The Procurement Act 2023 sets the rules for how public bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland buy goods, services and works, and it has applied to new procurements since 24 February 2025.
It replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), which were revoked on that date. Some procurements began under the PCR 2015 and still run under it, which is why Contracts Finder still carries award notices for them (PPN 019). This is the supplier’s version of government procurement: what changed, the section that says so, and where to read more.
Scotland is the exception. Devolved Scottish authorities aren’t generally covered, as explained below. This guide sits alongside our guide on how to win public sector contracts.
Who the Procurement Act 2023 covers, and where Scotland differs
The Act applies to contracting authorities, which means public authorities and, for utilities contracts, public undertakings and private utilities, other than excluded authorities (section 2(1)), awarding public contracts at or above a threshold (section 3; Schedule 1).
| Contract | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Goods or services, central government authority | £135,018 |
| Goods or services, other contracting authority | £207,720 |
| Works | £5,193,000 |
| Light touch contracts | £663,540 |
Source: gov.uk’s thresholds guidance, updated 13 July 2026.
Wales and Northern Ireland. The Act applies to their devolved authorities, with some differences set out in the Act (devolved authorities guidance para 16).
Scotland. Devolved Scottish authorities are generally excluded (section 2(5)(a)). Section 115A applies some or all of the Act where they award jointly with an authority the Act covers, or call off a framework or dynamic market set up by one (devolved authorities guidance para 24). Scottish procurement legislation continues to apply to them (guidance paras 18, 24), such as the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. So the PCR-era terms in the table further down, apart from the SQ, are still current there. See tenders in Scotland.
The changes that matter to suppliers
One platform for notices and your details
Find a Tender is the Central Digital Platform (guidance para 1). You can store core business details once and use them for multiple bids, and you only register when you want to bid. (para 58; supplier short guide) See Central Digital Platform, and our step-by-step guide to registering on the Central Digital Platform.
Notices across the whole contract life
The Act has notices from planning to termination: pipeline (s.93), planned procurement (s.15), preliminary market engagement (s.17), tender (s.21), transparency (s.44), contract award (s.50), contract details (s.53), payments compliance (s.69), contract change (s.75) and contract termination (s.80). gov.uk counts 17 notices in all. See tender notice, and our guide to Procurement Act notice types.
Two competitive procedures
Before awarding a public contract under section 19, a buyer must carry out a competitive tendering procedure: the open procedure, or a competitive flexible procedure it designs (section 20). A competitive flexible procedure may limit the number of suppliers, and the notice must set out the objective criteria (s.20(4)(a); guidance para 59). There is no longer a separate restricted procedure, competitive procedure with negotiation or competitive dialogue (guidance para 7). See open procedure and competitive flexible procedure. Our guide explains the competitive flexible procedure for suppliers.
Conditions of participation
Buyers can set conditions only if they are proportionate and relate to legal and financial capacity or technical ability (section 22). They can’t require audited accounts unless the law already does, or insurance for performing the contract before award. Cover the law requires, such as employers’ liability, can still be required (conditions guidance para 20). See the Procurement Specific Questionnaire, our PSQ guide and turnover tests.
Most advantageous tender
A contract goes to the most advantageous tender (MAT): the tender that meets the buyer’s requirements and best satisfies the award criteria (section 19). Formerly this was MEAT (assessing competitive tenders guidance, para 4). See how tenders are scored and most advantageous tender.
Exclusions and a public debarment list
A buyer must disregard tenders from excluded suppliers and may disregard those from excludable ones (section 26). Mandatory grounds are in Schedule 6 and discretionary grounds in Schedule 7 (section 57), and a debarment list is kept under section 62. See debarment list, and our guide to exclusions and the debarment list.
Lots and SME barriers
On above-threshold contracts, buyers must consider splitting a contract into lots, or give reasons for not doing so (section 18). On above-threshold contracts they must also have regard to the barriers SMEs may face and consider whether they can be removed or reduced (section 12(4)). See lots.
