Why the Procurement Act 2023 Matters Now
The Procurement Act 2023 has ushered in the most significant overhaul of UK public procurement in a generation, introducing significant changes to procurement regulations, transparency, and the integration of social value. With its go-live set for February 2025, procurement teams across the public sector, including public sector organisations, are actively adjusting their systems and strategies to align with the new requirements and fulfil their responsibilities under the Act.
The Act aims to simplify procurement processes, increase transparency, and create more opportunities for innovation and supplier diversity. But with these opportunities come new responsibilities: changes to how notices are published, how suppliers are evaluated, and how contracts are managed. Ensuring transparency and delivering value for taxpayer money are now central to public procurement under the new Act.
So how are procurement teams responding to this legislative shift—and what tools and support are helping them navigate the change?
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What Is the Procurement Act 2023? A Quick Overview
At its core, the Procurement Act 2023 has replaced the former EU-based procurement regime with a single, streamlined framework for public procurement in the UK. This new law, known as the new procurement act, introduces a new and improved set of procurement regulations and procurement laws designed to simplify processes, enhance transparency, and provide greater benefits for both suppliers and buyers.
By consolidating multiple pieces of legislation—including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, and Concession Contracts Regulations 2016—into one cohesive structure, the Act has made the procurement landscape more accessible, especially for SMEs and new market entrants. Existing contracts and existing agreements, including contracts awarded under previous procurement regulations, will continue to be governed by those older rules until the contract expires or is replaced under the new framework. It has embedded principles of transparency, value for money, and public benefit throughout every stage of the procurement lifecycle.
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Procurement Act 2023 Key Changes: What Your Team Needs to Know
Procurement teams have been adjusting to several new requirements introduced by the Act, including:
Central Digital Platform
All notices—such as PINs, tender notices, contract awards, pipeline notices, and procurement pipelines—must now be published via a central government platform. This centralisation supports better oversight, transparency, and standardisation across public procurement, and ensures that contracting authorities provide early visibility of upcoming opportunities to the market.
Greater Transparency
From transparency notices to contract performance data, buyers are now expected to share more information throughout the procurement lifecycle. The move to a transparent system, supported by new procurement rules and secondary legislation, requires contracting authorities and public sector buyers to remain compliant with updated obligations. Teams require robust systems to manage this efficiently.
Competitive Flexible Procedure
This new procedure allows buyers to design tender processes that best fit their needs, while maintaining competitive principles. The flexible commercial system and the introduction of dynamic markets support a more adaptable procurement process, creating more procurement opportunities for smaller businesses, medium sized enterprises, and social enterprises. It marks a shift from rigid procedural formats to a more outcomes-based approach.
Supplier Debarment Regime
A centralised debarment list has been introduced, making it easier for buyers to identify excluded suppliers. This adds a layer of compliance checking that must be integrated into procurement workflows.
Strengthened Contract Management
Authorities are now expected to manage contract performance more proactively, with a duty to publish performance data for certain contracts. For large contracts exceeding £5 million, there is a requirement to set and publish key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor supplier performance and identify poor performance. This requires better tracking and auditability.
The Act shifts the basis for awarding contracts from the historically used economically advantageous tender to the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) approach. This allows contracting authorities to award contracts based on broader criteria, including social value, spending targets, environmental benefits, and reducing carbon emissions, rather than just cost. Procurement decisions now reflect a wider range of community and sustainability objectives.
Consideration of the commercial lifecycle is now essential, with supply chain and supply chains factors integrated into procurement decisions to support the government’s missions and align with the national procurement policy statement.
Contracting authorities must also consider international obligations and the role of the private sector in the new procurement markets created by the new regime and new procurement regime under the new act.
The importance of public sector procurement is further highlighted, as the Act supports upcoming opportunities for suppliers to engage with government contracts and benefit from a more open and competitive environment.
How Procurement Teams Are Responding to the New Legislation
Across sectors—housing, education, healthcare, and local government—teams are taking decisive steps to modernise their procurement strategies and ensure readiness for the February 2025 deadline.
- Local authorities are reviewing internal templates and decision-making processes to align with the new requirements. Many are mapping out procurement workflows end-to-end, identifying where digital interventions can streamline tasks like contract publishing and supplier communication.
- Housing associations are investing in tools that support transparency and data capture, particularly where procurement is decentralised or embedded in other functions such as development or asset management.
- Universities are training teams on the new Competitive Flexible Procedure and supplier exclusion checks, often embedding this into broader transformation programmes that link procurement with sustainability, value-for-money initiatives, and institutional governance.
