MSTAR4 — Managed Services for Temporary Agency Resources

MSTAR4 — Managed Services for Temporary Agency Resources (MSTAR4) is a UK public-sector framework agreement managed by ESPO. It is expected to expire around April 2027. Neutral-vendor and master-vendor managed services for temporary agency staff across local government, blue-light and education. The route through which MSPs such as Matrix SCM and Comensura supply councils.

When does it re-tender?

The current term is expected to end around April 2027. The re-tender competition typically opens in the months before that date, so the practical window to prepare a bid is roughly July 2026 onward. It was awarded April 2023 for a 4-year term.

ESPO 653F_23. Supersedes MSTAR3. Up to a 24-month extension option.

How to prepare a bid

• Confirm the exact re-tender dates against the source notice, frameworks are frequently extended.
• Get your accreditations in order early: Cyber Essentials, insurances, financial evidence and relevant policies are commonly required and take weeks to assemble.
• Prepare case studies mapped to this framework's scope (CPV codes below) so your response is ready when the tender opens.
• Set an alert now so you're notified the moment the contract notice publishes, rather than discovering it mid-window.

CPV codes covered

The Common Procurement Vocabulary codes that describe this framework's scope. Match these to your business to judge relevance.