The Procurement Act 2025 came into force on 24 February 2025, replacing the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and representing the most significant overhaul of UK public procurement rules since EU membership. The legislation affects every organisation that bids for government contracts and every public body spending public money. From mandatory transparency notices to a new Central Digital Platform, the rules have changed how contracts are awarded, monitored and challenged. The Cabinet Office estimates UK public sector procurement spend at approximately £300 billion annually.
Key facts — Procurement Act 2025In force from: 24 February 2025Replaced: Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, Concession Contracts Regulations 2016Central Digital Platform (CDP): mandatory for all contracting authorities from 1 April 2026New transparency notices: pipeline, tender, award, contract performance and termination — all mandatoryStandstill period: 8 working days for most contracts (6 for utilities)Central debarment register: publicly searchable; exclusion applies across all public contractsThresholds: goods/services £214,904 (central govt); £538,135 (other public bodies); works £5,372,609
What the Procurement Act 2025 replaced and why
Pre-2025, UK public procurement was governed by EU-derived regulations. Post-Brexit, the government committed to a simplified, UK-specific framework that increased transparency, improved SME access, and reduced bureaucratic burden. The Act moves from rules-based to principles-based procurement, giving contracting authorities more flexibility in how they run competitions while requiring greater transparency about outcomes.
The Central Digital Platform — mandatory from 1 April 2026
The CDP is a unified online system where all above-threshold public contracts must be registered and tracked. From 1 April 2026, all contracting authorities are required to use the CDP for publishing notices. Suppliers must register on the CDP to bid for above-threshold contracts — registration is free.
| Notice type | When required | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Pipeline notice | Annually, for planned procurements | Advance warning for suppliers to prepare |
| Tender notice | When a competition opens | Replaces Find a Tender / OJEU notice |
| Award notice | Within 30 days of award | Names winner, value, duration, reason for award |
| Contract performance notice | Periodically during contract | Key milestones, KPIs, modifications |
| Termination notice | On contract end | Confirms completion or early termination |
The three new procurement procedures
| Procedure | What it is | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| Open procedure | One-stage, any supplier can bid | Simple, well-defined contracts |
| Competitive flexible procedure | Multi-stage, authority sets its own rules | Complex contracts, innovation, frameworks |
| Limited tendering | Direct award without competition — tightly restricted | Genuine urgency, single-source, framework call-offs |
The competitive flexible procedure is the most significant addition. Authorities can design their own competition structure — pre-market engagement, multi-round bidding, negotiations — without following a prescribed EU procedure. For suppliers, competition structures will now vary more between contracts.
SME-specific rights under the Act
- Prompt payment: All public contracts must include 30-day payment terms down the supply chain. Prime contractors must report payment performance to sub-contractors.
- Award transparency: Award notices must include the winning score and reasons for award, allowing losing SMEs to understand exactly where they fell short.
- Dynamic markets: A new dynamic market mechanism replaces Dynamic Purchasing Systems, allowing contracting authorities to maintain approved supplier lists to which any qualifying supplier can apply at any time.
- Narrowed exclusion grounds: Some discretionary exclusion grounds that disadvantaged SMEs with limited track records have been narrowed.
The debarment register
The Act creates a central, publicly searchable debarment register. Exclusion can be mandatory (for serious criminal offences: bribery, fraud, modern slavery) or discretionary (performance failures, misrepresentation, national security). A supplier on the register is excluded from all public contracts for the duration of their entry — not just with the excluding authority. Disclosing past issues proactively with evidence of remediation is significantly better than having an undisclosed issue surfaced during a competition.
Thresholds — when the Act applies
| Contract type | Central government | Other public bodies (NHS, local authorities) |
|---|---|---|
| Works contracts | £5,372,609 | £5,372,609 |
| Goods and services | £214,904 | £538,135 |
| Light-touch (social, health, education) | £663,540 | £663,540 |
How to find opportunities under the new system
With over 3,000 active UK tender notices live on Kaeltripton and new contracts published daily, tracking relevant opportunities manually is impractical. Tender Alerts Pro (£19/month) delivers matched UK government contract opportunities directly to your inbox, filtered by sector and keyword. The service covers central government, NHS, local authority, MOD and utility contracts — all now consolidated through the Central Digital Platform.
Related Guides
- Central Digital Platform — April 2026 Launch
- UK Tenders — Current Opportunities
- Tender Alerts Pro — £19/month
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or procurement advice. Threshold figures are subject to revision. Always verify current thresholds with the Cabinet Office or a qualified procurement adviser before submitting bids.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Procurement Act 2025 come into force?
The Procurement Act 2025 came into force on 24 February 2025, replacing the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and associated regulations for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What is the Central Digital Platform?
The CDP is the new UK government procurement portal where all above-threshold public contracts must be registered. From 1 April 2026, all contracting authorities must publish notices through the CDP. Supplier registration is free and required to bid for above-threshold contracts.
What are the Procurement Act 2025 thresholds?
Central government: goods/services above £214,904 and works above £5,372,609. Other public bodies (NHS, councils): goods/services above £538,135. Light-touch regime (social, health, education services): above £663,540.
What is the competitive flexible procedure?
A new multi-stage competition procedure under which contracting authorities design their own competition structure — including pre-market engagement, multi-round bidding and negotiations — without following a prescribed EU procedure. It replaces competitive dialogue, competitive negotiation and similar legacy procedures.
What replaced the OJEU under the Procurement Act 2025?
OJEU was replaced after Brexit by the Find a Tender Service (FTS). Under the Act, the Central Digital Platform is now the primary system for above-threshold UK public procurement notices from 1 April 2026.
What is limited tendering under the new Act?
A direct award procedure used without a competition, restricted to specific defined circumstances: genuine urgency (unforeseeable), single-source situations, framework call-offs, and a few others. It is not a shortcut to avoid competition.
Sources and verification
- Procurement Act 2025 — full text, legislation.gov.uk; in force 24 February 2025
- Cabinet Office — Transforming Public Procurement programme; ~£300bn annual spend estimate
- Crown Commercial Service — Central Digital Platform supplier registration guidance, April 2026
- Threshold figures — Procurement Act 2025 as updated by statutory instrument, February 2025
