The UK Procurement Act 2023 officially went live on the 24th February 2025.

In the run-up to the launch date, public sector buyers and suppliers anticipated a new era of procurement defined by transparency, competition, and flexibility. For suppliers selling to the government, this marked a pivotal moment.

The Procurement Act introduces new procurement procedures, 13 new transparency notices, and stricter supplier performance tracking, fundamentally changing how contracts are won and managed.

Those who adapt quickly will gain a competitive advantage, while those who fail to prepare risk missing early opportunities.

What this report covers

We’ve spoken with leading procurement experts to understand what the Act means for suppliers and, more importantly, how to win more contracts in 2025 and beyond. This playbook will help you:

• Secure last-minute opportunities before the go-live date.
• Clearly understand the new transparency notices.
• Align with evolving buyer priorities.
• Navigate compliance and supplier performance tracking.

Now is the time to finalise your strategy, align with public sector buyers, and position yourself for success in this new procurement landscape.

The period before the Procurement Act 2023 comes into effect represents a crucial window for suppliers to maximise existing opportunities. 

Some buyers are accelerating contract renewals under the current Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015 to avoid the new compliance requirements, while others are pausing procurement activities to adapt to the forthcoming framework. 

Suppliers who act swiftly can take advantage of these conditions to secure contracts before the legislative transition.‍

Opportunities for immediate action

1. Buyers fast-tracking contract renewals

Contracts awarded before the 24th of February 2025 will continue under the PCR 2015. This has led to more buyers expediting contract renewals before implementing the new rules to avoid additional compliance burdens. 

Some buyers are delaying procurement until the new framework is in place. Many tenders disappearing from procurement portals will likely re-emerge under the updated regulations in Q2 2025.

Stotles recommendation:

Identify and engage with buyers to accelerate contract renewals by auditing upcoming renewals within your key accounts and with your competitors.

Below is an example of an upcoming contract expiry with the Ministry of Defence, valued at £2.917M, awarded to Capgemini UK and expiring on the 19th of February.

2. Increased pre-market engagement

Buyers are actively consulting suppliers to shape their approach to the Procurement Act. If you haven’t engaged buyers, now is your last chance to influence upcoming tenders before they go live under the new system.

The Act introduces enhanced clarity on how preliminary engagements between buyers and suppliers can be structured, ensuring that both parties can collaborate to create optimal procurement procedures.

‍Section 16 lists several new areas where buyers can legally converse with suppliers, covering all procurement processes, including creating and designing flexible procedures and advising on award criteria.

‍Stotles recommendation:

‍Engage with decision makers within your key accounts or attached to contracts you've qualified.

Below is an example of where in Stotles you can find the right people to contact (contact details have been excluded for this report, but you can see them in-app).

Using the Ministry of Defence example outlined below, Stotles users can access direct contact information of decision makers from the contract details page.

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• Audit contract renewals – Review both your own and competitors’ contracts to identify renewal opportunities.
• Monitor and respond to fast-tracked tenders – Many buyers will issue short-notice procurement opportunities before the deadline.
• Be aware of postponed tenders you were tracking – Tenders on hold will likely be reissued in Q2 2025.
• Participate in pre-market consultations – Use this opportunity to influence procurement post-go live date before the rules change.

The Procurement Act 2023 introduces 13 new types of notices to enhance transparency and provide suppliers with timely information about procurement activities. 

These notices are designed to inform suppliers at various stages of the procurement process, enabling them to engage more effectively with contracting authorities.

Understanding the new notices

The Act introduces a classification system for transparency notices:

• Pre-procurement notices – Long-term insights into upcoming procurement plans.
• Tendering & pre-tender engagement notices – Visibility into early-stage procurement discussions.
• Contract award, performance and compliance notices – Data on awarded contracts, modifications, and supplier performance ratings.

Below is a clear breakdown of how the procurement process will change under the new regulation in line with the expanded notices.

1. Pre-procurement notices

‍The pre-procurement stage establishes the foundation for a transparent and well-regulated procurement process, ensuring early supplier engagement, clarity on upcoming tenders, and adherence to financial thresholds. 

• The Pipeline Notice (UK1) is compulsory when total public contract spending exceeds £100 million in the forthcoming financial year and must be published within 56 days of the new financial year. It lists contracts valued over £2 million expected to be tendered and does not apply to private utilities or Northern Ireland authorities.
• Unless justified otherwise, the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice (UK2) is also compulsory, providing early visibility to potential suppliers about planned market engagement activities. 
• The Planned Procurement Notice (UK3) is voluntary but valuable for suppliers to anticipate tenders. It qualifies for reduced tendering periods if published 40 to 365 days before the Tender Notice (UK4).

‍Stotles recommendations:

• ‍Pipeline Notice Page: In 2024, the Stotles team gathered Pipeline Notice information from over 300 “procurement pipeline” documents, revealing more than £20B of spend data to build pipeline from. Access this resource for free, forever here.‍
• Procurement Act Webinar: In October 2024, we hosted a webinar with TechUK titled “New PPNs to Win Public Sector Contracts.” This session walked through the new pre-procurement regime in more detail with strategies for suppliers to get the most out of Planned Procurement Notices. Watch it here.

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2. Tendering notices

The tendering stage ensures fair competition and transparency before awarding contracts. 

1. The Tender Notice (UK4) is mandatory for publicly advertised contracts and must include all relevant tender documents. 
2. The Transparency Notice (UK5) is compulsory when making a direct award, notifying the market of the intention to bypass competitive tendering, though it is not required for user choice contracts.
3. If a contract is not awarded following a Tender Notice or Transparency Notice, the Procurement Termination Notice (UK12) must be published as soon as possible, except for private utilities.