- Healthcare trusts are prioritising robust auditability in supplier onboarding and contract management, often integrating procurement systems with finance and risk platforms to ensure compliance with both procurement and clinical standards.
Common themes emerging include:
- Moving from manual to digital systems to ensure consistent data management
- Building internal awareness of the Act’s impact beyond procurement teams—especially for budget holders and legal advisors
- Updating governance and approval processes to reflect new procedures, thresholds, and responsibilities
- Prioritising preliminary market engagement and supplier communication to comply with transparency duties, identify upcoming opportunities, and inform better procurement decisions, while promoting competition and innovation
The Role of Procurement Software in Adapting to the Act
With increased reporting, compliance checks, and data-sharing requirements, manual processes are quickly becoming unsustainable. Procurement teams must now navigate a more transparent, standardised, and outcomes-focused environment—often under tighter deadlines and with heightened scrutiny from internal and external stakeholders.
That’s why many organisations are turning to procurement software to manage the complexity. Digital platforms not only automate time-consuming administrative tasks but also provide assurance that activities are being conducted in line with legislative expectations.
A platform like Delta eSourcing supports:
- Automated notice publication to Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, and OJEU — ensuring timely and compliant disclosure of procurement activity
- Integrated audit trails for full lifecycle visibility — maintaining detailed records of all interactions, decisions, and communications
- Supplier onboarding and management through accredited profiles — reducing onboarding time while enabling consistent due diligence and exclusion checks
- Contract performance tracking to meet new reporting obligations — enabling teams to log, monitor, and evidence delivery against key milestones
This not only helps with compliance but also improves efficiency, risk management, and cross-functional collaboration across procurement teams. It empowers buyers to focus on strategic priorities while automating the regulatory detail that underpins good governance.
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Procurement Support Services for Navigating the Act
For many teams, adapting to the Procurement Act 2023 requires more than software—it demands ongoing support, training, and expert advice that’s tailored to their organisational context and maturity level.
Procurement support services play a crucial role in:
- Delivering tailored training on the new procedures, using real-world scenarios and workflows familiar to the team
- Reviewing and updating documentation, templates, and evaluation frameworks to align with new transparency and procedural requirements
- Supporting change management initiatives by helping procurement leads engage internal stakeholders, manage resistance, and embed new practices across departments
- Providing on-demand guidance during live procurements, especially for teams piloting the Competitive Flexible Procedure or conducting supplier exclusion assessments for the first time
Delta offers a range of support options—from expert-led webinars and Q&A clinics to one-on-one consultations and in-depth process reviews. These services are designed not just to inform, but to empower teams to implement the Act confidently and consistently.
Tips for Procurement Teams Preparing for Ongoing Updates
Here are a few proactive steps procurement teams can take between now and February 2025:
- Stay informed — subscribe to government guidance, Cabinet Office updates, and sector-specific resources to stay ahead of new clarifications and timelines.
- Train your team — run workshops or eLearning sessions that demystify the Act’s key changes, especially around the new procurement procedures and reporting obligations.
- Review your supplier engagement — map your current supplier base and ensure you’re ready to carry out exclusion checks using the new central debarment register.
- Audit your current process — assess where your procurement workflows, approval mechanisms, and documentation may fall short under the new transparency requirements.
- Test your tools — verify that your procurement software can handle notice publication, data capture, and performance tracking in line with the Act.
- Engage stakeholders — work with legal, finance, and governance teams to align on accountability, risk management, and cross-departmental responsibilities.
- Simulate new processes — consider running trial procurements using the Competitive Flexible Procedure to familiarise teams and iron out uncertainties.
Consider creating a downloadable readiness checklist or printable timeline for readers to share across their teams.
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Procurement Act 2023 Opportunities
Adapting to the Procurement Act 2023 isn’t a one-time fix—it’s a continuous journey that requires teams to evolve their processes, systems, and mindset. The legislative changes introduced by the Act are not just about meeting compliance requirements; they represent an opportunity to rethink how procurement delivers value across the organisation.
Teams that embrace this change are investing in smarter tools, embedding transparency into everyday practices, and developing cross-functional capabilities that go beyond procurement. They’re engaging suppliers earlier, aligning procurement goals with organisational priorities, and using data to drive better decision-making.
With the right technology and guidance, procurement teams can not only meet the new regulatory standards but also improve resilience, stakeholder trust, and long-term value creation.
Whether you need help navigating compliance requirements, training your team, or configuring software to support your strategy, Delta is here to partner with you every step of the way.
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