Procurement Act 2023
The Procurement Act 2023 replaces the EU-derived public procurement regime with a new unified framework for public contracts in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Who is affected: Central and local government contracting authorities, NHS bodies, and businesses tendering for public contracts in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
What Changed
The Procurement Act 2023 replaces the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, and the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 with a single, simplified legislative framework. It introduces new principles including transparency, integrity, and treating suppliers fairly. The Act creates a new Central Digital Platform for the publication of procurement notices, establishes a debarment list for suppliers who have committed serious misconduct, and gives contracting authorities more flexibility to run competitive flexible procedures. Thresholds and the operation of the standstill period are revised. The regime came into force on 24 February 2025.
What To Do
Contracting authorities should train procurement teams on the new Act's procedures and timelines, update standard documentation and templates, and register on the Central Digital Platform. Businesses bidding for public contracts should familiarise themselves with the new single-stage 'competitive flexible procedure' and the updated transparency requirements for publication of contract award notices. Suppliers with previous regulatory non-compliance issues should check whether they appear on the debarment register.