The Procurement Act 2023 - How’s it going and what’s next?

Session overview

The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025, marking one of the most significant overhauls of UK public procurement in recent years. One year on, how is the new regime working in practice and what comes next?

This session will focus on the shift towards a more transparent, data-driven procurement system, including the central digital platform, Find a Tender, procurement data, and the development of a supplier registration system.

Recent developments have increased emphasis on how procurement data is used to drive policy objectives, including departmental targets for SME spend and new reporting expectations. Against this backdrop, we will explore how these elements are working in practice.

Is the system improving visibility and accessibility for suppliers? Are contracting authorities able to engage effectively with new data requirements? And is the growing use of targets and published data supporting meaningful accountability and behavioural change?

We will also look ahead to the next phase of reform, identifying where further refinement or guidance may be needed to ensure the regime delivers on its ambitions.

Our panellists are:

• Anne Davies (Chair), Professor of Law and Public Policy, University of Oxford Law Faculty
• Albert Sanchez Graells, Professor of Economic Law, University of Bristol Law School
• Camila Salazar, Head of Data Analytics and Learning, Open Contracting Partnership
• Kate Gough, Partner, Freshfields

This online session is co-hosted by the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Law and the Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab) in the Blavatnik School of Government.

Resources

• UK Government - Press release Government departments to set individual targets for the amount they will spend with SMEs.
• UK Government – National Procurement Policy Statement Outlines the government’s strategic priorities for public procurement and explains how contracting authorities can support their delivery.
• UK Government – Public Procurement and Transparency Guidance Provides learning materials and guidance for public buyers, including an overview of the transparency measures introduced under the new Procurement Act 2023.
• Oxford POGO Club – Letter to the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office Read the letter here