Procurement Act 2023 readiness checker
Answer 12 quick questions about how your team procures today and get an instant readiness rating - plus a prioritised list of the PA23 gaps to close. Nothing to install, no email required.
Transparency notices
Are you set up to publish the required PA23 notices (tender, award and contract details) on the Central Digital Platform and Find a Tender?
Pipeline notices
Do you publish pipeline notices for your forward programme where required (relevant contracts in the coming financial year)?
Competitive Flexible Procedure
Can your team confidently design and run the Competitive Flexible Procedure (CFP)?
Award criteria (MAT)
Do you evaluate on Most Advantageous Tender with award criteria and weightings fixed and disclosed before you go to market?
KPIs on major contracts
For contracts over £5m, do you set and publish at least three KPIs and assess performance at least annually?
Exclusions & debarment
Do you check the debarment list and apply the PA23 exclusion grounds consistently across suppliers?
Conflicts of interest
Do you assess and record conflicts of interest for everyone involved in each procurement?
Standstill
Do you apply and evidence the mandatory standstill period before entering into a contract?
Contract management
Do you actively manage contracts and publish contract-performance and payment information where required?
Below-threshold
Do you have a compliant, proportionate process for below-threshold and sub-threshold procurement?
Audit trail
Do you keep a complete, retrievable audit trail for every procurement decision?
Team readiness
Is your team trained on PA23 and confident applying it day to day?
Answer all 12 questions to see your readiness rating and tailored actions.
Indicative self-assessment for guidance only. It is not legal advice or a statement of compliance with the Procurement Act 2023. Check the current legislation and official guidance, or ask us for a formal readiness review.
What PA23 readiness actually means
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025 and replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. It keeps the familiar shape of a competitive process but changes the detail in ways that matter day to day: more transparency notices, published to a Central Digital Platform; a new Competitive Flexible Procedure you design yourself; a tougher exclusions and debarment regime; and mandatory KPIs on contracts over £5m.
Being ready is less about knowing the Act and more about whether your process produces the right evidence without heroics. Can you set and disclose award criteria before you go to market, publish each notice on time, check exclusions and conflicts consistently, apply the standstill, and retrieve a complete audit trail months later? The checker above turns those obligations into 12 plain questions so you can see, in two minutes, where you stand.
Where the gaps are process or evidence problems, software closes most of them - notices, evaluation records and audit trails become a by-product of normal use. Where they are capability gaps, focused PA23 training or a readiness review is usually the faster fix. See how the platform handles PA23 on our government procurement software page, or read the full guide to eSourcing.
Procurement Act 2023 - FAQs
What is the Procurement Act 2023?
The Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) is the law that reformed public procurement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, replacing the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. It introduces a single set of rules, new transparency notices published to a Central Digital Platform, the Competitive Flexible Procedure, a stronger exclusions and debarment regime, and mandatory KPIs on major contracts.
When did the Procurement Act 2023 come into force?
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025. Procurements started before that date generally continue under the old rules, but new procurements must follow PA23.
What is a PA23 readiness check?
A readiness check is a quick self-assessment against the main Procurement Act 2023 obligations - transparency notices, the Competitive Flexible Procedure, award criteria, KPIs, exclusions, conflicts, standstill, contract management and record keeping. It shows where you are already compliant and where there are gaps to close.
How do I know if I am PA23 compliant?
Compliance means you can run a procurement end to end under the Act and evidence every decision: criteria set before you go to market, the right notices published on time, exclusions and conflicts checked, standstill applied, KPIs set on major contracts, and a complete audit trail. The checker below flags the areas that still need work.
Who does the Procurement Act 2023 apply to?
It applies to contracting authorities across central government, local authorities, the NHS, education, housing associations acting as contracting authorities, and other public bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own separate procurement regime.