What is the Procurement Act 2023?
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025, changing the way supplies, services and works are procured for the public sector. It applies to new tenders that meet the published thresholds. All existing contracts and procurements in progress before launch will continue under the previous regime.
It replaces previous procurement regulations and introduces a new framework designed to simplify public procurement and enhance competition, transparency and value for money.
The Procurement Act 2023 aims to:
- create a simpler and more flexible commercial system – one that better meets our country’s needs, while remaining compliant with our international obligations
- open up public procurement to new entrants, including small businesses and social enterprises. This is so that they can compete for and win more public contracts
- embed transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle. This is so the spending of taxpayers’ money can be properly scrutinised.
How suppliers may see us do things differently
We have revised our commercial and procurement activities in line with the Procurement Act 2023, to support the Plan, Define, Procure and Manage procurement lifecycle. There is no impact to existing contracts, or procurements that went live prior to 24 February 2025.
Links to government guidance
There are resources published by government to help suppliers and other external organisations understand the new regulations:
Dedicated supplier information page
We encourage our suppliers and those wishing to work with us, to take a look at the government ‘Information and guidance for suppliers’ page and revisit it regularly. You will also find links to useful videos and learning modules.
Additional learning
Webinar recordings: If you missed the Cabinet Office-hosted webinars which shared the key changes, as well as how the central digital platform works (featuring a live demonstration), you can watch the recording here.
Knowledge drops: The Cabinet Office has also developed a series of ‘knowledge drops’ specifically for suppliers, small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations. The guidance is designed to provide a high level overview of the changes to the procurement regulations and is aimed at those who have regular interactions with procurement. You can view the knowledge drops here.