The Procurement Bill, which will reform the existing procurement rules, received Royal Assent in October 2023. In early 2024, secondary legislation (regulations) will be laid to bring some elements of the Bill and the wider regime into effect.
Contracting Authorities will be given a minimum of six months’ notice before ‘go-live’, which the Cabinet Office anticipate will be October 2024. The existing legislation will apply until the new regime goes live, and will also continue to apply to procurements started under the old rules.
The Cabinet Office document Benefits for Prospective Suppliers to the Public Sector sets out how the new regime will deliver a range of benefits for suppliers of all sizes wishing to do business with, and deliver contracts for, the public sector.
The Cabinet Office has now launched the first official training product to support the introduction of the new Procurement Act: the Transforming Public Procurement Knowledge Drops. These are designed to provide a high level overview of the changes to the procurement regulations, and are aimed at those who have regular interactions with procurement as well as suppliers including SMEs and VCSEs.
Other guidance
The below are all designed for suppliers, and summarise the new Procurement Act, next steps and timelines. They also outline the support that will be made available, and make suggestions for initial steps to help prepare.
- A video message from Gareth Rhys Williams, Government Chief Commercial Officer.
- The Procurement Act 2023: A short guide for Suppliers (PDF) along with an animation.
There is also a separate animation for SMEs and VCSEs.
For further information and to keep up to date with developments, please visit the Transforming Public Procurement website