Frameworks, open frameworks and dynamic markets
The Act covers frameworks (ss.45–49), including open frameworks that reopen so new suppliers can join (s.49), and dynamic markets (ss.34–40). A dynamic market replaces the dynamic purchasing system (dynamic markets guidance para 7). Read frameworks and dynamic markets and dynamic market.
Feedback and standstill
Above threshold, the buyer gives each supplier with an assessed tender an assessment summary before the contract award notice (section 50). A standstill period of eight working days then runs from the day the notice is published (section 51). Exceptions include framework call-offs, dynamic market contracts and light touch contracts (guidance para 37). See standstill period.
Paid in 30 days, down the supply chain
Public contracts carry an implied term to pay a valid, undisputed invoice within 30 days (section 68). A matching term is implied into public sub-contracts, with exceptions for concession, private utility and school contracts (section 73). Section 69 provides for payments compliance notices.
Performance in public
For public contracts worth more than £5 million, the buyer must set and publish at least three key performance indicators, unless an exception applies (section 52). Section 71 covers assessment of contract performance. See contract performance notices.
Social value and the national procurement policy statement
Buyers must have regard to the national procurement policy statement (section 13(9)), with some exceptions, including devolved Welsh and transferred Northern Ireland authorities (section 13(10)). Separately, PPN 002 applies to central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (para 3). See social value in tenders.
Smaller contracts: the below-threshold rules
Part 6 of the Act (sections 84 to 88) covers regulated below-threshold contracts. It doesn’t apply to procurement by schools or transferred Northern Ireland authorities (s.84(2)). For local government procurement and other smaller buys:
- Notices. A buyer can’t advertise to invite tenders without first publishing a below-threshold tender notice, unless it invites only particular or pre-selected suppliers. Notices are required from £12,000 for central government authorities and £30,000 for others, both including VAT (section 87; guidance para 10).
- Suitability. For regulated below-threshold contracts, the Act bars a separate suitability stage before tenders are submitted, but the buyer can still assess suitability at the award stage (s.85(1); guidance para 16). The exceptions are works contracts of £135,018 or more for central government authorities (£207,720 or more for others, from 1 January 2026), devolved Welsh authorities, and framework call-offs (s.85(3), (5)).
- Time limits. Any time limits in a below-threshold tender notice must be reasonable and the same for each supplier (s.87(6)).
- SMEs and payment. Buyers must consider SME barriers (s.86), and a 30-day payment term applies (s.88).
Read our guide to below-threshold contracts, our guide to council contracts for small businesses and the below-threshold contract entry.
Who oversees it: the Procurement Review Unit
gov.uk says a new Procurement Review Unit has responsibility for oversight. It includes the existing Public Procurement Review Service, a new Procurement Compliance Service and a new Debarment Review Service. Those are the bodies the supplier guide names, and this is a pointer, not legal advice.
The Government Commercial Agency
The Government Commercial Agency (GCA) was formed on 1 April 2026, bringing together Crown Commercial Service with commercial teams formerly based in the Cabinet Office (annual report, published 15 July 2026). GCA announced the latest G-Cloud agreement on 10 August 2026.
Old terms and their new names
| Formerly | Now | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Contract notice | Tender notice | PCR 2015 reg 49; s.21 |
| Most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) | Most advantageous tender (MAT) | PCR 2015 reg 67; assessing guidance para 4; s.19 |
| Selection questionnaire (SQ) | Core supplier information on the platform, plus what the buyer collects itself | E-learning module 6; conditions guidance para 8 |
| Dynamic purchasing system (DPS) | Dynamic market | ss.34–40; dynamic markets guidance para 7 |
| Restricted procedure, competitive procedure with negotiation, competitive dialogue | Competitive flexible procedure | Guidance para 7; e-learning module 3 |
In Scotland the old terms in this table, apart from the SQ, are still current under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (regs 29–31, 35, 50, 67).
What to do now
The supplier guide suggests learning about the Act through gov.uk’s guidance and videos, signing up for updates, and talking to regular customers who are planning procurements about their pipelines.
