The framework has been coordinated by the NPIA and created with the National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM) to reduce the vehicle options for police forces.

Currently about 5,600 vehicles across a number of makes and models are purchased every year by police forces across the UK, costing around £83 million. The new procurement framework reduces vehicle options into 18 categories involving just 25 different suppliers.

NPIA director of resources Dr David Horne said: 'To put a £3.4 million saving into context: this is the cost of an average force's entire fleet budget. So this is a significant saving but cost is just one part of the overall picture.

'Through collaboration we are able to standardise how police vehicles are used across the UK, which means further efficiencies are possible in areas like training and mutual-aid.'

Other benefits of national procurement collaboration include a reduction in procurement costs. By undertaking a single procurement process once for all police vehicles, the NPIA will save most forces an average £25k per procurement activity – a total potential saving of about £1.35 million over the four year contract.

The new framework will also slash the delivery of an order by an average of four weeks.

A tyre framework has also been established and is set to set an additional £3.1 million. This framework also forms part of the NPIA's Cost Effectiveness Programme, which aims to find nearly £300 million in non-IT savings for the police service by 2013.

The new fleet framework is backed by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Police Federation. Fire, NHS and coastguard services are also able to access the framework to purchase vehicles the first time such a framework has been made available to all blue-light services.

Richard Flint, head of transport services at North Yorkshire Police and chairman of the NAPFM, said: 'The new framework – which would not have been possible without the work of the NPIA's procurement team – is a single gateway for the police service and, for the first time, all other blue light emergency services to purchase vehicles for their fleet.

'Yet again it shows how the police service can lead the rest of the public sector at a time when austerity measures necessitate a new and broader way of delivering maximum savings to the taxpayer.'