The Procurement Act 2023 for care providers
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025 and replaced the old Public Contracts Regulations 2015 for most new public procurements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For care providers it brings more transparency, new notice types, a single national platform for finding opportunities, and a clearer debrief and standstill regime. The core skills of bidding stay the same: meet the criteria, answer the questions, and evidence your care quality.
What actually changed
The Act replaced PCR 2015 with a single set of rules and new procedures, including the flexible competitive procedure that lets buyers design their own process within set guardrails. It introduces more published notices across the whole life of a contract, a central digital platform suppliers register on once, and a stronger regime for excluding and debarring poor performers. Contracts that started under the old rules continue under those rules, so you will see both regimes running side by side for some time.
Most advantageous tender replaces MEAT
Awards are now made on the basis of the most advantageous tender, or MAT, rather than the most economically advantageous tender. The shift is deliberate. It signals that buyers can and should weigh quality, social value and wider benefit, not just lean on lowest price. For quality led care this is helpful, because it gives commissioners cover to reward genuine outcomes. In practice you still read each tender's stated criteria and weightings, but the direction of travel favours providers who can evidence quality.
The central digital platform and finding work
A central digital platform underpins the Act, letting suppliers register and store core information once rather than re keying it for every buyer. Higher value opportunities are published through the Find a Tender service, while Contracts Finder continues to carry lower value contracts in England. Councils still run submissions through portals such as ProContract, In-Tend, Jaggaer and Atamis for the NHS, so registering on the platform does not replace the portal you actually bid in.
Standstill, debrief and challenge
The Act keeps a standstill period between telling bidders the outcome and signing the contract, giving unsuccessful providers a window to seek a remedy. Assessment summaries give losing bidders clearer feedback on how their bid scored against the criteria. For care providers this matters because good feedback is the fastest way to improve the next bid. If something looks wrong, the standstill window is when you raise it, not after the contract is signed.
Exclusions, debarment and performance
The new regime takes provider conduct and past performance more seriously. There is a central debarment list for suppliers excluded for serious reasons, and buyers can take account of poor performance on earlier contracts. For a care provider the practical message is to deliver well and keep your record clean, because performance now follows you more visibly between procurements. Keep evidence of good delivery, resolved complaints and CQC progress, since this is the material that protects and promotes you.
What it means for your bids today
You still need current CQC or Ofsted registration at an acceptable rating, the right insurances, accounts that pass a financial check, and clear method statements tied to the scoring grid. The biggest practical change is more visible information about contracts and performance, plus the MAT framing that rewards quality. Read each tender on its own terms, because buyers are still settling into the new notice formats and some documents mix old and new language while the transition beds in.
Old rules versus the Procurement Act 2023
A quick comparison of what changed when the Act replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
| Area | Under PCR 2015 | Under the Procurement Act 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| In force | From 2015 until 23 February 2025 | New procurements from 24 February 2025 |
| Award basis | Most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) | Most advantageous tender (MAT) |
| Finding work | Contracts Finder and OJEU style notices | Central digital platform, Find a Tender and Contracts Finder |
| Transparency | Fewer notices across the contract life | More published notices from planning to delivery |
| Poor performers | Limited exclusion grounds | Stronger exclusion plus a central debarment list |
Not sure if you qualify for a tender? We check it for free, before you pay anything, and we only take bids we believe you can win. Text TENDER to get started.
Common questions
When did the Procurement Act 2023 come into force?
It went live on 24 February 2025. The previous go-live date was delayed from October 2024 to allow more time for the national procurement policy statement and guidance.
What does most advantageous tender mean?
Most advantageous tender, or MAT, replaced most economically advantageous tender. It signals that buyers can weigh quality, social value and wider benefit alongside price, not just choose the cheapest bid.
Does the Procurement Act 2023 apply to Scotland?
No. Scotland has its own procurement rules and portals, such as Public Contracts Scotland. The Act covers England, and reserved procurement in Wales and Northern Ireland.
What is the central digital platform?
A single national platform where suppliers register and store core information once, rather than re keying it for every buyer. You still submit your actual bid on the buyer's portal.
What is the standstill period?
A pause between the buyer telling bidders the outcome and signing the contract. It gives unsuccessful providers a window to review the assessment summary and raise any concern before the contract completes.
Do I need to do anything differently to bid now?
Register on the central digital platform when prompted, keep your supplier information current, deliver well to protect your record, and read each tender carefully. The fundamentals of a strong, evidenced bid have not changed.
Keep reading
Browse all care tender guides, or see care tender writing by service.
Got a tender to check?
Text TENDER to +44 7822 030677and we'll tell you free whether you'd qualify, before you spend a penny.