The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025, replacing the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and related regulations for procurements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland kept its own regime for devolved procurement. Procurements started under the old rules carry on under them until they finish, so for a while you will see both.
These are the changes that matter most to a small supplier.
Register once on the Central Digital Platform
Suppliers register on the Central Digital Platform and keep their core information there: company details, connected persons, financial information and the answers to exclusion questions. Buyers draw on it instead of asking for the same facts in every questionnaire. Keep it up to date, because an out-of-date record can hold up a bid.
More visibility across the life of a contract
The Act requires notices at more stages than before. Alongside tender and award notices there are pipeline notices from larger buyers, preliminary market engagement notices, contract details notices, notices when a contract is changed or terminated, and published performance information for larger contracts. For suppliers this is a much richer public record of who buys what, who delivers it and how it is going.
Simpler procedures
There are two main competitive procedures. The open procedure is a single stage. The competitive flexible procedure lets a buyer design its own process, which might include shortlisting, negotiation or a demonstration. The notice has to explain the process.
Most advantageous tender
Contracts are awarded to the most advantageous tender, assessed against the published award criteria. Buyers must also give each bidder an assessment summary explaining how its tender was scored, which is useful feedback whether you win or lose.
A standstill before the contract is signed
For most above-threshold contracts, the buyer publishes a contract award notice and then must wait a standstill period of eight working days before entering into the contract. That is the window in which an unsuccessful bidder can challenge the decision.
Help aimed at small firms
- Barriers. Buyers must have regard to the particular barriers small and medium-sized enterprises face, and consider whether they can be removed or reduced, for example by dividing a contract into lots.
- Payment. Public contracts carry a 30-day payment term for undisputed invoices, and that term flows down to subcontracts in the supply chain.
- Below-threshold contracts. When they are advertised, buyers cannot use a separate shortlisting stage to narrow the field before tenders are invited. See below-threshold contracts.
Frameworks and dynamic markets
Frameworks can be open, reopening to new suppliers at set points, and the dynamic market replaces the dynamic purchasing system. Both give a small firm more than one chance to get on a list. See frameworks and dynamic markets.
Exclusions and debarment
Buyers must exclude suppliers that meet mandatory exclusion grounds and can exclude on discretionary ones. There is a central debarment list. Remedying a past problem, and being able to show it, matters.
This is a summary for orientation, not legal advice. GOV.UK publishes the government's guidance on the Act, and it is worth reading the sections on whatever procedure you are about to take part in.