The Procurement Act 2023 represents a significant overhaul of public procurement regulations in the UK. Below is a brief summary of the key changes.
- Value for Money: The Act emphasizes delivering value for taxpayer money.
- Public Benefit: It aims to maximize public benefit through procurement, including social value considerations.
- Integrity and Transparency: It promotes acting with integrity throughout the procurement process, with increased transparency.
- Simplified Procedures: The Act streamlines procurement procedures, replacing prescriptive rules with more flexible approaches, including a new “competitive flexible procedure.”
- Enhanced Transparency: Increased transparency through the publication of notices, contract details, and supplier performance information. The “Central Digital Platform” and improved “Find a Tender” service aid this.
- Debarment List: Introduction of a central debarment list for excluded and excludable suppliers.
- “Most Advantageous Tender” (MAT): A shift from “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” (MEAT) to MAT, placing greater emphasis on public benefit and social value.
- Open Frameworks: Greater flexibility in framework agreements, allowing for the addition of new suppliers during their lifespan.
- Increased Focus on Supplier Performance: Greater emphasis on monitoring and publishing supplier performance, including key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Improved Market Engagement: Formalized procedures for pre-market engagement, encouraging better collaboration between contracting authorities and suppliers.
- Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The act aims to reduce barriers for SMEs and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises(VCSEs) to compete for public contracts, with improvements to payment terms.
In essence, the Procurement Act 2023 aims to create a more transparent, efficient, and accessible public procurement system, with a greater focus on delivering public value.