It’s no secret that there are some essential modifications forward that may have an effect on public procurement. Elements such because the Brexit negotiations and modifications from the Authorities are going to have an effect on the way in which any UK companies discover and submit tenders from 2021 onwards. However what precisely are these modifications, and the way a lot of an influence will they really have?

By way of public procurement (contracts with the Authorities, native councils, emergency companies, colleges, and extra), this course of will stay unchanged till the Brexit transition section ends on thirty first December 2020, which may very well be prolonged. This, due to this fact, implies that any frameworks gained earlier than the tip of the 12 months will proceed to be unaffected, in-line with the framework timescales that may be till 2025.

On the finish of the transition interval, reviews counsel that the Authorities is planning to rewrite procurement laws, aiming to simplify the procurement course of and higher help UK companies. On condition that there are 15-20 major procurement portals utilized by the general public sector, a few of which could be slightly clunky items of software program, that is nice information and absolutely might be welcomed for all concerned within the procurement course of.

A key change we’ll see is the introduction of the brand new UK e-notification service, named ‘Discover a Tender’, which is about to be launched on 1st January 2020 and can exchange the EU Publications workplace. That is notably essential within the case of a no-deal Brexit, the place contracting authorities would not have entry to Tenders Digital Every day (TED).

This new service is more likely to make the method of discovering alternatives simpler, nevertheless as talked about there are 15-20 completely different procurement portals, most of which won’t be linked to the brand new e-notification system. It’s probably that the brand new service might be sat inside the contracts finder, or vice versa, that means it’s extra of a alternative for TED than a greater resolution in my view.

The Authorities can be introducing new measures to ship worth to society by way of public procurement from 2021. Though it’s nice to see an replace and ritual launched into emphasising social worth throughout the procurement course of, that is one thing that has largely been taking place since 2012. From what now we have noticed by way of engaged on tenders for native councils, Authorities, and the general public sector usually, for years it has been very important for us to emphasize social worth with the intention to obtain a aggressive benefit.

We’ll after all see the necessities change into stricter – the important thing distinction is that that is now a requirement for the central Authorities, slightly than native councils and Authorities. From what now we have seen, procurement groups, patrons and native councils are already effectively forward on this observe and demonstrating social worth in numerous instances.

Total, the principle change we’ll see is the introduction of Discover a Tender, which goals to make tenders simpler to seek out. Whether or not or not these might be linked to the completely different procurement portals will decide whether or not this finally ends up being the higher resolution – solely time will inform.