–£150m, and over £150m. England only. Requires Cyber Essentials Plus certification.
Lot 5: Defence
7 sub-lotsConstruction and infrastructure for the defence estate including Maritime, Airfields, US Visiting Forces, and Defence Nuclear.
Lot 6: International
1 lotConstruction and infrastructure projects worldwide for MOD, FCDO, and other government bodies.
Lot 7: Nuclear
1 lotConstruction within the nuclear estate including decommissioning, storage, transport of nuclear materials, and new build nuclear structures.
For the regional under-£5m sub-lots in Lots 1 and 2, a maximum of four sub-lots can be awarded per supplier per lot. This requires a strategic ranking of regional preferences in the submission. For lot-specific guidance, see our dedicated pages for Lot 1 Planning, Lot 2 Architecture, Lot 3 Programme Management, and Lot 4 Cost Management. For ProCure24 (Lot 4), see our ProCure24 support page.
How Professional Services Firms Access CWAS3
CWAS3 does not have standalone lots for professional consultancy services. There are no separate lots for planning, architecture, project management, or cost management as individual disciplines. Instead, professional services are delivered as associated services within construction projects and programmes procured through the framework.
This does not diminish the commercial opportunity for professional services firms. Every construction project procured through CWAS3 requires architectural design, planning input, project management, cost management, sustainability assessment, and digital/BIM services. Professional services firms access framework work through partnership with appointed contractors, through direct engagement on framework call-offs, and through the supply chain requirements built into every lot.
The framework has an estimated value exceeding £30 billion over 96 months. For professional services firms, the route to this work is through the construction delivery lots, not through standalone advisory contracts. Understanding this structural distinction is critical to positioning your application correctly. Read more in our What Is CWAS3? guide.
Who Can Apply for CWAS3?
CWAS3 is open to all suppliers. There is no pre-qualification stage that restricts access. Any organisation that can demonstrate the required quality standards, financial standing, and technical capability can submit a tender response. The threshold-based award model means there is no cap on the number of successful appointees and no supplier ranking - every bidder who achieves the minimum quality and financial threshold secures a framework place.
The framework is relevant to general building contractors, civil engineering firms, infrastructure contractors, groundworks and demolition specialists, offsite and modular construction providers, healthcare estate contractors, defence estate contractors, and professional services firms delivering architecture, planning, project management, cost management, sustainability, and digital/BIM services as associated services within construction programmes.
What Does the CWAS3 Application Comprise?
The CWAS3 submission comprises four main elements:
Qualification Envelope
Organisation details, lot and sub-lot selection preferences, mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds, insurance evidence, and regulatory compliance declarations.
Financial Viability Risk Assessment (FVRA)
Gold FVRA for sub-lots above £25m, Silver FVRA for sub-lots up to £25m. Includes financial narrative explaining any risk indicators in your accounts. ISO 9001 certification is mandatory for all Supplier Alliance Members throughout the framework life.
Quality Questions
Four methodology questions: SC&QM1 (Supply Chain and Quality Management), CI&CA1 (Continuous Improvement and Collaborative Approach), CL1 (Construction Life Cycle), and RD1 (Resilience in Delivery). Plus a pass/fail Social Value Declaration carrying 10% weighting.
Pricing Matrices
Rate cards for design, staff, and labour roles across NEC3, NEC4, JCT, SBCC, and PPC2000 contract types. Every pricing tab for every selected sub-lot must be completed. Any incomplete tab results in automatic disqualification for that sub-lot.
CWAS3 Key Dates and Timeline
For the complete timeline with commentary, visit the CWAS3 Submission Deadline page. To register on the CCS portal, follow our step-by-step ePortal registration guide.
What Does a Strong CWAS3 Methodology Response Look Like?
A strong methodology response does not describe what your firm does in general terms. It explains, with precision, how you will deliver the specific services required by the framework, to the specific standards expected by the contracting authorities using it, and with evidence that you have done this before.
The quality questions within the CWAS3 ITT assess your supply chain management approach (SC&QM1), your continuous improvement and collaboration methodology (CI&CA1), your construction life cycle understanding (CL1), and your resilience in delivery (RD1). Each question must be answered with specific examples drawn from comparable project experience. Generic statements will not achieve competitive scores.
Glaxtons writes every methodology response from scratch, calibrated to the actual CCS scoring methodology published in the ITT. We have reviewed all 45 buyer attachments, the Schedule 14 Framework Brief, and the complete quality questionnaire. Our CWAS3 application support includes multiple review cycles to ensure every response achieves the maximum score before submission.
Common Reasons CWAS3 Applications Fail
Based on our experience with CCS framework applications, the most common reasons for unsuccessful submissions are:
Below-threshold methodology responses
Responses that describe services in general terms without addressing the specific evaluation criteria. Evaluators cannot award high scores to generic content regardless of how capable the firm is.
Insufficient or irrelevant case study evidence
Case studies that do not demonstrate comparable project delivery at the required scale. Missing quantified outcomes and undefined client contexts are consistent weaknesses.
Non-compliant pricing matrices
Incomplete pricing tabs result in automatic disqualification for that sub-lot. Rates that are internally inconsistent or above market without justification reduce competitiveness on call-offs.
Failed FVRA
Financial Viability Risk Assessment failure due to inadequate financial narratives or unaddressed risk indicators in the accounts.
Social Value Declaration failure
Answering No to the Social Value Declaration is an automatic disqualification. The declaration carries 10% weighting and must be embedded in methodology responses.
Missing mandatory certifications
ISO 9001 is mandatory for all Supplier Alliance Members. Lot 4 (ProCure24) requires Cyber Essentials Plus. Missing certifications mean automatic exclusion.
Late submission
The BravoSolution portal closes at 15:00 on 21 May 2026 without exception. Applications submitted even one minute late are rejected.
For a deeper analysis, read our article on Why CWAS3 Applications Fail: 7 Reasons. Each failure point is preventable with proper preparation and professional bid writing support. To understand the differences from the previous framework, see CWAS3 vs CWAS2: What Has Changed.
CWAS3 submissions closed on 21 May 2026 and the framework commences 21 January 2027. Register your interest for the next CWAS3 intake, or ask about call-off bids and subcontracting routes onto the framework. Call 020 3668 5488.
How Glaxtons Supports CWAS3 Applications
Glaxtons provides end-to-end CWAS3 framework application support. Our service covers every element of the submission from initial lot strategy through to BravoSolution portal upload. Our clients do not write a single word. If you have not yet registered on the CCS eSourcing portal, start with our step-by-step ePortal registration guide.
Our process begins with a detailed scoping call where we assess your delivery capabilities, project portfolio, target lots, and financial standing. We then develop the complete application including FVRA completion, quality methodology responses calibrated to the CCS marking scheme, pricing matrix completion with competitive regional rates, social value content, and full portal submission management.
Fixed-price packages: Single-lot applications from £10,000. Multi-lot applications (2–4 lots) from £25,000. Full-spectrum applications (all relevant lots) from £40,000. All packages include multiple review cycles, compliance checking, and portal submission management.
We accept a limited number of CWAS3 clients per cohort to protect quality. Early engagement is strongly recommended. For the RM6320 reference page or the latest ITT updates, see our CWAS3 ITT Is Live article.