South East Consortium

What South East Consortium does

South East Consortium (SEC) is a not-for-profit central purchasing body founded in 2005 and headquartered at Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, UK. It provides free-to-access procurement frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) for housing associations, local authorities, universities, and NHS bodies across London and the South East of England. The organisation manages 17 frameworks spanning compliance (fire safety, asbestos, electrical, lifts, water hygiene), consultancy, decarbonisation, development, electronic payment services, facilities, and repairs and maintenance, connecting its 64 member organisations with more than 500 suppliers. Unlike a typical software or product company, SEC is a service and consortium intermediary — its underlying platform is the curated set of pre-vetted frameworks plus two e-procurement portals (In-Tend and Proactis) that manage tendering, DPS onboarding, and contract call-offs.

SEC generates revenue primarily through a transaction-based levy collected from contractors on contracts awarded through its frameworks, capped at 1.5% for members and 2% for non-members (guests). Secondary revenue streams include a training programme (free within allocation for members, subsidised for non-members, with tailored corporate training at a 60% member discount), and events (free for public sector delegates, paid for commercial attendees). The organisation is member-owned, governed by a board drawn from member organisations plus independent members, and reinvests surplus into a training programme (£200,000-£300,000 annually), a community Foundation (£300,000+ invested to date), and sector events including the SEC2026 annual conference at London Stadium (600+ delegates).

SEC's business model is fundamentally a mutual/charitable structure serving the public sector housing market, with cost-recovery economics rather than profit maximisation. The company is not a technology business — its competitive differentiation comes from regulatory expertise (UK procurement law, Section 20 compliance), sector relationships built over 20+ years, a growing supply-side network, and value-add services (training, technical support, contract recovery) that deepen member engagement and create switching costs within the consortium model.

Name

South East Consortium

Legal name

South East Consortium

Website

https://southeastconsortium.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South East Consortium is a not-for-profit, member-owned central purchasing body providing free procurement frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems to 64 housing associations and local authorities across London and the South East, connecting them with 500+ suppliers and earning revenue via capped transaction levies on awarded contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Housing Procurement Services

NAICS

Business Associations (81391)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Procurement Platforms, Catalogs & Contract Purchasing (Co-ops, GPOs, eProcurement) (EDAEAIAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Compliance, Risk & Supplier Due Diligence (KYC/ESG/Sanctions) (BPAAAJAK), Procurement Helpdesk & Stakeholder Support (BPAAAJAD)

Keywords

• Public procurement frameworks
• Housing sector procurement
• Dynamic purchasing systems
• Compliance frameworks housing
• Decarbonisation procurement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sittingbourne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Framework Levy (Members): A levy percentage is collected directly from contractors once a contract is awarded through the framework. Members receive reduced levy rates.
2. Framework Levy (Guests/Non-Members): Non-members pay a slightly higher levy percentage on awarded contracts. The levy is never more than 1.5% for Members and 2% for Guests.
3. Training Programme: SEC delivers training courses free for Members within their yearly allocation, with subsidised rates for the wider network. Tailor-made training is available at 60% discount for members. Next Generation Leaders programme is free for one delegate per year from member organisations (£950+VAT for additional nominations).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

South East Consortium is a not-for-profit, member-owned central purchasing body that provides free-to-access procurement frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems for the housing sector, covering compliance, consultancy, decarbonisation, development, electronic payment services, facilities, and repairs & maintenance. It also delivers a Training & Events Programme (including the ILM-accredited Next Generation Leaders course) and technical services such as Procurement Planning and Contract Recovery to housing associations, local authorities, NHS bodies, and universities across London and the South East.

