Key fact: The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025, replacing the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. It applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland continues under its own procurement legislation. The Act introduces pipeline notices, a centralised supplier register, new transparency requirements, and updated exclusion grounds — all of which create new opportunities for well-prepared suppliers.
What is the Procurement Act 2023?
The Procurement Act 2023 is the primary legislation governing how public sector bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland buy goods, works and services from external suppliers. It came into force on 24 February 2025, replacing a complex patchwork of EU-derived regulations including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, and the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016.
The Act was developed post-Brexit to create a simpler, more flexible, and more transparent procurement regime tailored to the UK. Its stated aims are to make procurement faster, more transparent, more accessible to SMEs, and better focused on value for money and social outcomes.
Who does it apply to?
The Act applies to all contracting authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including:
The 8 key changes for suppliers
Pipeline notices — 12 months advance notice
Buyers must now publish pipeline notices for planned procurements at least 12 months in advance. This is one of the most significant changes for suppliers — it gives you early visibility of upcoming contracts long before the official tender notice is published, time to build buyer relationships and strengthen your bid position.
Centralised Supplier Registration Service
The new Supplier Registration Service (SRS) allows suppliers to register once and have their core information reused across multiple bids. This reduces the administrative burden of tendering significantly — no more filling in the same financial and accreditation information on every PQQ.
Increased transparency requirements
The Act introduces new Transparency Notices for direct awards, Contract Performance Notices, and Contract Termination Notices. Every stage of the contract lifecycle — from pipeline to termination — must now be published on Find a Tender, creating a much richer source of market intelligence for suppliers.
New procurement procedures
The Act introduces a new Competitive Flexible Procedure that gives buyers more flexibility in how they structure procurements. This replaces the old Competitive Dialogue and Innovation Partnership procedures and allows buyers to design bespoke processes suited to complex requirements.
Mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds
The Act introduces updated mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds. Suppliers with certain criminal convictions or integrity issues must be excluded from procurements. Buyers now also have broader discretion to exclude suppliers on integrity grounds, including poor past performance.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
For contracts above £5 million, buyers must set at least three KPIs and publish performance reports against them. This creates a public record of supplier performance — making past delivery track record more visible and important than ever.
SME and social value focus
The Act strengthens requirements for buyers to consider SME participation and social value in procurements. Buyers must have regard to the barriers SMEs face in tendering and take steps to remove them — including breaking contracts into lots where appropriate.
Single portal — Find a Tender
All notices under the Act must be published on Find a Tender. This consolidates what was previously spread across multiple portals and creates a single authoritative source for all procurement notices in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
How to use pipeline notices to win more contracts
Pipeline notices are one of the most powerful new tools the Act gives suppliers. When a buyer publishes a pipeline notice, they are telling the market: "We plan to procure this in the next 12 months." This gives you time to:
- ✓Identify the buyer's contact and request a pre-market engagement meeting
- ✓Understand the buyer's requirements before the specification is written
- ✓Position your capability against the buyer's needs early
- ✓Build a relationship with the decision-maker before competitors engage
- ✓Influence the specification in your favour through early engagement
- ✓Prepare your bid team and case studies well in advance of the tender
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PSIP aggregates all pipeline notices published under the Procurement Act 2023, searchable by sector, value and buyer. Get early visibility of upcoming contracts before your competitors even know they exist.
View pipeline notices →The Supplier Registration Service — what you need to do
The new Supplier Registration Service (SRS) at supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk allows suppliers to create a single profile that can be reused across multiple bids. You should register now, before you need to bid, to avoid delays when a relevant tender is published.
When registering you will need to provide: company registration details, financial accounts, insurance certificates, accreditations and certifications, and declarations relating to the exclusion grounds. Once registered, buyers can access your profile directly rather than asking you to submit the same information repeatedly.
Exclusion grounds — what suppliers need to know
The Act introduces two categories of exclusion grounds that buyers must or may apply:
Mandatory exclusion
Buyers must exclude suppliers with convictions for serious crimes including fraud, money laundering, human trafficking, and certain competition law infringements. Suppliers must self-declare any relevant convictions.
Discretionary exclusion
Buyers may exclude suppliers for poor past performance on public contracts, persistent payment failures, insolvency, misrepresentation, or other integrity concerns. KPI performance records published under the Act will be used in these assessments.
KPIs — why your delivery record now matters more than ever
For contracts above £5 million, buyers must set at least three KPIs at contract award and publish performance against them every 12 months on Find a Tender. This creates a permanent public record of how well you have delivered on government contracts.
Strong KPI performance becomes a competitive advantage in future bids — buyers can see your track record directly. Poor performance is equally visible and can be used as a discretionary exclusion ground. Ensure you have robust contract management processes in place to demonstrate performance against KPIs from day one of any contract.
What has not changed
Despite the scale of reform, many core principles of public procurement remain the same:
- ▸Contracts above threshold must be advertised openly and competitively
- ▸Buyers must treat all suppliers equally and without discrimination
- ▸The standstill period before contract award remains (now called the assessment period)
- ▸Suppliers can still challenge procurement decisions via legal review
- ▸CPV codes are still used to classify contract notices
- ▸Contracts Finder continues to publish English below-threshold contracts
Frequently asked questions
When did the Procurement Act 2023 come into force?
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own procurement legislation and is not covered by the Act.
What replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015?
The Procurement Act 2023 replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, and the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011.
What is a pipeline notice under the Procurement Act 2023?
A pipeline notice is a forward-looking notice that buyers must publish at least 12 months before a planned procurement begins. It gives suppliers advance visibility of upcoming contract opportunities, allowing them to prepare bids and engage with buyers early.
What is the Procurement Act 2023 threshold for goods and services?
The threshold for goods and services under the Procurement Act 2023 is approximately £139,000 for central government authorities and £214,000 for other contracting authorities. Contracts above these values must be published on Find a Tender.
What is the new Supplier Registration Service?
The Supplier Registration Service (SRS) is a centralised supplier database introduced alongside the Procurement Act 2023. Suppliers register once and their core information — including financial data and accreditations — is stored and reused across multiple bids, reducing the administrative burden of tendering.
Does the Procurement Act 2023 apply in Scotland?
No. Scotland has its own procurement legislation under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014. Scottish public sector contracts are published on Public Contracts Scotland and are not subject to the Procurement Act 2023.
What is a Transparency Notice under the Procurement Act 2023?
A Transparency Notice must be published when a buyer awards a contract without a competitive tender — for example in a direct award or emergency situation. This replaces the old voluntary standstill period and ensures all direct awards are publicly visible.
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