The Procurement Act 2023 overhauled UK public procurement on 24 February 2025. Discover the key changes for bid teams and how to adapt your strategy.

Procurement Act 2023: What Every UK Bid Team Needs to Know

The Procurement Act 2023 is the biggest change to UK public sector procurement in 30 years — and it came into force on 24 February 2025. If your business wins work through government contracts, this legislation directly affects how you qualify, compete, and get paid.

Replacing the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), the Act introduces new procedures, new terminology, and stronger transparency requirements across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This guide breaks down what changed, what stayed the same, and what your bid team needs to prioritise now.

What Is the Procurement Act 2023?

The Procurement Act 2023 governs how public authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland buy goods, services, and works above set financial thresholds:

1. Goods and services: £213,477
2. Works: £5,336,937

Scotland is not covered. Scotland operates under its own Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

The Act consolidated three EU-derived regulations (PCR 2015, UCR 2016, CCR 2016) into a single framework. Read the full text on legislation.gov.uk [opens in new tab].

Key Changes Under the Procurement Act 2023

Several structural changes affect how procurements are designed and run. Here's what bid teams need to know.

New procurement procedures

The restricted procedure, competitive dialogue, and competitive procedure with negotiation have been replaced by the Competitive Flexible Procedure — a single, adaptable route giving buyers far more discretion over process design. The four procedures under PA23 are: open, competitive flexible, limited tendering, and direct award.

The PSQ replaces the SQ

The Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) is out. The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) is in — more standardised, with a Cabinet Office-mandated template and clearer exclusion ground definitions.

Dynamic Markets replace DPS

Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) have been replaced by Dynamic Markets — updated qualification rules, clearer mini-competition requirements, and extended to works contracts for the first time.

Framework agreement changes

Standard framework agreements are now capped at 4 years (8 years for works, utilities, and defence). Call-off transparency requirements have increased, and buyers must consider whether framework design restricts SME access.

► Managing bids across PA23's new procedures? BidScript's Knowledge Engine keeps your PSQ content, contract examples, and social value evidence in one place. Book a demo.

MAT vs MEAT — What the New Award Criteria Mean for Your Bids

MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) has been replaced by MAT (Most Advantageous Tender). Removing 'economically' formally mandates buyers to weight quality, social value, and environmental benefit — without price being the dominant factor.

What this means for your bids:

1. Social value scoring is now statutory — not an optional add-on
2. Quality weightings will grow, especially on central government contracts
3. Social value commitments must be evidenced with measurable outcomes

Under PPN 06/20 (the Social Value Model), central government buyers were already required to include social value in evaluation. PA23 makes this statutory — if you're not yet tracking social value outcomes, start now.

What the Procurement Act Means for Your Bid Strategy

Central debarment register

PA23 introduces a central debarment register managed by the Cabinet Office. Suppliers found guilty of specified misconduct can be excluded from public contracts sector-wide — a serious compliance failure at one authority can now affect your entire public sector pipeline.

Planned Procurement Notices

The new Planned Procurement Notice (PPN) lets contracting authorities signal upcoming contracts before the formal tender goes live, giving suppliers advance visibility to plan capacity and start bid preparation early. Monitor Find a Tender [opens in new tab] for PPNs in your target sectors.

Procurement Act 2023 — Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Procurement Act 2023 come into force?

The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland is not covered — it operates under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, which remain in effect.

What replaced MEAT under the Procurement Act 2023?

MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) has been replaced by MAT (Most Advantageous Tender). Removing 'economically' allows buyers to weight non-price factors — social value, quality, environmental benefit — as heavily as price, or more so. This is now a statutory requirement, not a policy choice.

Does the Procurement Act 2023 apply to all public contracts?

PA23 applies above specific financial thresholds: £213,477 for goods/services and £5,336,937 for works. Below these thresholds, general PA23 principles (transparency, non-discrimination) still apply, but not the full procedural requirements. Scotland is not covered.

What is a Planned Procurement Notice under the Procurement Act 2023?

A Planned Procurement Notice (PPN) is an optional early notice published by contracting authorities before a formal tender. It signals upcoming procurement activity, giving suppliers advance visibility for pipeline planning and pre-market engagement.

What is the difference between PCR 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023?

PCR 2015 was the UK's EU-derived procurement framework, in force until 24 February 2025. PA23 replaced it with a UK-specific framework: new procedures (Competitive Flexible), new terminology (MAT, PSQ, Conditions of Participation, Dynamic Markets), and new transparency obligations including the debarment register and Planned Procurement Notices.

Adapting to the Procurement Act 2023

The Procurement Act 2023 changes the rules — but not the fundamentals of what wins bids. Clear positioning, strong evidence, and efficient team processes still separate high-performing bid teams from the rest.

Prioritise four things: standardise your PSQ content, build social value evidence into every bid, monitor Planned Procurement Notices, and review your compliance position against the new debarment register criteria.

► BidScript's AI Co-Pilot (BidBot) flags content gaps before you submit and drafts responses from your own evidence — so every bid is compliant, competitive, and fast. Book a demo to see how we support PA23-ready bid management.