The procurement process plays a vital role in delivering public services across the UK. Procuring the right goods, works or services effectively can help public bodies achieve value for money, support strategic outcomes (such as sustainability, local economic growth, social value) and ensure compliance with the regulations that govern how public money is used.
The environment for public procurement has recently changed. The Procurement Act 2023 came into force in 2025 and introduced a new legal regime for most public contracts, replacing the previous mix of EU-derived regulations and simplifying the landscape.
This guide focuses on six key stages of the universal public procurement process and outlines the considerations and activities that public buyers need to navigate at various parts of the journey.
Jump to:
- Planning and pre-market engagement
- Specification and market approach
- Tendering / competition
- Supplier evaluation and contract award
- Contract signature and mobilisation
- Contract management post-award
- Always keep governance and continuous improvement in mind
- The role of frameworks in the public procurement process
- How frameworks streamline the procurement process
- Public sector procurement process flowchart
- Public sector procurement process FAQs
1. Planning and pre-market engagement
The first stage or the procurement process is all about preparation: defining what you need, securing resources and engaging with the market early to help determine what is feasible and how to best meet the project objectives.
Define the need and build the business case
Begin with a clear articulation of the requirement:
What goods, works or services are required?
What are you procuring now?
What outcomes do you expect?
A strong business case sets out the driver - service improvement, cost reduction, regulatory compliance, or innovation. It includes budget, timeframe, procurement method and key risks.
Pre-market engagement and supplier research
Before launching a formal procurement, it’s best practice to engage early with the market as this helps you to research what’s available, better understand capabilities and identify supply-chain risks.
This groundwork helps shape the specification, identify potential bidders and test the market. Under the new regulations, the duty to consider dividing contracts into smaller lots (to enable more SME involvement) has been explicitly introduced. Consider how your procurement process can be structured to support wider policy objectives, such as supporting SMEs, social enterprises, local suppliers or sustainability agendas.
Develop your procurement strategy
Your procurement strategy should cover the project’s:
- Objectives
- Scope
- Timeline
- Budget
- Risk
- Governance
- Evaluation approach
- Contract management arrangements.
Make sure the relevant senior stakeholders are aligned on the process, which may include various teams such as commissioning, finance and legal. Consider pipeline notices and early advertising of forthcoming procurements, as transparency obligations are increasing under the new regime.
2. Specification and market approach
With your procurement process planning done, the next stage is shaping the specification and determining how you will approach the market.
Define the specification
A robust specification describes clearly what you expect from the supplier or service provider. It should focus on outcomes where possible (what the service must deliver) rather than inputs (how they must deliver), to allow innovation and flexibility. Include success criteria, performance requirements and any service level requirements so that there can be no ambiguity over expectations on all sides.
Choose the market approach / procurement route
Decide whether this will be an open or competitive flexible procedure. The new regulations give contracting authorities more flexibility around procedures, enabling a more tailored approach. Assess whether the contract should be divided into lots (again helping SME participation) and whether reservation of smaller contracts is appropriate.
Pre-procurement advertising / tender and pipeline notices
Transparency obligations under the Procurement Act 2023 mean that contracting authorities must publish tender or pipeline notices of future procurement activity if the contract is over specific value thresholds, helping the market anticipate opportunities. The thresholds are different for central government contracts and non-central government bodies.
For example:
- The threshold for publishing a tender notice for central government contracts is any contract with a value over £12,000 (incl. VAT). For sub-central government contracts, the threshold is £30,000 (incl. VAT).
- Planned procurement notices are required to be published for contracts with an estimated value of over £2 million.
Contracting authorities must publish a ‘contract details notice’ within 30 days of entering into a public contract, which includes the value of the agreement and other details. For large contracts, with an estimated value of over £5 million, the full contract must be published, as well as the details notice.
Make sure your documentation is appropriately prepared for your specific circumstances and that supplier briefing sessions or Q&A support are scheduled.
Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Publish your tender notice (and any pipeline notice earlier) on the relevant portal (such as the Delta e-tendering portal), issue the ITT, set clear submission deadlines, evaluation criteria, and bidder requirements. Ensure bidders have access to any necessary documents and set up a managed process for any queries and clarifications.
Supplier selection, exclusion and pre-qualification
During this phase, you evaluate whether potential suppliers meet the eligibility criteria (financial standing, technical capacity, legal compliance). Under the Act, exclusion grounds for poor performance have been expanded and supplier performance (including previous contracts) has a greater focus. Be clear in your PQQ (pre-qualification questionnaire) about mandatory grounds for exclusion and discretionary grounds.
Submission, bid management and clarifications
Ensure that bids are submitted in the correct format, on time and that any late submissions are handled properly (rejected or accepted under defined rules). Manage clarifications professionally by issuing one Q&A log or using an appropriate online portal which all parties have access to, helping to keep communication fair and transparent.
4. Supplier evaluation and contract award
In this stage you evaluate the bids, award the contract, and discharge the formalities to move into mobilisation.
Evaluation: award criteria and decision-making
Under the Procurement Act 2023, the new “Most Advantageous Tender” (MAT) replaces the older “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” (MEAT) in many cases, meaning supplier evaluation can place a broader focus on value beyond cost, including social value, sustainability, innovation and local economic benefit. The evaluation process should be transparent: including score sheets, moderation, audit trail and clear governance.
Standstill period (award notice and waiting)
Once the preferred bidder has been identified, the contracting authority issues an award or decision notification and observes any required standstill period before contract signature. Regulations require that the standard standstill period has been set at eight working days (changed from the previously specified 10 calendar days) from the date of publication of the award decision. This allows unsuccessful bidders time to challenge the decision in what are known as “set-aside proceedings”.
Contract award notification and debriefings
Once the decision is made, issue the award notice publicly (transparency rules apply), inform unsuccessful bidders and offer debriefings to them. Unsuccessful bidders should receive sufficient feedback to understand why they were not successful.
Publication and transparency obligations
The Procurement Act 2023 strengthens transparency: meaning that contracting authorities must publish a range of notices throughout the procurement and contract lifecycle (e.g., procurement pipeline notice, contract award notice, contract change notice for modifications, payment-compliance notices). Make sure your publishing strategy is in place and meets legal requirements.
5. Contract signature and mobilisation
With the contract now awarded, the focus shifts to signature, roll-out and the early stages of contract fulfilment.
Finalising contract terms and conditions
Ensure the contract is signed by both parties and incorporates all agreed terms (scope, deliverables, pricing, KPIs, termination clauses, change control). Under the new regulations, for higher-value contracts (for example, over £5 million in value) there is a requirement to publish at least three KPIs and to monitor performance openly.
Mobilisation and handover
Plan the handover from procurement to operational teams. This could include some or all of: the transition activities, supplier mobilisation, data migration (if relevant), resource allocation, stakeholder communication. This phase is critical to achieving value from day one and ensuring the project has the right foundation for maximising success.
Governance arrangements
Set up contract governance: who is managing the contract? How will performance be monitored? How will any issues be escalated? how variations will be managed, and how review meetings will be scheduled.
The contract management phase, once the supplier has been chosen and all of the final terms agreed and signed, often has a significant impact on whether the project’s intended outcomes are delivered and expected value is realised.
Performance monitoring and KPI management
Monitor supplier performance against the procurement KPIs defined at contract signature. Review these regularly (monthly/quarterly) and ensure corrective action is taken if performance falls short. The Procurement Act 2023 embeds this requirement more explicitly.
Risk management, supplier relationship and change control
Maintain a risk register for the contract. Risk assessment is not a one-and-done in procurement, so you’ll need to keep monitoring elements such as:
- Supply-chain risks
- Regulatory changes
- Performance issues
- Cost over-runs.
Maintain the relationship with the supplier and prioritise open communication, continuous improvement and a culture of collaboration so that the supplier is as invested as you are to maximise performance and get the best possible project outcomes.
Manage contract variations carefully. Under the new regulations, modifications to contracts (especially those above thresholds) trigger the requirement of publication of a Contract Change Notice (CCN).
