- The Procurement Act 2023 applies to procurements started on or after 24 February 2025.
- Suppliers register once on the Central Digital Platform, and all notices go on Find a Tender.
- Contracts go to the most advantageous tender, and buyers must think about barriers facing SMEs.
- More notices mean more early warning, for suppliers who are watching.
The Procurement Act 2023 in plain English
The Act is the biggest change to UK public procurement in a generation. It replaced several sets of rules, including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, with one regime written for the UK.
It covers central government, councils, NHS trusts, schools, universities, housing bodies and other public buyers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish devolved bodies follow Scotland’s own rules. The aim is simpler processes, more transparency and better access for small businesses.
What it doesn’t change: public buyers still have to advertise, compare suppliers fairly and follow published criteria. A cold sales email still won’t win a contract. A well-prepared bid on the right tender will.
Key dates
- 126 Oct 2023The Act receives Royal Assent.
- 224 Feb 2025The Act comes into force for new procurements.
- 3Old procurementsThose started earlier finish under the old rules.
- 4Old contractsExisting contracts and frameworks run on until they end.
That’s why you’ll still see some tenders run under the old rules, alongside new ones under the Act. Check the notice to see which rules apply.
10 Procurement Act 2023 changes every supplier needs to know
The two cards with yellow tags affect almost every supplier straight away.
One registration on the Central Digital Platform
Register once and store your core supplier information on the enhanced Find a Tender service (sometimes called the single digital platform), then share it with buyers.
One place for notices
New opportunities go on Find a Tender. Advertised below-threshold contracts start at £12,000 for central government and £30,000 for councils and NHS trusts, including VAT.
Simpler procedures
Two main routes: the open procedure and the competitive flexible procedure. Direct award is allowed only in limited cases.
Most advantageous tender
“MAT” replaces “MEAT”, giving buyers more room to value quality and social value, not just the lowest price.
Conditions of participation
The pass/fail suitability rules, set out in the new Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ). They must be proportionate.
Exclusions and a debarment list
Suppliers with serious issues can be excluded, and a central debarment list names suppliers barred from contracts.
Assessment summaries
Every bidder receives an explanation of their scores, followed by a standstill of at least 8 working days.
30-day payment terms
Undisputed invoices must be paid within 30 days, and that protection flows down the public sector supply chain.
Help for SMEs
Buyers must consider the barriers small businesses face, and think about splitting contracts into lots.
Open frameworks and dynamic markets
Open frameworks reopen to new suppliers at set points, and dynamic markets, which replace dynamic purchasing systems, let you join at any time.
Old rules vs new rules
| Area | Old rules (PCR 2015) | Procurement Act 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Where advertised | Find a Tender and Contracts Finder | Find a Tender (Central Digital Platform) |
| Your company details | Retyped into every SQ | Stored once, shared with each buyer |
| Selection | Selection Questionnaire (SQ) | Conditions of participation and the PSQ |
| Award basis | Most economically advantageous tender | Most advantageous tender |
| Procedures | Open, restricted, competitive dialogue and others | Open or competitive flexible |
| Feedback | Standstill letters | Assessment summaries for every bidder |
| Supplier lists | Dynamic purchasing systems | Dynamic markets |
| Performance | Little published | KPIs published for contracts over £5m |
The new notices you’ll see on Find a Tender
The Act brings a whole lifecycle of notices. Most suppliers only watch for tender notices. The ones who win watch for the early ones too.
- Pipeline noticeLarge buyers list the contracts worth over £2m they plan to procure in the next 18 months.Plan ahead
- Preliminary market engagement noticeThe buyer wants to talk to suppliers before it writes the tender.Get involved
- Planned procurement noticeA tender is coming soon, and the bid window may be shorter.Get ready
- Tender noticeThe opportunity is live and the documents are available.Bid now
- Transparency noticeThe buyer intends to award a contract directly, without competition.Check it
- Contract award noticeThe buyer names the winner. Standstill starts.Result
- Contract details noticeThe contract is signed. For contracts over £5m, the contract itself is published.Research
- Contract performance noticeHow a supplier is performing against KPIs, and any serious failures.Spot openings
- Contract termination noticeA contract has ended, which can mean an opportunity coming back to market.Spot openings
Every new notice for your trade, in one morning email.
tenderITT reads Find a Tender and the devolved portals, matches notices to your trade and region, and checks the pass/fail rules for you.
