The Procurement Act 2023 marks one of the biggest shifts in UK public procurement legislation in years. As procurement teams adapt to the changes, in this article, we look at the main updates, highlight what they mean in practice, and share insights on how we are prepared at Datagraphic for the changes to support public sector buyers. First, we start with a quick Procurement Act 2023 summary, answering some common questions.

What is The Procurement Act 2023?

The Procurement Act 2023 is designed to streamline how public sector organisations buy goods, services, and works. The Act replaces several public contract regulations, namely:

• Public Contracts Regulations 2015 – governing how many public sector contracts are awarded
• Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 – covering procurement by utility companies
• Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 – applying to contracts where suppliers earn revenue from end users rather than the contracting authority
• Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 – regulating procurement in defence and security sectors.

The new Procurement Act legislation is intended to create a single, UK-wide framework for public procurement.

When does The Procurement Act 2023 come into force?

The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025, following years of preparation dating back to 2019, when the UK government first announced plans to reform public procurement post-Brexit.

What are The Procurement Act 2023 key changes?

The new Act aims to create a more flexible procurement regulation that drives better public sector outcomes and delivers fair competition. Here are some of the most notable changes:

1. Streamlined & More Flexible Procedures
   The new Act reduces the number of procurement procedures and introduces new options such as the Competitive Flexible Procedure and Open Procedure. For procurement teams, this offers more flexibility in supplier selection, and for those in the supply chain a more robust evaluation criteria to help ensure fairness and compliance.
2. Better Pre-market Supplier Engagement
   The Act encourages more market engagement to create innovative and diverse supplier selection opportunities. This allows public sector teams to proactively assess supplier solutions and build more robust specifications based on market knowledge.
   
3. Greater Transparency Through Open Contracting
   Public bodies will need to publish more data on procurement decisions, contract performance, and supplier engagement. For procurement teams, this means ensuring that your systems can manage and report on contracts in a way that meets these new transparency requirements.
   
4. A Stronger Focus on Social Value & Innovation
   The new rules reinforce the importance of social value in procurement. For example, being able to show how each contract contributes to strategic sustainability, local economic growth and ethical sourcing goals. For procurement officers, embedding clear social value metrics into procurement strategies from the outset will be key.
   
5. Shifting from MEAT to MAT for long-term contract value
   The Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2023 now requires buyers to review supplier bids for the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT), shifting from the previous approach of assessing the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The revision places more emphasis on long-term value beyond cost-efficiency. 

#SupportingPPAChanges

By considering the broader impact of purchasing decisions beyond economic factors, public sector buyers can achieve better efficiency and contribute to longer-term strategic goals.

Supporting Public Procurement Teams with The Procurement Act changes

As a trusted supplier to the public sector, at Datagraphic, we know change can be challenging for already overstretched procurement teams. However, having taken time to review the new legislation, we are ready to support you with The Procurement Act’s requirements in several ways:

1 – Insightful pre-market engagement
Our public sector expertise in secure, compliant document automation and digital transformation with Aceni and Epay means we can provide valuable insights during pre-market engagement, whether that’s technical product demonstrations to scope the art of the possible or ‘try before you buy’ pilot projects with critical departments for proof of concept.

During pre-market engagement, we can also share insights to help shape your specifications so you can drive innovations that deliver efficiencies,  cost savings, sustainability improvements and future-proof solutions. Insights that mean you gain industry-leading knowledge to achieve better outcomes for public sector projects. We can even organise a production centre tour to show how suppliers like us, who continuously invest in state-of-the-art equipment and initiatives to reduce wastage and improve efficiency, can derisk your contracts with modern on-demand services that scale with your contract and are resilient to withstand disruptions so your teams have continuity of supply.

Given the role of innovation in modern procurement,  at Datagraphic, we incorporate that mindset into our business. Engage early in your procurement cycle with us, and we will help you understand how, by adopting suppliers with modern open-source technologies, and those who invest in in-house software development, you can ensure during your contract there is a supportive partner ready to innovate and grow as your organisation’s needs change. By understanding what a good supplier focusing on continuous improvement can achieve, you can align your expectations and seek suppliers who keep pace with technological developments.

2 – More than a commitment to sustainability
Sustainability will increasingly be a key consideration for your procurement teams in selecting suppliers that meet the highest environmental standards for Procurement Act compliant contracts. Datagraphic exemplifies how suppliers can align with public sector sustainability goals. Since 2016, we have embedded ESG principles into our operations, from adopting energy-efficient practices and achieving ISO 50001 certification to having our carbon reduction targets validated by SBTi and using responsibly sourced materials. Our commitment to continuous improvement ensures we operate a sustainable business with a greener supply chain in line with the Procurement Act’s requirements. To support contract governance and increased reporting under the Act, we provide full transparency through ESG reporting, internal policies, and B Corp Certification – offering you a clear benchmark supplier for responsible sourcing. For more information about our impact on the planet, people, community and partners, visit our social impact page here.

3 – Measurable delivery of Social Value
In looking for suppliers to support Social Value delivery under The Procurement Act, seek partners who can evidence (through case studies, policies and reporting) that they deliver contract specific Social Value in addition to responsible business practices. Again, as a benchmark, Datagraphic, whether through job creation, supporting local suppliers, well-being, training or environmental initiatives, we work hard to ensure our operations support people and the planet around us. As a business, we have a far-reaching ESG strategy, which includes scope for working with clients to understand their contract-specific Social Value requirements. We tailor our offerings to provide the greatest impact within client communities. As one example we are funding breakfast clubs through the Greggs Foundation in schools local to clients as part of their social development objectives. When selecting suppliers as part of any contract, look for those who embed social value into their core practices, like Datagraphic, to ensure lasting, positive change in your communities.

4 – Transparency and ethical operations
In the spirit of The Procurement Act’s emphasis on transparency, at Datagraphic, we believe public sector suppliers should provide clear communications and strong ethical practices. Whether providing regular reporting on contract performance or ensuring supply chains are operating responsibly, if, like Datagraphic, your suppliers operate the highest levels of governance and maintain world-renowned ISO and ethical standards, your procurement process will stand up to scrutiny and reduce non-compliance risks. As an added value, although not widely used at this time within public procurement, seeking suppliers who are B Corp Certified will further reduce contract governance risks. B Corp Certified companies like Datagraphic complete rigorous assessments across every element of operations that impact the world around them. This validates that operations meet the highest standards of social and environmental impact. For example, the following image shows Datagraphic’s B Corp Certified score across key operational areas:

Next Steps for The Procurement Act 2023

The Procurement Act 2023 will continue to evolve as teams get to grips with the regulation and use it to reshape the way public sector contracts are awarded and governed.

At Datagraphic, we don’t claim to have all the answers to the challenges and opportunities the Act will bring, but we are committed to contributing meaningfully. Whether through more innovative technology and solutions that support pre-engagement to bring efficiencies, integration of more sustainable practices, more social value, or to maintain high levels of transparency and governance, as a reliable and trusted partner for public sector organisations. We believe in continuous improvement and are here to support our clients with the same objectives.

The new Procurement Act allows all businesses to reflect on how they can better serve the public sector and align with the values the Act promotes. Our goal is to remain a responsible and reliable supplier, ensuring we continue to support public sector teams in ways that deliver real value, now and in the future.