A Year Under Our Belt: Insights From the First 12 Months of the Procurement Act 23

The Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February 2025, represents the most significant reform to UK public procurement in a decade. The Act replaces the former EU-derived rules, Public Contracts Regulations 2015, with a simpler, more flexible regime, designed to enhance transparency, accessibility and value for money across the public sector. Key changes include the introduction of the Competitive Flexible Procedure, providing contracting authorities with greater discretion to design procurement processes; the establishment of a new Procurement Review Unit to improve oversight; and an emphasis on assessing overall value rather than focusing solely on cost. The Act also supports a digital by default approach with all procurement opportunities published on the new Central Digital Platform, improving consistency and visibility for suppliers. 

As Procurement Act 23 experts, we have been keeping a close eye on how the public sector is navigating this considerable shift, so let’s see what the last 12 months has delivered. 

Six months under our belt 

Six months after implementation, Commercial Services Group conducted research with over 500 senior executives and procurement leaders across local government, health, housing, education and blue light services. The results generally showed cautious optimism, coupled with some remaining capability gaps.  

• 76% viewed the Act as a transformational opportunity, signalling broad enthusiasm for change rather than reluctant compliance.  

• However, only 28% felt fully prepared for the Act’s enhanced transparency requirements, which are central to the reform’s goals of fairness, openness, and accountability.  

• 43% said government provided training and resources still had gaps, indicating that while organisations understood the “what,” many felt underequipped for the “how.”  

• 16% were unaware of any support at all, highlighting a breakdown in communication and guidance dissemination across parts of the sector.  

• 33% of individuals with procurement responsibilities had limited or no knowledge of the Act, suggesting that even key staff were not uniformly prepared for the shift.  

Leadership confidence also exceeded operational readiness: 

• 49% of senior leaders felt prepared, reflecting strategic buying at the top of many organisations.  

• Compared with only 33% of procurement professionals, who expressed more concern around capability, skills, and practical implementation.  

This pointed to a clear earlystage disconnect between strategic intent and organisations capability. Senior leaders viewed the reform through a strategic and forward-looking lens, while procurement professionals were already encountering the realities of new processes, new expectations, and new pressures. 

These findings collectively painted a picture of organisations eager to embrace the Act’s goals but still grappling with the foundational knowledge, tools, and capacity required to deliver meaningful change. Confidence in the Act was high, but confidence in the capability to deliver on the changes was less assured. 

Six months in, the Procurement Act 2023 demanded more than enthusiasm, it required investment in people, systems, and support to close the gap and translate optimism into operational strength. 

Learn more about the research undertaken by Commercial Services Group: 

Readiness for procurement transformation in the UK public sector - Commercial Services Group 

Eight months under our belt 

In October 2025, Procurement Services’ Managing Director, Tarryn Kerr and Associate Director of Procurement, Simon Davis were invited onto the Delta eSourcing podcast to talk about “Procurement Act 2023: How Procurement Teams Are Adapting.” 

Take a listen to the full podcast here https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta-talks-podcast/ 

As the public sector shifted from early optimism, eight months on the practical realities of delivery were concerning some organisations. Simon noted, “optimism is being tempered by wider challenges… procurement isn’t operating in a vacuum; it’s sitting inside sectors already under immense stress and pressure,” making the new requirements harder to absorb in practice. This discussion eight months in highlighted capacity, systems, and organisational readiness as the biggest obstacles. Simon explained that “everyone is trying to do something for the first time,” and even experienced teams don’t have the systems in place to hit the transparency that’s needed, especially while still delivering BAU activity. 

Tarryn pointed out during the episode “Collaboration is going to be key… Challenges to collaboration are financial constraints, how to coordinate between parties, and the complexity of contractual agreements… at a time when resource is short across most organisations. We’re not all going to know it on day one… it’s about learning from others and gaining shared experience.”  

Another theme highlighted in the podcast was the shift in mindset required under the new regime. Tarryn emphasised that the Act isn’t just about new processes but about adopting a more commercial, value‑focused approach: understanding data, engaging earlier with the market, and planning more strategically. She noted that procurement teams must increasingly think beyond compliance, asking what value looks like for their organisation and how to achieve it. The Act encourages innovation, negotiation and deeper market engagement, but this requires cultural change as much as procedural change.  

Together, these reflections revealed a sector that now understands the Act but feels the weight of delivering it under intense practical pressures. 

Living with the Act 

At Procurement Act Live in October 2025, Procurement Services discussed the practical impact of implementing the Act for customers and suppliers during the session ‘Living with the Act – How are Procurement Professionals Adapting?’, where they were joined by Andy Bruen from Softcat and Shaun Lay from London Borough of Newham.  

During the session Procurement Services asked the audience about the biggest challenges their organisations were facing with the Act:  

• 9% said financial challenges. 

• 25% voiced time constraints. 

• 50% declared lack of resource. 

• 16% named regulations. 

Organisations also highlighted engagement, compliance and investment as being key to their procurement delivery over the next two years.  

Nicola Monk, Divisional CEO Energy & Environment/Procurement & Partnerships, Commercial Services Group also took part in a panel discussion Transparency and Accountability: Has the Act Delivered?  

It was discussed that “transparency by default” was already encouraging greater supplier engagement, with the new notice regime giving SMEs and new entrants clearer visibility of upcoming work.  

Early‑stage tools such as Preliminary Market Engagement were helping authorities widen competition and improve bid readiness, while the introduction of KPIs for contracts over £5m was prompting more meaningful conversations around performance, social value and sustainability.  

The panel reflected on the shift in contract management, as teams adapted to mandatory performance and termination notices and strengthened their reporting processes. Crucially, accountability mechanisms, such as public performance ratings and exclusion powers, were starting to reinforce delivery standards.  

Together, these insights showed a sector moving from understanding the Act to actively embedding it, even amidst ongoing pressures. 

A year under our belt  

Now 12-months on, and as the sector continues to adapt, one thing is clear: no organisation has to navigate the Act alone. With the right support, the next 12 months can shift from pressure to progress.  

Procurement Services provides bespoke support via their Procurement team, offering the public sector a full range of services, including: 

• Expert guidance for in-house processes: from reviewing documentation and advising on scoring methods to shaping presentations, managing evaluations, and overseeing contract awards. 

• End-to-end delivery of compliant procurement: covering both PCR2015/PA23 regulations, whether it is a Direct Award, Further Competition, Open Procedure, or Competitive Flexible Procedure. 

• Comprehensive management of your procurement function: including running fully compliant processes and providing ongoing contract management. All of the above is tailored to your specific needs. 

To see how we can help you please contact Andy Armstrong on andrew.armstrong@csltd.org.uk or 01865 648127. 

And to explore more about how we can support your organisation’s procurement and contract management needs, visit our website to learn more. 

https://www.procurementservices.co.uk/