Overview
The guidance documents are intended to provide technical guidance and help with interpretation and understanding of the Procurement Act 2023.
The guidance documents should be read in conjunction with the Procurement Act 2023 and its associated regulations and are aimed at procurement practitioners and commercial policy leads in contracting authorities. They are intended to provide technical guidance and help with interpretation and understanding of the Procurement Act 2023.
The central digital platform is the online system referenced in the Procurement Act 2023 and named in its Regulations. It enables:
- contracting authorities and suppliers to register and receive a unique identifier
- contracting authorities to publish notices and other information as required under the Act for covered and below-threshold procurements
- suppliers to submit and store certain core organisational information as required by the regulations to participate in a covered procurement. This information will only be available to those contracting authorities that a supplier chooses to share it with it cannot be freely accessed
- anyone to view the notices and access related public procurement data
The guidance covers access to the central digital platform and the use of unique identifiers, the publication of information by contracting authorities (including requirements for the withholding of information), the submission and use of supplier information and requirements relating to the keeping of procurement records.
Legal framework
- Section 94
- Sections 98-99
- Regulation 5 - 6
- Regulations 15-41
Other guidance relevant to this area
In order to comply with the requirements relating to the publication and use of information on the central digital platform, contracting authorities will need to be familiar with the requirements for each of the notices which are explained in more detail in the full suite of guidance on the Act.