Two key takeaways from today's 'Transforming Public Procurement - April 2023 Update'

Bill Progress 

The 'Report' Stage in the House of Commons is still expected in May 2023. Royal Assent (i.e. the Bill becomes an Act but won't yet be 'in force') is still expected in Spring 2023.   However, that still depends on a number of factors including space in the Parliamentary diary and whether the Lords will have anything to say about the changes made in the Commons (including the many changes originally made in the Lords which have now been undone in the Commons).

The main news appears to be that work to finalise the Secondary Legislation (Regulations or SIs with important fine detail) and the associated consultation will follow the Royal Assent, rather than going ahead in parallel. 

Digital Platform 

The first batches of the form of key notices underpinning the new Transparency regime will be released to a test environment 'from June 2023' (although that date is noted as subject to change), with further new batches of notice then becoming available on a quarterly basis thereafter.   

This initial batch will include:

• Planned Procurement Notice (used to give suppliers advanced notice of a new above threshold procurement), 
• Tender Notice (advertising the commencement of the procurement process), 
• Transparency Notice (the replacement for the current VEAT), and 
• Contract Award Notice (the Notice which kicks off the standstill period prior to contract signature). 

The Cabinet Office's latest update does not contain specifics of exactly who will be able to see these notices and when, but it does suggest we will get further insight into this important aspect of the new regime over this summer.

To find out more visit our Burges Salmon P.A.T.H. (Procurement Act Training & Help) webpage and the Cabinet Office's Transforming Public Procurement webpage.