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How to Respond Quickly and Effectively to Residents: The Open Framework and Digital Orchestration
A roundtable discussion with Rebecca Shaw (procurement expert) and Hasan Bayraktar (Plentific) on balancing speed, compliance, and resident satisfaction.
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Responding fast to resident requests isn't a nice-to-have. It's critical.
When a repair affects safety or health, speed matters. When a maintenance issue escalates, procurement delays cost trust. Housing providers are caught between two demands: move fast enough to keep residents satisfied, and stay compliant with Procurement Act 2023 requirements.
We brought together Rebecca Shaw, a procurement expert advising housing providers, and Hasan Bayraktar, SVP Commercial at Plentific, to discuss how the Open Framework and connected digital platforms are making this balance possible.
The Challenge: Two Systems, One Problem
Julia: Let's start with the reality on the ground. Hasan, you've been talking to housing providers about fragmentation. What do you actually see?
Hasan: A housing provider has their housing management system storing resident and repair data. When they need to source a contractor, they move to a procurement system. The contractor works in a completely different platform. Then everything gets re-keyed back into the original system.
This creates delays, data errors, and siloed information. Residents don't know where their repair is. Housing officers can't answer simple questions without chasing someone else. Contractors manage work across five different interfaces.
Julia: Rebecca, that fragmentation has to create a procurement problem on your end too. What are housing providers telling you?
Rebecca: The core issue is cost. Running competitive tenders for every repair job or maintenance contract is expensive. You're spending money on procurement processes for work that might only be worth a few thousand pounds. It doesn't make financial sense to do this on your own, so a good alternative is to go to suppliers already set up by a central purchasing body or another contracting authority,
Historically, housing providers had two routes: frameworks (which allowed direct award but no flexibility) or dynamic purchasing systems (which required a competition every time). Both had trade-offs. Providers were stuck choosing between speed and choice.
Julia: So the new Procurement Act 2023 changes things?
Rebecca: Exactly. The regulations have created a third option: the Open Framework. It combines flexibility with compliance in a way the older models couldn't.
An Open Framework allows you to add contractors at future re-openings so you're not locked into a fixed list. As market conditions change or skills gaps emerge, you bring new service providers in.
It also lets you award contracts without running a competition. This is the game-changer. You can appoint a contractor directly, without the time and cost of a tendering process. And depending on the framework rules, you maintain choice. You're not restricted to the highest-ranked provider alone.
Hasan: That's the regulatory piece. But here's where it gets interesting. The Open Framework solves procurement. But without digital orchestration, you still have fragmentation everywhere else.
Julia: So that's where Plentific comes in right?
Hasan: We act as the Managing Agent for the Open Framework, but more importantly, we're the digital backbone tying the entire supply chain into one connected platform.
Here's the flow: A repair is raised in your housing management system. Instantly, it flows into Plentific. We source from the Open Framework's verified contractor pool. We handle scheduling, contractor assignment, quality assurance, and invoicing. Then every update on appointment, completion, evidence or final cost feeds back into your original system in real time.
No double-keying. No waiting for updates. No lost information.
Rebecca: But let's be clear. Housing providers still need to understand the framework rules. This isn't a free pass.
Julia: What do they need to know?
Rebecca: Three things. First, resident requirements. What do your communities actually need? Second, technical requirements. What specifications and compliance standards apply? Third, framework rules. What are the terms of the specific Open Framework you're working with?
The constraints exist for good reasons: protecting public money and ensuring residents get quality work from vetted, competent contractors. Get those three things right, and the framework gives you the speed and compliance you've been looking for.
Julia: Rebecca, from a procurement standpoint, does speed really move the needle?
Rebecca: It moves every needle. Responsive repairs are a compliance issue. If a resident reports a heating failure or a damp problem, waiting weeks for a tendering process is not an option. The Open Framework's flexibility lets you move while staying compliant.
Hasan: And operationally, speed changes behaviour. If a resident reports a damp problem, they need to know action is happening now, not next week.
When housing officers can see a repair is scheduled, when contractors get instant dispatch notifications, when work is tracked in real time. That changes everything. Speed builds confidence. It reduces complaint escalation. It lowers risk. And it keeps contractors focused on the work, not on admin.
Julia: Give us a real scenario.
Hasan: Tuesday morning: A repair is raised. By Tuesday afternoon, a contractor is booked, a time slot is confirmed with the resident, and both parties have a single source of truth. Wednesday: The contractor completes the work. By Wednesday evening, photos, sign-offs, and invoicing data are back in your system. Result: The housing officer can answer resident questions immediately. Payment is ready to process.
Rebecca: And compliance is maintained the entire way. The Open Framework governed who could be appointed, the work was sourced compliantly, and there's an audit trail. That's the opposite of slow. Compliance doesn't mean slowness. It means clarity, accountability, and trust.
Julia: One thing I've heard from housing providers is they're struggling to find contractors. Hasan, does the Open Framework help solve that?
Hasan: That's the whole point. The framework is designed to bridge the gap between growing demand and shrinking supply of trades. It opens every six months. That's dynamic. It gives Tier 1 contractors access, but also local SMEs and independent tradespeople who might not traditionally work in social housing.
For those contractors, Plentific handles the complexity. They don't navigate framework rules or manage multiple systems. They get a clear work order, do the job, and submit data through a single interface. That access to volume and ease of working unlocks new supply.
Rebecca: And that matters because it gives housing providers a more resilient supply chain. You're not betting everything on just big contractors, and you are often complying with your organisation’s values in supporting local and small businesses. This not only ensures a local authority or registered housing provider is reinvesting in their own communities, but that residents are provided services by local providers who are equally invested in the area.
The framework is flexible enough to support that diversity while protecting quality and compliance. It's a genuine market shift.
Responding quickly and effectively to residents isn't about cutting corners. It's about removing the friction that gets in the way.
The Open Framework provides the regulatory route to move fast without sacrificing compliance. Plentific's platform orchestrates the operational execution in real time.
For housing providers facing pressure to do more with less while keeping residents satisfied and compliant with Procurement Act 2023, this combination changes what's possible.
Ready to explore how the Open Framework and Plentific can transform your repairs and maintenance operations?
Contact us to learn more or request a demo.
Learn more about Plentific's Open Framework or explore our guides to Procurement Act 2023 compliance and managing contractor supply chains.