Track notices for my trade- ✓Tender notice: manned guarding, BristolGO
- !Planned procurement: patrols, BathSOON
- ✕Tender notice: CCTV frameworkNO-GO
Does the Procurement Act make winning tenders easier for SMEs?
Honestly? It makes it easier to take part. Less repeated paperwork, proportionate pass/fail rules, faster payment and more feedback all help small businesses.
But easier for you is easier for everyone. More SMEs will bid, and buyers will publish more notices than ever. Under the new rules, the suppliers who win aren’t the ones who write the longest bids. They’re the ones who are organised: registered, certificates up to date, watching the right notices, and only bidding where they pass.
NHS suppliers: the Act and the Provider Selection Regime
If you sell to the NHS, check which rules apply. In England, many healthcare services bought by NHS bodies and councils, such as clinical and care services, are arranged under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR), in force since 1 January 2024.
Goods, equipment, consumables and most non-clinical services, such as cleaning, security, catering, estates and IT, still follow the Procurement Act 2023. That covers the majority of NHS suppliers.
What suppliers should do now
- 01Register on the Central Digital PlatformCreate your supplier account on Find a Tender and complete your core supplier information.
- 02Keep it up to dateUpdate your record when your accounts, ownership or key details change.
- 03Get your documents in orderInsurance, accreditations, policies and case studies, all current and ready to attach.
- 04Watch the early noticesPipeline and planned procurement notices give you months to prepare.
- 05Read every assessment summaryWin or lose, it tells you exactly how to score higher next time.
- 06Know your payment rights30-day terms apply to public contracts and flow down to subcontractors.
Procurement Act 2023 FAQs
When did the Procurement Act 2023 come into force?
The Procurement Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 and came into force on 24 February 2025. Procurements started before that date continue under the old rules, such as the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, until they finish.
What is the Procurement Act 2023?
It is the UK law that sets out how public bodies, including central government, councils and NHS trusts, buy goods, services and works. It replaced several sets of regulations with one simpler regime.
Does the Procurement Act 2023 apply in Scotland?
Mostly not. Scottish devolved public bodies follow Scotland’s own procurement rules and advertise on Public Contracts Scotland. The Act applies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with some Wales-specific provisions.
What is the Central Digital Platform?
The Central Digital Platform is the enhanced Find a Tender service. Suppliers register once, store their core supplier information, and buyers publish all notices there. It is sometimes called the single digital platform.
Do I need to register on the Central Digital Platform?
If you want to bid for contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023, yes. You register, keep your core supplier information up to date, and share it with buyers when you bid.
What replaced MEAT under the Procurement Act?
Contracts are now awarded to the “most advantageous tender” (MAT) instead of the “most economically advantageous tender” (MEAT). Buyers can still weigh price, but have more room to value quality, social value and wider benefits.
Does the Procurement Act replace Contracts Finder?
For new procurements, yes. Opportunities and notices under the Act are published on Find a Tender. Contracts Finder continues only for procurements that began under the old regulations.
What are the 30-day payment terms?
Public contracts under the Act include a term that undisputed invoices are paid within 30 days, and that protection flows down to subcontracts in the public sector supply chain.
Does the Procurement Act apply to NHS healthcare services?
Many healthcare services bought by NHS bodies and councils in England are arranged under the Provider Selection Regime instead. Goods, equipment and most non-clinical services bought by the NHS still follow the Procurement Act.
- Procurement Act 2023, legislation.gov.uk
- Procurement Act 2023 guidance documents, GOV.UK
- The Central Digital Platform (enhanced Find a Tender service), GOV.UK
- Guidance: contract award notices and standstill, GOV.UK
- PPN 019: requirements to publish on Contracts Finder, GOV.UK
Last reviewed 10 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice; always follow the instructions in each tender pack.