3. Contract award, performance and compliance notices‍

Contract awards

The contract award stage governs the contract selection process and enforces standstill periods before finalisation. 

1. The Contract Award Notice (UK6) is required before awarding a contract and triggers a mandatory 8-working-day standstill period. This requirement does not apply to defence/security framework contracts or user choice direct awards. 
2. While not a notice, the Assessment Summary must be provided to all suppliers who submitted a bid, detailing the evaluation criteria and the rationale behind the selected bid. 
3. The Contract Details Notice (UK7) must be published within 30 days of signing a standard contract or 120 days for light-touch contracts, except for private utilities and user choice contracts. 
4. The Publication of Contract (UK8) also requires the full contract text to be published within 90 days for standard contracts and 180 days for light-touch contracts.

Performance and compliance

‍Ensuring suppliers meet performance expectations while maintaining transparency in modifications and financial compliance. Contracts valued at £5 million or more must include at least three KPIs.

1. Before modifying any public contract, the Contract Change Notice (UK10) must be published unless the modifications increase or decrease the contract value by less than 10% for goods/services or 15% for works or extend the duration by less than 10% of the original term.
2. A Modified Contract Copy must be published if the contract modification exceeds £5 million. 
3. If a supplier fails to meet agreed KPIs or a contract is terminated due to poor performance, a Contract Performance Notice (UK9) must be issued.
4. Additionally, the Payment Compliance Notice (UK17) must be published within 30 days of each reporting period to confirm if payments were made within 30 days of the due date. A Contract Termination Notice (UK11) is mandatory within 30 days if a contract is terminated.

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Special cases

Some contracts fall below standard procurement thresholds but still require transparency. 

1. The Below-Threshold Tender Notice (UK4) must be published before advertising a notifiable below-threshold contract, except where the opportunity is limited to pre-selected suppliers. 
2. The Below-Threshold Contract Details Notice (UK) must be published after awarding such contracts, specifically for contracts valued at £12,000 or more for the central government and £30,000 or more for other authorities. Some contracts, known as convertible contracts, start below threshold levels but exceed regulatory thresholds due to modifications. 

If modifications increase the contract’s value beyond regulatory limits, a Contract Change Notice (UK10) is required, and if modifications exceed £5 million, a Modified Contract Copy must be published.

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A shift from MEAT to MAT

The Act replaces the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle with the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT), requiring buyers to consider broader factors beyond cost, such as:

• Innovation – Suppliers offering forward-thinking solutions will have a competitive advantage.
• Social Value – Contracts must align with broader government initiatives around equality, diversity, and local economic impact.
• Sustainability – Procurement decisions must support net-zero targets and green initiatives.

Increased SME inclusion

Authorities are now required to identify and remove barriers to SME participation in procurement (Section 12). This may involve:

• Reducing bidding complexity for smaller firms.
• Structuring contracts to be more accessible for SMEs.
• Mandating supplier diversity within procurement strategies.

Competitive flexible procedures

‍Buyers are now granted greater flexibility in structuring procurements. Unlike rigid frameworks under previous regulations, buyers can now:

• Implement multi-stage selection processes.
• Use negotiated procedures to refine tender requirements with suppliers.
• Design tailored evaluation methods beyond traditional price-based scoring.

Some buyers will innovate and introduce new requirements, while others may stick closely to old procedures.

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Open frameworks and dynamic markets

‍A significant change under the Procurement Act 2023 is the introduction of greater flexibility in procurement frameworks, dynamic markets, and supplier selection.‍

1. Frameworks and open frameworks

• Frameworks allow buyers to award contracts through pre-approved supplier lists.
• Open Frameworks introduce a scheme of rolling frameworks, enabling suppliers to join at multiple stages rather than being locked out for long periods.

2. Dynamic markets

• Dynamic markets replace Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS), offering a more open-ended and flexible approach to procurement.
• Buyers can set conditions for membership, but suppliers can apply at any time, making them more accessible than traditional frameworks.

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Compliance obligations under the Procurement Act 2023 are significantly increased, particularly concerning supplier performance monitoring and financial transparency.

Suppliers must adopt proactive compliance strategies to remain competitive and avoid disqualification.

Key changes in compliance & performance monitoring

Supplier performance ratings & KPIs

• Contracts exceeding £5 million will now require mandatory KPIs, which buyers must track and publish publicly.
• Poor performance can lead to contract termination and exclusion from future tenders.

Centralised debarment list

• The Act introduces a Debarment Register, listing suppliers who have failed to meet contract performance standards or who have compliance issues.
• Contracting authorities are required to check this register before awarding contracts, making past performance more influential than ever.

Stricter financial compliance & payment rules

• 30-day payment terms are now mandatory for public sector contracts.
• Buyers must report late payments, and penalties may be enforced for non-compliance.

Expanded compliance audits

• Contracting authorities must conduct regular compliance audits, ensuring suppliers adhere to procurement regulations and ethical sourcing standards.

Stotles recommendation:

• Suppliers should implement robust performance monitoring, review historical compliance to avoid debarment risks, and engage proactively with contract managers to address concerns before formal assessments.

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To succeed in the new era of procurement, suppliers need a clear line of sight on relevant opportunities emerging across new transparency notices and contracts.

Start preparing now by engaging with strategic buyers to understand and shape the upcoming changes.

To unlock decision maker contact details and procurement activity for any buyer across the UK&I public sector, speak to a member of our team today.

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