Framework agreements for IT consultancy in the Norwegian public sector

What a framework agreement is

A framework agreement is an agreement between one or more buyers and one or more suppliers that sets the terms for contracts over a period (procurement regulation § 4-1(i)).

• Duration: at most four years, unless there are special circumstances (§ 26-1(4) above the thresholds, § 11-1(4) below them).
• Who can use it: only the buyers named in the notice, and only the suppliers that are party to the agreement (§ 26-1(3)).
• One supplier: contracts follow the terms of the agreement (§ 26-2).
• Several suppliers: if all terms are fixed, work is allocated by an allocation key. DFØ names ranking, the so-called waterfall model, as one such key. If not all terms are fixed, the buyer holds a new competition between the suppliers. A combination is allowed (§ 26-3).

Large framework agreements for IT consultancy

The Norwegian state purchasing centre has no state-wide agreement for consultancy, so each body buys on its own. These are some of the large agreements, as they appear on Doffin in September 2026:

• Oslo municipality announced a new joint agreement for IT consultancy with five lots, three to eight suppliers in each, a term of 2+1+1 years and an estimated value of NOK 650 million. The tender deadline was 3 July 2026, and the award has not been published yet. The notice
• Sykehusinnkjøp has an agreement for the four regional health authorities with ten lots, about NOK 1.2 billion a year and 34 suppliers since October 2023. A new competition was announced on 2 September 2026. The notice
• The Norwegian Tax Administration has eleven areas from 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2027, with a twelve-month option, estimated at NOK 5.5 billion and with 24 suppliers. Suppliers must have the consultants in their own organisation. The notice
• NAV announced an agreement with ten lots and three to six suppliers in each, two years with an option for two more, estimated at NOK 3.68 billion, with a new competition for each call-off. The notice
• The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has "Generell IT bistand" worth NOK 800 million over 2+1+1 years, with eight suppliers and no new competition for call-offs. The notice
• Bergen municipality has two agreements from 2023, with three and four suppliers, and holds a mini-competition for each call-off. The notice
• OFA in Agder has six areas from 2 January 2023, at most four years, and is holding a market dialogue on the next agreement, which may be a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system. The notice

Several buyers use dynamic purchasing systems instead, such as DIO, worth NOK 160 million over four years, and Tromsø municipality. There you can apply to join at any time.

How a smaller company gets on

• As a subcontractor. It is lawful for a consultancy broker to hold the framework agreement and use consultants from other companies as subcontractors. eWork Norge, for example, won the broker agreements at the Tax Administration and Rogaland county.
• By relying on others. You may rely on another company's capacity with a commitment letter (§ 16-10), or bid together with others (§ 16-11). Competitors that can each deliver alone may normally not submit a joint tender. See the bid/no-bid guide.
• Through a dynamic purchasing system, where everyone who qualifies must be admitted.

The buyer cannot set just any requirement either. A turnover requirement may as a rule be at most twice the contract value (§ 16-3), and a buyer that does not divide a competition into lots must explain why (§ 19-4).

The contracts: SSA-B, SSA-O and SSA-R

• SSA-B (the assistance agreement) is used when the customer leads the work and the consultant assists.
• SSA-O is used when the supplier delivers a defined result.
• SSA-R is a simple framework agreement that call-offs can build on.

SSA-T is the agreement for developing and adapting software, not for hourly assistance. The Norwegian Digitalisation Agency recommends the state standard agreements for both state and municipalities, but they are not mandatory. DFØ points out that SSA-B agreements can fall under the stricter rules on hiring staff that apply from 1 April 2023.

How call-offs work

In a new competition under a framework agreement, the buyer invites the suppliers in writing, sets a sufficient deadline and chooses the best tender by the criteria in the agreement (§ 26-3(4)). DFØ writes that a few days can be enough when the need is urgent or the assignment simple. No standstill period is required, but the buyer must keep a record.

The buyer has no duty to publish contracts under a framework agreement on Doffin (§ 21-6(2)). That is why you do not see them in ordinary tender alerts.

At OFA, assignments below NOK 200,000 go to the top-ranked supplier, which has three working days to confirm. Above NOK 200,000 OFA holds a mini-competition and assesses the consultants on their CVs and written material, sometimes with an interview or references. Short, precise CVs make a big difference here. See the guide to tender CVs.

Questions

Sources

• Public procurement regulation (Lovdata, Norwegian)
• DFØ: Guide, chapter 37 on framework agreements (Norwegian)
• DFØ: State-wide agreements (Norwegian)
• DFØ: Buying IT consultancy (Norwegian)
• DFØ: State standard agreements (Norwegian)
• DFØ: Choosing the contract for consultancy (Norwegian)
• Digdir: Use the state standard agreements (Norwegian)
• OFA: IT consultancy ordering note (pdf, Norwegian)

This guide explains the rules in plain words. It is not legal advice: the tender documents and the regulations decide.