Seventy-six suppliers have been appointed to Scotland Excel’s Vehicle and Plant Hire framework, creating opportunities to share in an estimated £120m of public sector spend over the next four years.

The fifth-generation framework went live on 20 August and is expected to be worth around £30m per year. All appointed suppliers are based in the UK and Ireland, with 57 classified as SMEs, including 14 micro-businesses.

The framework is split into 12 lots:

- Hire of cars and light vehicles

- Hire of minibuses and buses

- Hire of commercial vehicles

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- Hire of refuse collection vehicles

- Hire of sweepers

- Hire of gritters

- Hire of plant: excavation equipment

- Hire of plant: road surfacing equipment

- Hire of plant: lifting equipment

- Hire of grounds maintenance equipment

- Hire of specialist equipment

- Hire of drainage equipment

Councillor John Shaw, Convener of Scotland Excel, said: "I welcome the launch of this framework, which will give Scottish councils and other public organisations the support they need to efficiently source the hire of vehicles and plant equipment. This is vital to the effective operation of fleet and roads departments, helping them respond to seasonal or intermittent demand.

"The framework will also bring significant opportunities for the businesses that have secured a place on the framework, including 57 SMEs, with the chance for them to secure a share of the business. It is also good news for councils that all suppliers have agreed to fixed pricing for the first 12 months of the framework."

All 76 suppliers have committed to delivering community benefits through the contract, and 64 pay the Real Living Wage.