Renewal, exit planning and lessons learned
As the contract nears end, it’s important to begin planning for renewal or exit, depending on the circumstances. What has worked? What hasn’t? What lessons will be transferred to future procurement projects?
Conduct a post-contract review and ask questions such as: did we achieve what we expected? How could the process be improved?
Transparency and debarment / exclusions
Ensure that any required notices (for modifications, payment compliance, contract termination) are published. Be aware of the new debarment list regime under the Act where suppliers may be excluded or banned from future procurement opportunities for poor performance or breach of contract.
Legal and regulatory compliance
The Procurement Act 2023 sets the overarching framework for all public bodies, so ensure your procurement policy, internal rules and training reflect the new regime so that you are compliant in all areas.
Audit, assurance and governance
Maintain a robust audit trail that includes details of all decisions, evaluations, contract awards, modifications and performance reviews. Internal assurance teams or external auditors should periodically review the process to ensure compliance and value for money.
Continuous improvement
Procurement teams should capture the lessons learned at all stages of the process, gather supplier feedback, review KPIs and feed any identified improvements into future procurement activity.
The role of frameworks in the public procurement process
As shown by the multi-stage outline above, public procurement can be complex, time-consuming and resource-intensive, particularly if every new requirement is approached as a standalone tender.
Framework agreements and other compliant procurement solutions provide an efficient, legally-sound way to simplify the process, reduce administrative workload, and accelerate delivery without compromising on the required transparency or compliance.
What is a Framework Agreement?
A framework agreement is a pre-approved arrangement between a contracting authority and a pre-selected group of suppliers, who can only be part of the framework if they prove that they are suitable and compliant with the law in all areas.
The framework sets out the overarching terms and conditions, such as pricing, service levels and legal terms, under which specific purchases (often known as call-off contracts) can be made over a defined period, usually up to four years.
Frameworks are established through a fully compliant competitive process, meaning that any future call-offs made under that framework automatically meet the relevant procurement regulations. This removes the need to run a full open or restricted tender every time a new requirement arises.
How frameworks streamline the procurement process
Reduced administrative burden
As the competition to select framework suppliers has already been conducted, buyers avoid repeating the same tendering steps for each procurement. There is no need to issue lengthy notices, create bespoke documentation, or conduct a full selection and award process each time. This can reduce the administrative effort of procurement by weeks or even months. For example, in large construction projects, using a suitable framework can reduce the procurement time by anywhere between 6-12 months, which equates to tens of thousands of pounds in time, resources and legal costs.
Faster routes to market
Frameworks can enable contracting authorities to place orders quickly once the requirements are confirmed. This is particularly useful when deadlines are tight or when projects need to mobilise rapidly.
Proven, pre-qualified suppliers
Suppliers that have been appointed to frameworks have already been through a rigorous assessment of their capability, compliance and financial standing. This means buyers can have confidence in supplier quality and performance from the outset. Under the Procurement Act 2023, frameworks remain fully compliant and align with the principles of transparency, fairness and value for money.
Flexibility and scalability
Most frameworks offer multiple “lots”, often split by region, by distinct service categories or specialisms, so buyers can choose the most appropriate suppliers for their need. Frameworks can accommodate both direct awards (for straightforward, lower value procurements) and competitions (for more tailored requirements).
Compliance and risk reduction
Using a framework removes much of the compliance risk associated with running individual procurements, since the framework itself has already been established in line with the applicable legislation. With the Procurement Act 2023 introducing new transparency and performance obligations, frameworks provide a structured and auditable route that meets these requirements while keeping the comparative administrative effort low.
Frameworks and other procurement solutions help to focus on value, not admin
By leveraging frameworks or compliant procurement solutions, public bodies can significantly streamline their procurement lifecycle.
These routes enable public sector organisations to achieve the same assurance and governance standards demanded by the Procurement Act 2023, but with far less complexity. They help teams work smarter, cut down on duplicated effort, and deliver value to the public faster.
Find out more about Procurement Hub’s current solutions.