The maximum duration of a framework agreement in a tender may increase from four to five years. On 10 July 2026, the draft EU procurement regulation was leaked, raising the limit for framework agreements with multiple contractors. The formal presentation is scheduled for 9 September 2026. This is still a draft, not applicable law: nothing changes for your current contracts today.
For the duration of a framework agreement in a tender, an extra year means longer commitment, and therefore an additional year in which performance can slip without a natural correction point. Anyone who will soon be tied to a supplier for five years would do well to get performance monitoring and indexation in order now.
From 4 to 5 years: what changes about the duration?
The draft regulation increases the maximum duration of framework agreements with multiple contractors from four to five years. The leak dates from 10 July 2026, with the official presentation planned for 9 September 2026. A full EU legislative process follows after that. So do not count on five years becoming the norm tomorrow.
Still, the direction is clear. Brussels is opting for less procurement burden and more continuity with suppliers. To procurement teams, that sounds attractive. For the contract manager who has to live with it for five years, the risk shifts to the management phase.
How does the duration rule for a framework agreement work now?
The main rule in the Netherlands and Belgium is currently a maximum of four years. Longer is only allowed with sound justification. For utilities contracts, the Dutch Public Procurement Act 2012 provides an exception of up to eight years. This limit applies to the framework agreement itself, not automatically to everything that flows from it.
There is a lot of confusion here. A framework agreement and a call-off order are not the same thing. You can award call-off orders up to the last day of the term, and those orders can continue to run afterwards. A cleaning order awarded on the last valid day can therefore still run on for years. A longer framework agreement duration amplifies that effect. And note: a framework agreement gives no purchase guarantee. You do not commit to a minimum volume unless you agree that explicitly.
Longer commitment, greater risk of performance loss
An extra year of duration sounds harmless. In practice, three risks stack up.
- More indexation moments. At an annual increase of 3 to 4 per cent, a fifth year weighs heavily. Without clear indexation agreements, the contract value climbs faster than you think.
- A longer period without re-tendering. The re-tender is often the only natural moment to sharpen performance again. You push that moment forward by a year.
- Performance that slips. A supplier underperforming in year three stays on board a year longer if you do not actively manage it.
Take a municipality with a framework agreement for cleaning across 40 sites. At four years, indexation applied four times. At five years, it becomes five times. If indexation is applied incorrectly for even a single year, you miss the average 8 per cent saving that tight management does make possible. Over five years and 40 sites, such an error hits the budget hard.
Why does the real problem sit after the award?
Procurement produces a thick document and puts the contract out to market. After that, it disappears into a folder. Two years later, nobody knows exactly what was agreed about indexation, about KPIs, about renewal options. When staff change, that knowledge disappears entirely.
That gap between tendering and managing grows wider the longer the duration. The solution does not start with a stricter contract, but with a structured handover from procurement to contract management and with agreements you can track throughout the entire term. A contract you do not actively monitor does not correct itself. See also the difference between contract administration and contract management.
This ties in with the shift towards the client-side organisation. More and more organisations manage on performance instead of on execution. A five-year framework agreement forces that oversight role: you do not steer once at the tender, but continuously throughout the term.
What do you keep monitoring with a five-year duration?
With a longer duration, monitoring becomes a necessity rather than a luxury. These five points belong on your dashboard, not in your head or in a spreadsheet nobody opens anymore.
- SLA and KPI performance per supplier and per site, measured over time.
- Indexation moments and whether the applied percentages match the agreement.
- Outstanding and recurring actions from the contract.
- The contract value against the agreed ceiling. Exceeding it unnoticed creates legal risk.
- Renewal options and notice periods, so you do not unintentionally stay tied for another year.
In GRIP’s Contract Dashboard, these points sit at the centre. Performance, indexation and actions remain visible throughout the whole term, even after a change of staff. GRIP is the depth layer beneath your ERP: it manages the content of outsourced contracts that AFAS or Spendcloud do not capture. GRIP works according to the CATS CM methodology and is ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified, which is relevant for organisations in the public sector with high accountability requirements.
Frequently asked questions about the duration of a framework agreement
What is the maximum duration of a framework agreement?
The main rule in the Netherlands and Belgium is currently a maximum of four years, with an exception of up to eight years for utilities contracts. The draft EU procurement regulation of 10 July 2026 aims to raise the limit for framework agreements with multiple contractors to five years. That is not yet applicable law.
When does the new five-year duration take effect?
The formal presentation of the draft regulation is scheduled for 9 September 2026. An EU legislative process follows after that. So no start date is known and your current contracts are not affected.
Can a call-off order continue after the framework agreement ends?
Yes. You can award call-off orders up to the last day of the term, and those orders can continue to run afterwards. The end of the framework agreement does not automatically mean the end of all ongoing call-off orders.
Does a framework agreement give a purchase guarantee?
No. A framework agreement sets out the conditions but does not oblige you to a minimum purchase. If you want to guarantee a volume, you have to agree that explicitly.
Why is a longer duration a risk for contract management?
A longer duration means more indexation moments, a longer period without re-tendering as a correction point and more room for performance to slip. Without active management, the contract value rises and quality falls.
How do you stay in control of a five-year framework agreement?
By monitoring SLA performance, indexation, outstanding actions, the contract value ceiling and renewal moments throughout the whole term. A contract dashboard keeps this information central and up to date, even when staff change.
Does the longer duration also apply to a framework agreement with a single contractor?
The draft regulation focuses on framework agreements with multiple contractors. For agreements with a single contractor, the existing justification obligation for a duration longer than four years remains the starting point.
Start now by taking stock of your portfolio: which end dates, renewal options and indexation moments occur and when? See how GRIP solves this and stay in control of your long-running framework agreements.