Product overview

South East Consortium (SEC) is a not-for-profit procurement consortium for the housing sector providing a portfolio of procurement frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS). The core offering consists of Compliance Frameworks (fire safety, asbestos, electrical, lifts, water hygiene), Consultancy Frameworks, Decarbonisation Frameworks, Development Frameworks, Electronic Payment Services, Facilities Frameworks, and Repairs & Maintenance services. These are complemented by Technical Services (Procurement Planning, Contract Recovery) and a comprehensive Training & Events Programme. SEC manages Dynamic Purchasing Systems for Construction & Development, Decarbonisation Works, and Facilities Management. Unlike traditional frameworks (live for four years), Dynamic Markets allow suppliers to join or leave at any time. SEC Membership provides enhanced procurement support, reduced levy rates, and training allocations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Compliance Frameworks Procurement frameworks covering building safety compliance for housing providers, including asbestos removals, electrical works, fire safety works, lifts, and water hygiene risk assessments. Designed to help housing providers meet UK regulatory requirements.
• Consultancy Frameworks Frameworks connecting housing customers with experienced consultants for asset management, development, compliance consultancy, and specialist advisory services including architectural services, M&E consultancy, and planning services.
• Decarbonisation Frameworks Frameworks covering insulation, renewable heat and hot water, renewable power and storage, and whole-house retrofit to help housing providers design, deliver and maintain whole-house energy efficiency measures.
• Development Frameworks Frameworks supporting construction and development projects for housing providers, covering site preparation and new build projects for public-sector organisations.
• Electronic Payment Services Framework covering fully managed, secure, flexible and auditable electronic payment services, with options for multiple network or single network offers.
• Facilities Frameworks Cleaning and grounds maintenance framework plus facilities management framework covering soft, hard and total facilities management services, split into multiple lots based on contract values.
• Repairs & Maintenance Dynamic Market Dynamic Market covering responsive repairs, voids, planned maintenance, and damp and mould projects, split into five lots: Responsive Repairs, Voids, Planned Maintenance, Damp and Mould, and Combined Works. Unlike traditional frameworks, suppliers can join or leave at any time.
• Internal & External Building Works Frameworks Frameworks for internal and external building works with four lots based on annual contract spend: £749,999 or under, £750,000 to £1,999,999, £2,000,000 to £4,999,999, and £5,000,000 and above. Covers EWI, repointing, rendering, kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, and electrical upgrades.
• Fire Safety Works Frameworks Fire safety works covering fire doors (manufacturer supply and install, manufacturer supply only, contractor supply and install), passive fire protection, and active fire protection.
• Heating & Water Hygiene Frameworks Combined domestic and commercial heating, commercial heating, domestic heating, and water hygiene remedial repairs for housing providers.
• Construction & Development DPS Dynamic Purchasing System covering site preparation and new build projects for public-sector organisations. Suppliers can join at any time and the process takes approximately two weeks.
• Decarbonisation Works DPS Dynamic Purchasing System covering insulation, renewable heat and hot water, renewable power and storage, and whole-house retrofit. Suppliers can join at any time.
• Facilities Management Dynamic Market Dynamic Market split into four lots covering soft facilities management services, hard facilities management services, and total facilities management services. Suppliers can join or leave at any time.
• Training & Events Programme Annual training programme with courses for housing professionals and supply chain partners, covering procurement, compliance, asset management, leadership and more. Includes free places for SEC Members as part of yearly allocation, with over 1,000 delegates expected annually.
• Next Generation Leaders Programme Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) accredited course for future leaders in housing. Four-module programme exploring leadership in delivering change, strategic thinking, collaborative leadership and coaching for high performance. Delivered in partnership with Real World Group.
• Supply Chain Training Specialised courses designed for contractors and consultants including Bid Better webinars and training covering public procurement changes, bidding strategy, tendering portals (In-Tend and Proactis), and contract management.
• Procurement Planning Services Technical service helping housing providers develop procurement pipelines that benefit both organisations and residents. Includes asset management support, risk assessments, cost benchmarking and ongoing support.
• Contract Recovery Services Specialist early intervention service to help housing providers resolve contract performance issues. Delivers independent review, facilitated discussion, action plans and follow-up support to resolve problems and maintain working relationships.
• Tailor-Made Training Bespoke training courses sourced and delivered exclusively to organisations. Covers procurement, asset management, housing essentials, wellbeing, leadership, development, board level, customer service and resident involvement. Members receive a 60% discount.

