Procurement Act 2023
Procurement Act 2023 notices: UK1 to UK17 explained
For procurements starting on or after 24 February 2025, public buyers publish the notices the Procurement Act 2023 sets out on Find a Tender. Each has a code from UK1 to UK17, and each tells suppliers something different: work is coming, a tender is open, a contract has been awarded, signed, changed or ended.
There is no UK8 in Find a Tender's list. There are exceptions for procurements under Scottish rules, below-threshold contracts under Northern Irish rules, and frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems and qualification systems set up under earlier legislation.
Before the tender
Early signals: what a buyer plans to buy, how it is talking to the market, and warning that a tender is coming.
UK1 Pipeline notice
Published about potential future contracts and dynamic markets.
Tendarix lists 3
UK2 Preliminary market engagement notice
Published to provide information about how the contracting authority will be engaging with suppliers, or how they have already done that.
Tendarix lists 8
UK3 Planned procurement notice
Published to provide early information about a competitive procurement.
Going to market
An invitation to bid or, for a direct award, notice that there will be no competition.
UK4 Tender notice
Published to advertise for tenders or requests to participate using a competitive tendering procedure (open procedure or competitive flexible procedure), including when using a dynamic market or establishing a framework, but not for awards under frameworks.
Tendarix lists 14
UK5 Transparency notice
Published to provide transparency before making a direct award.
Tendarix lists 2
Award and signature
Who won, before the contract is signed and once it has been.
UK6 Contract award notice
Published after making an award decision and before a contract is signed, including when using a framework or if making a direct award.
Tendarix lists 11
UK7 Contract details notice
Published after a contract has been signed, both above and below threshold.
Tendarix lists 14
While the contract runs, and when it ends
Performance against KPIs, changes to the contract, and its end.
UK9 Contract performance notice
Published to report performance against key performance indicators (KPIs).
UK10 Contract change notice
Published before changing a contract's value or term, or if it is transferred due to corporate restructuring.
UK11 Contract termination notice
Published after a contract has ended, including when it has been completed successfully.
Cancellation
A procurement that stops without a contract being signed.
UK12 Procurement termination notice
Published if the procurement process for a contract has been cancelled and it will not be signed.
Dynamic markets
Markets suppliers can apply to join while they run, set up, used, changed and closed.
UK13 Dynamic market intention notice
Published before a dynamic market is established, to notify suppliers that they can apply to join.
UK14 Dynamic market establishment notice
Published after a dynamic market has been established, to notify contracting authorities that they can now use it, and which suppliers are part of it.
UK15 Dynamic market modification notice
Published after a dynamic market is modified, including when suppliers have been added or removed.
UK16 Dynamic market cessation notice
Published after a dynamic market has ceased to operate.
Paying suppliers
How promptly a buyer pays its suppliers, reported twice a year.
UK17 Payments compliance notice
Published to report statistics on how promptly suppliers have been paid.