Procurement Cube

The debarment list is managed by the Procurement Review Unit and can be found here. 

The “central digital platform” referred to in the Procurement Act 2023 is an updated version of Find a Tender. This is where notices under the Procurement Act 2023 are published. 

Find a Tender now also provides for suppliers to store information relevant to selection, which can be updated on an ongoing basis and shared with contracting authorities at the appropriate stage in each procurement process. 

As procurement is a devolved matter, the Scottish procurement rules are largely unaffected by the reform of the procurement rules that apply in the rest of the UK. Authorities which meet the definition of “devolved Scottish authority” under the Procurement Act 2023 will continue to be covered by the existing Scottish regulations.   

The Procurement Act 2023 contains provisions intended to ensure that Scottish contracting authorities can access frameworks and dynamic markets established by contracting authorities in the rest of the UK. 

Suppliers operating in Scotland and the rest of the UK (or even just within Scotland) may therefore have to move between the two regimes for different procurement processes.

The latest information and guidance from the Cabinet Office is here. 

The Procurement Act 2023 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/716 include the transitional provisions to determine whether the previous or new regime applies. There is also a guidance document on Transitional and Saving Arrangements.

Broadly speaking, if a procurement was commenced (such as by publishing a contract notice) before 24 February 2025, or is carried out under an arrangement such as a framework which was procured under the old regime, then the old regime will continue to apply throughout the lifetime of that contract.

The Government is publishing a suite of guidance documents addressing all aspects of the new regime. The guidance can be accessed here.

The guidance documents are categorised according to the four stages of the commercial pathway: Plan; Define; Procure; Manage.

The Government has also released a suite of updated Procurement Policy Notes (PPNs), which apply previous policy positions such as commercial playbooks to procurement under the Procurement Act 2023. 

The Cabinet Office is providing a learning and development programme. Further information is available here.

The first training product, known as Knowledge Drops, can be accessed here. The supporting factsheets that accompany the Knowledge Drops can be accessed here.  

10 e-learning modules were launched in April 2024. These are only available via registration with the Government Commercial College (GCC). The full content of the modules has been published in a Learning Manual and can be accessed here.

The Communities of Practice and Deep Dives were launched in May 2024. These are only available through GCC.  

There are a number of pieces of secondary legislation which accompany the Procurement Act 2023:

• The Procurement Regulations 2024 SI 2024/692 include, amongst other matters, details of transparency requirements (what should be contained in each form of notice) and detail of some defined terms (such as “light touch services”, “central government authorities” and “works activities” ). 
• The Procurement Act 2023 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/716 contain the “transitional provisions”, determining when the previous procurement regime will continue to apply beyond the coming into force of the Procurement Act 2023.
• The Procurement Act 2023 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025 SI 2025/163 amended the financial thresholds for application of the Procurement Act, and made consequential amendments to other legislation;
• A suite of “commencement regulations”, determined how and when the Procurement Act 2023 came into force, along with some other minor provisions:
  • The Procurement Act 2023 (Commencement No. 1 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/61;
  • The Procurement Act 2023 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/361;
  • The Procurement Act 2023 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/716;
  • The Procurement Act 2023 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/959.

Contracting authorities are required under the Act to have regard to the National Procurement Policy Statement. This document sets out how public procurement can support each of the Government’s current “missions” and gives various policy objectives for contracting authorities to consider.

Contracting authorities, utilities and suppliers should all be taking action now to make the most of the Procurement Act 2023. CMS procurement experts are on hand to help navigate this process. Please email the CMS team at procurementcube@cms-cmno.com. 

To support stakeholders in their actions under the Act, the government has published a suite of technical guidance documents that address all aspects of the new regime. These are available here.

Please email the CMS team at procurementcube@cms-cmno.com.