Procurement Act 2023
The Procurement Act 2023 is the main public procurement statute for procurements in its scope that commenced on or after 24 February 2025. It sets rules for competition, transparency, supplier participation and contract management.
Reviewed
What it covers
The Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023) is the framework for most new covered public procurements in England and for reserved procurement. It replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) for procurements that commenced on or after 24 February 2025. The Act uses two competitive routes: an open procedure and a competitive flexible procedure. It also introduced a central digital platform, new notice types and duties concerning contract performance.
The date a procurement commenced matters. A procurement already commenced under the PCR normally continues under the previous regime, including its framework or dynamic purchasing system. Check the tender notice and the authority's transition explanation before applying a rule from the Act. A Scottish devolved authority generally operates under the Scottish procurement regime, and devolved Welsh and Northern Irish arrangements have their own guidance and exceptions.
What a supplier should check
Read the tender notice and associated documents together. They should tell you the procedure, conditions of participation, award criteria, timetable and how to submit core supplier information. Under the Act, a contract award notice normally comes before the contract is signed and starts any required standstill; a contract details notice follows entry into the contract.
For example, a notice published in March 2025 for a new English local-authority service is likely to use the Act, while a competition started in January 2025 may remain under the PCR even if the contract is signed later.