The Procurement Act 2023 is live: what changed for suppliers

On 24 February 2025 the Procurement Act 2023 came into force, replacing the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and reshaping how public bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland buy goods, services and works. (It had originally been planned for October 2024 and was put back to give buyers and suppliers time to prepare.) If you bid for public contracts, a few changes are worth understanding.

One flexible procedure

The Act introduces a single competitive flexible procedure that lets buyers design a process suited to what they are buying — making it easier to bid, negotiate and work in partnership with the public sector — alongside a streamlined open procedure.

Transparency across the whole lifecycle

The regime is built around published notices at each stage — planning, tender, award, contract and performance. For suppliers that means more visibility of the pipeline ahead and of how contracts are actually performing, not just the moment a tender opens.

Tougher on poor performance

The Act strengthens the rules on exclusion and debarment, including a central debarment list, so that suppliers who fail to deliver or who pose serious risks can be kept out — intended to reward reliable suppliers.

A focus on value and small business

The Act and its accompanying National Procurement Policy Statement push value for money and explicitly aim to open public contracts to small businesses — a theme that runs through the wider reforms.

What to do

Get familiar with the new notice types and the single registration on the enhanced Find a Tender service, and make sure your business profile and accreditations are ready so you can respond quickly when a relevant tender appears.

Sources: GOV.UK — The Procurement Act 2023: a short guide for suppliers · GOV.UK — New public procurement rules (news)