Quantifiable outcome

• Time savings of up to 12 months compared to running procurement in-house
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and influential.

• Real World GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver the Next Generation Leaders programme - an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) accredited course for future leaders in the housing sector. The 4-module programme covers leadership and change, strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, and coaching for high performance.
• SolacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver ILM certificated training for the Next Generation Leaders programme. Solace supports housing professionals in developing leadership capabilities for senior management roles.
• Pennington ChoicessupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraining provider for compliance-related courses including Effective Data Management and Building Safety and Property Compliance. Facilitates sessions on golden thread of data and property compliance obligations.
• Lavender and WilsonsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraining provider for HHSRS (Housing Health and Safety Rating System) courses and Section 20 leaseholder consultation training. Andrew Lavender, Environmental Health Practitioner, facilitates sessions on housing safety standards.
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)influentialStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through the Compliance & Building Safety Alliance Network. MHCLG provides updates on Single Construction Regulator and Building Safety Regulator developments. SEC facilitates dialogue between regulators and housing providers.
• Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)influentialStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through Alliance Networks. CIH provides updates on Competence and Conduct Standards for housing providers. SEC supports CIH's strategic partner offer through training delivery.
• MicrosoftsupportingTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Dynamics 365 used to host event and training registration pages. Cookies enable pre-fill features for known contacts and track marketing page engagement.
• Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation body for the Next Generation Leaders programme. SEC's leadership development course carries ILM certification, adding credibility and recognised qualification for delegates.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ESPO (Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation): ESPO is a UK local authority-owned purchasing organisation providing frameworks across a wide range of categories. Direct peer in the public sector consortium space, with comparable governance (council-owned) and framework-based delivery model, though with broader product categories than SEC's housing focus.
• YPO (Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation): YPO is one of the UK's largest public sector buying organisations, providing frameworks for goods, services, and works to local authorities, schools, and housing providers. Direct peer given the public sector framework/levy model, though YPO's scope is broader and national.
• Fusion21: Fusion21 is a national public sector procurement organisation operating frameworks across construction, facilities management, and social care. Direct peer given the same consortium/framework model targeting housing associations, local authorities, and the wider public sector; competes for overlapping framework categories in the same UK regions.
• LHC Procurement Group: LHC (originally London Housing Consortium) is a UK public sector procurement organisation offering frameworks for housing, construction, and facilities management. Direct peer because both serve housing associations and local authorities with compliance, repairs, and construction frameworks, and SEC's Cliff Woodward (board) previously ran a Cabinet Office-backed Central Purchasing Body in the same model.

Regional players

• Efficiency East Midlands (EEM): EEM is a Midlands-based procurement consortium providing frameworks and procurement support to housing associations and public sector bodies. Comparable mutual-style model with housing association focus, though geographically focused on the East Midlands rather than the South East.
• South West Procurement Alliance: SWPA is a procurement consortium serving housing associations and public sector organisations in the South West of England. Highly comparable framework/consortium model and member base, but with a different geographic remit, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Others

• Procurement Leaders: Procurement Leaders is a global membership network and research provider for senior procurement professionals. Adjacent ecosystem player serving the same public sector and large-enterprise procurement function, useful as a benchmarking and best-practice reference rather than a direct competitor.
• Constructionline: Constructionline is a UK pre-qualification and supply chain management service for the construction industry. Adjacent enabler of the supplier due diligence function that SEC frameworks deliver, with significant overlap on supplier vetting for public sector construction works.

Broad incumbents

• Crown Commercial Service (CCS): CCS is the UK government's central purchasing body, providing national frameworks used by the entire public sector including housing associations. Broad incumbent operating at much larger scale; while not housing-specific, CCS frameworks increasingly overlap with categories SEC covers (construction, facilities, compliance).
• NHS Shared Business Services: NHS SBS is a central purchasing body providing frameworks and procurement services to the NHS and wider public sector. Comparable consortium/framework model and NHS housing stock is one of SEC's customer segments, but NHS SBS has far broader healthcare focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-east-consortium
• Xx.com/seconsortium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South East Consortium