Read each notice for three things: the procedure, the conditions of participation, and how tenders will be assessed, which the buyer must state (section 23(3)).
Ours: set up searches (see how to use Find a Tender), prepare your core supplier information, and work through the first tender checklist. In the week to 10 Oct 2026 we saw 470 live tenders from 338 buyers across Find a Tender and Contracts Finder (as of 10 Oct 2026; how we count).
Procurement Act guides on this site
- What changed from PCR 2015 to the Procurement Act 2023: the old terms and their new names, and which rules apply to the tender in front of you.
- Central Digital Platform registration: One Login, your organisation, supplier information and share codes, step by step
- Procurement Act notice types: when buyers publish each notice and what a supplier should do when it appears
- The competitive flexible procedure: how buyers design the stages, shortlists and negotiation, and how to bid well
- Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ): what it asks, how it links to conditions of participation, and how to prepare
- Exclusions and the debarment list: mandatory and discretionary grounds, self-cleaning and what you must declare
- Payment terms in public contracts: the 30-day rule, what sub-contractors get, and how to check a buyer
- What is a tender?: the notice, documents and award rules in plain terms
- How to use Find a Tender
- Frameworks and dynamic markets
- How tenders are scored
- Below-threshold contracts: notice rules, no separate suitability stage, 30-day payment and who is exempt
- Social value in tenders
- Council contracts for small businesses: the below-threshold rules in practice
- Tender lots explained: what a lot is, how many you can bid for or win, and how each is scored
- Subcontracting to tier one suppliers: finding tier ones, the 30-day term in section 73, and what to check before you sign
- G-Cloud for small businesses: what the framework covers and how new suppliers can join
- Why tenders fail: grounds for disregarding a tender, missed rules, low prices and losing on score
- Case studies for tenders: where they count and how to keep every claim checkable
- How to price a tender: how price is scored, building your costs, and explaining a low price
- CPV codes explained: how the codes nest and how to choose yours for searches and alerts
Your next step
Tell us your trade and postcode to join the free weekly list of live tenders, starting soon. On Pro (£49/month), notices that fit your trade and area are checked against what each states about insurance, certifications and location, and you get an email each morning on days with new matches.
Questions
When did the Procurement Act 2023 come into force?
It has applied to new procurements since 24 February 2025, according to gov.uk's short guide for suppliers. The commencement regulations are SI 2024/716, as amended by SI 2024/959, and the section pages on legislation.gov.uk show that date (for example section 20).
Does the Procurement Act 2023 apply in Scotland?
Not generally to devolved Scottish authorities (section 2(5)(a)). Section 115A applies some or all of the Act where they award jointly with an authority the Act covers, or call off a framework or dynamic market set up by one (devolved authorities guidance para 24; section 115A). Scottish procurement legislation continues to apply to them, such as the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (devolved authorities guidance, paragraphs 18 and 24). On this site, Scottish content uses the Scottish rules and terms.
What happens to procurements started before 24 February 2025?
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 were revoked on 24 February 2025, but some procurements began under them and still run under them. PPN 019 explains that Contracts Finder publication requirements are unchanged for those procurements, while new below-threshold opportunities under the Act are advertised on Find a Tender.
What is the Government Commercial Agency?
The Government Commercial Agency (GCA) was formed on 1 April 2026, bringing together Crown Commercial Service with commercial teams formerly based in the Cabinet Office (annual report, published 15 July 2026). It announced the latest G-Cloud agreement on 10 August 2026.
What replaced the selection questionnaire?
Core supplier information now sits on the Central Digital Platform, and the buyer collects the rest itself, for example in a Procurement Specific Questionnaire where it uses one. gov.uk's e-learning (module 6) says supplier information for above-threshold procurements is no longer captured using the SQ, and the conditions guidance (paragraph 8) says the Act doesn't prescribe how suppliers show they meet conditions of participation.
Do the 30-day payment rules cover subcontractors?
Yes on public sub-contracts, with exceptions for concession contracts, private utility contracts and contracts awarded by a school (section 73). Below the threshold, section 88 applies a 30-day term to regulated below-threshold contracts.