Quick answer: A Prior Information Notice (PIN) — now called a pipeline notice under the Procurement Act 2023 — is an advance notice published by a public sector buyer announcing a planned procurement. Under the Procurement Act 2023, buyers must publish pipeline notices at least 12 months before any procurement above £2 million. This gives suppliers early visibility to engage buyers, understand requirements, and prepare bids before competitors even know the opportunity exists.
PIN vs pipeline notice — what changed
📋 Old: Prior Information Notice (PIN)
- ✗Voluntary — buyers could publish or not
- ✗No minimum advance notice period
- ✗Variable content and format
- ✗Used under PCR 2015
- ✗Rarely published in practice
🔮 New: Pipeline notice (Procurement Act 2023)
- ✓Mandatory for contracts above £2m
- ✓Must be published 12 months in advance
- ✓Standardised format on Find a Tender
- ✓Used under Procurement Act 2023
- ✓Creates systematic advance visibility
How to use pipeline notices strategically
Monitor pipeline notices in your sector
Set up PSIP alerts for pipeline notices using relevant CPV codes and buyer names. You will be notified as soon as a buyer announces a planned procurement in your target market.
Research the requirement
Read the pipeline notice carefully. Note the estimated value, CPV codes, anticipated start date, and the buyer's commercial contact. Research the current incumbent supplier using PSIP's buyer intelligence.
Contact the buyer
Email or call the commercial lead listed in the notice. Express interest in the upcoming procurement. Ask if there will be pre-market engagement events or opportunities to provide input on the specification.
Attend pre-market engagement
Many buyers run market engagement events before publishing the formal tender. Attending these events gives you direct access to decision-makers and early insight into requirements.
Prepare your capability evidence
Use the 12-month window to build your case studies, team CVs, and methodology specifically for this opportunity. By the time the ITT is published, your bid team is ready to respond immediately.
Set an alert for the formal tender
Set a PSIP alert for the buyer and CPV code combination. When the ITT is published, you will be notified immediately — and you will already be better positioned than any competitor.
Finding pipeline notices with PSIP
PSIP aggregates all pipeline notices published on Find a Tender and displays them on the Procurement Pipeline page. You can filter by sector, value, and buyer to identify the most relevant upcoming opportunities in your target market.
🔮 PSIP Procurement Pipeline
See all upcoming UK public sector contracts announced 12 months in advance. Filter by sector, value, and buyer. Get ahead of your competitors before the tender is published.
View pipeline notices →Frequently asked questions
What is a Prior Information Notice?
A Prior Information Notice (PIN) is an advance notice published by a public sector buyer to inform the market of a planned procurement. It gives suppliers early warning of an upcoming tender — typically weeks or months before the formal contract notice is published. Under the Procurement Act 2023, this concept has been formalised as mandatory pipeline notices.
What is the difference between a PIN and a pipeline notice?
A PIN (Prior Information Notice) was the term used under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Under the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force in February 2025, this is now called a pipeline notice. The key difference is that pipeline notices are now mandatory — buyers must publish them at least 12 months before a planned procurement begins.
Are pipeline notices mandatory under the Procurement Act 2023?
Yes. Under the Procurement Act 2023, contracting authorities must publish a pipeline notice for any planned procurement with an estimated value above £2 million, at least 12 months before the procurement begins. This is a significant change from the previous voluntary PIN regime.
Where are Prior Information Notices published?
Pipeline notices and PINs are published on Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk). You can filter search results by notice type to see only pipeline notices. PSIP aggregates pipeline notices from Find a Tender and displays them on the Procurement Pipeline page.
Should I respond to a Prior Information Notice?
You are not required to respond to a PIN or pipeline notice, but it is strongly recommended for target contracts. Responding or engaging with the buyer demonstrates interest, helps you understand requirements early, and may influence the specification. Contact the buyer's commercial lead to express interest and request pre-market engagement.
Can I bid for a contract if I did not respond to the PIN?
Yes. Not responding to a PIN does not disqualify you from bidding when the formal tender is published. However, suppliers who engaged early will have a better understanding of requirements and potentially better relationships with the buyer — giving them a competitive advantage.
What information is in a pipeline notice?
A pipeline notice typically includes the contracting authority name, a description of the planned procurement, the estimated contract value, the anticipated procurement start date, relevant CPV codes, and contact details for the commercial lead.
See upcoming contracts before they go live
PSIP tracks all pipeline notices from UK public sector buyers — giving you 12 months advance visibility of upcoming contracts. 7-day free trial, no credit card required.
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