The Procurement Act 2023: The clock is ticking.

The countdown is on! The Procurement Act 2023 is planned for "go-live" on 28 October 2024. How are you preparing?

Last month the Government issued updates to the Procurement Act regulations in preparation for the now confirmed official launch date in October 2024.

They also issued new guidance focusing on the pre-procurement phase. This included directives on the national procurement policy statement, pipeline notice, technical specifications, planned procurement notice, and preliminary market engagement.

Additionally, transitional and savings arrangements guidance has been provided, giving procurement teams a clearer understanding around procurements that are initiated after the Act's enforcement on October 28, 2024 and how to manage and continue contracts awarded under previous legislation.

An updated Procurement Policy Note (PPN 03/24) introduces updates to the Selection Questionnaire (SQ) and accompanying statutory guidance. This PPN is applicable to all contracting authorities in England and certain ones in Wales and Northern Ireland. The PPN 03/24 includes revisions around areas such as payment-related queries, revised steel-related inquiries, guidance on considering bids from Russian/Belarusian suppliers, and the removal of references to PAS91, which has been withdrawn by the BSI.

It's worth noting that all authorities are required to implement PPN 03/24 within three months, with the option for immediate adoption.

But whilst the Government are drip feeding additional information all the time, our recent LinkedIn poll shows that teams still feel under-prepared for the changes to come.

Our top three tips to help you get prepared now

1) "Start building you and your team's wider knowledge now"

The Government have pulled together e-learning modules comprising of 10 x 1 hour sessions that covers all aspects of the new reforms, such as key regulation changes, transparency and the competitive flexible procedure. Put aside two hours every week and you'll be up to speed by the end of June.

2) "Consider your current procurement pipeline"

Give some thought around the procurement projects on the horizon. Could you bring any of these forward to pre-October, therefore freeing up some of the time post-Procurement Act to reduce the pressure and better focus on the new rules and processes, or would some of your procurement pipeline benefit from the flexibility the new Procurement Act introduces?

3) "Don't be afraid to ask for help and advice"

Information is being drip fed through and it's easy to miss key updates. It's also challenging to translate official guidance into practical application and what it means for your organisation. Make use of the procurement experts who are focusing on learning about all the new rules and guidance.

At eXceeding, we're more than happy to offer our no-strings advice to any authority who is struggling to get up to speed. In fact, we are offering free 1:1 Procurement Act Power Hours throughout the month of May which you can book here.

We believe that whilst the Procurement Act 2023 is challenging and already having an impact on authorities, it does open up untapped opportunities. We've pulled together more thoughts on the topic, in our new YouTube Playlist.

Watch our bite-sized videos for more ideas on what you can be implementing now, what opportunities to look out for and how you can prepare for 28 October 2024.