Update on the Procurement Act 2023
The Act which was due to come into force on 28th October 2024 has been delayed until February 2025 to ensure a smooth and effective transition. The Act’s commencement is set to create a simpler, more transparent procurement system that will enhance value for money and reduce costs for both businesses and the public sector.
The Cabinet Office have released a statement ‘Under the Act, the previous administration published a National Procurement Policy Statement to which contracting authorities will have to have regard. But this Statement does not meet the challenge of applying the full potential of public procurement to deliver value for money, economic growth, and social value. I have therefore taken the decision to begin the vital work of producing a new National Procurement Policy Statement that clearly sets out this Government’s priorities for public procurement in support of our missions.
It is crucial that the new regime in the Procurement Act goes live with a bold and ambitious Statement that drives delivery of the Government’s missions, and therefore, I am proposing a short delay to the commencement of the Act to February 2025 so this work can be completed. I am confident that the extra time to prepare will allow for a more seamless transition, ensuring a smoother and more effective implementation process for both contracting authorities and suppliers.
Letters to withdraw the previous administration’s Statement will be issued to both Houses shortly and the Government intends to make regulations to set a new date for the commencement of the Procurement Act 2023 of 24 February 2025 – Baroness Twycross.‘
You can read the full statement here at the UK Parliament website.