Universities Empowered to Take Control of Agency Staffing Spend with Two SUPC Framework Awards to Blue Arrow
We are thrilled to announce that Blue Arrow has been awarded two lots on the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC) framework, an achievement that goes far beyond a simple contract win. For universities across the UK, this is a powerful opportunity for procurement, HR and finance professionals across universities to transform how they manage agency staffing spend, drive value, and protect their budgets in a challenging financial climate.
What Does This Mean for Universities?
The SUPC framework is designed to help universities buy smarter, offering access to over 130 professionally tendered, EU-compliant agreements that deliver real savings and transparency. By securing its place on Lot 1 (temporary and permanent non-specialist staffing) and Lot 7 (one-stop-shop Managed Service Provider supply), Blue Arrow is uniquely positioned to help higher education institutions:
- Gain Control and Visibility: Blue Arrow’s framework solutions replace fragmented, department-led agency spend with a single, strategic approach. This means university leaders benefitting from clear, competitive pricing, robust contract management, and full transparency over every pound spent.
- Unlock Cost Savings: Blue Arrow has already helped universities save significant six-figure amounts in agency spend through SUPC and APUC frameworks. The scale of its operational expertise, and technology partnerships ensures universities get the best value, without compromising on quality or compliance.
- Reduce Risk and Complexity: SUPC frameworks are rigorously vetted for responsible procurement, ethical recruitment, and supplier performance. As an awarded supplier, Blue Arrow ensures that every hire is compliant, every process is streamlined, and every risk is robustly managed by workforce experts.
- Access a Trusted Partner: With over 60 universities already entrusting millions of pounds of spend under management to Blue Arrow, with talent supply across estates, administration, events, catering, and more, Blue Arrow has the ability to directly supply a significant and diverse range of job roles and so deliver the best value for a managed service solution.
A Commitment to Your Mission
Delighted with the news, Andy Hart, Blue Arrow – Managing Director comments “We understand the pressures facing universities: rising costs, changing student needs, and the demand for operational agility. These awards are testament to our commitment to helping universities meet these challenges head-on with ethical, efficient, and cost-effective staffing solutions.”
“We know that every investment decision by HR, finance and procurement teams impacts their students, their staff, and their future. We’re dedicated to helping clients find the right talent, reduce risk, and deliver real value, so they can focus on what matters most: delivering world-class education” comments John O’Brien, Client Solutions Director, Blue Arrow.
Accessible Across the UK
Blue Arrow’s university staffing services are available to all SUPC members, as well as those in HEPCW, LUPC, NEUPC, APUC, and NWUPC who opt in. University leadership teams looking to streamline agency staffing, improve compliance, or simply do more with less, can achieve this under the SUPC framework with Blue Arrow as their recruitment and managed service partner.
Get in touch today to find out what Blue Arrow can do for your agency staffing and cost management needs.
About Blue Arrow
Blue Arrow has been proud suppliers of effective recruitment solutions and workforce strategies since 1959. Today, we supply over 60 universities across the UK, with £7 million spend under management. Our work with Russell Group universities has delivered exceptional candidates, cost management, and payroll support to some of the top-ranking educational institutions in the UK.
Our dedicated recruitment specialists ensure ethical, fair, and responsible recruitment for all, underpinned by leading technology solutions. We have partnered with industry-leading technology companies, including Bullhorn Recruitment Cloud, to ensure the most efficient AI and automation capability for our clients.
About the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC)
The Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC) is a not-for-profit membership organisation that helps universities and colleges buy smarter. SUPC provides access to over 130 professionally tendered, compliant framework agreements covering a wide range of products and services, enabling members to achieve significant savings in both time and money. SUPC’s frameworks are designed to deliver value for money, support responsible procurement, and ensure transparency across the higher and further education sectors.
SUPC is part of The SUMS Group, a dynamic and values-focused organisation dedicated to supporting the UK’s higher education sector. As one of the largest purchasing consortia in England, SUPC works closely with other regional and national higher education purchasing consortia through the UK University Purchasing Consortia (UKUPC) to offer value-for-money agreements to members.
SUPC’s membership includes universities, further education colleges, educational charities, NHS trusts, and other public sector bodies, collectively representing over £3 billion in non-pay expenditure. The majority of framework levies are returned to members, in addition to the cash and process savings delivered through membership.
