About our thin-prime model
Public sector buyers are often asked to make an uncomfortable trade-off. Go with a large prime supplier and you get contractual assurance, but have to deal with layers of management you never asked for. Go direct to a specialist SME and you get the expertise you want, but they may not be on the procurement frameworks you prefer to use.
Bramble Hub’s thin-prime model is designed to remove that trade-off. Prime means we hold the framework place and sign the contract as the supplier of record. Thin means we add no delivery layer on top: our partner does the work, is named to the customer and owns the day-to-day working relationship. Assurance comes from us, delivery comes from the specialist, and neither is diluted by the other.
We work with hundreds of pre-vetted specialist SME partners, all available to the public sector via a wide selection of frameworks.
How thin-prime benefits customers
The thin part is what buyers notice day to day. Customers deal directly with the specialists doing the work, with no Bramble Hub project manager acting as a filter. With fewer layers, decisions become faster and are made in the right places.
The prime side of our model gives buyers a prime contractor with decades of experience. It also makes SME suppliers genuinely accessible. Government procurement policy encourages buyers to spend with smaller suppliers, but the administrative burden often gets in the way. Our thin-prime model removes this.
How thin-prime benefits suppliers
The thin side is what really makes the arrangement worth having. Suppliers deliver directly to the customer, so they build their own reputation rather than disappearing behind a larger brand. There is no imposed methodology or governance overhead, so no restrictions on the way they work. And the customer relationship stays with them, including follow-on and repeat business.
The prime aspect of our model opens doors for specialist suppliers. Framework places can take years and considerable cost to secure; working through Bramble Hub gives an immediate route to market. We handle framework compliance, call-off administration and management information reporting centrally, so our partners can spend their time on delivery rather than paperwork.