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.
A contract award notice informs interested parties that the contracting authority intends to enter into a public contract with a specified supplier (or, where relevant, multiple suppliers).
The standstill period is the period between the contracting authority announcing its intention to enter into a contract (by publishing the contract award notice) and actually entering into that contract; the contracting authority cannot enter into the contract during the standstill period. The standstill period provides an opportunity for suppliers to raise any concerns about, or formally challenge, the award decision before the contract is entered into. It must be at least eight working days beginning with the day on which the contract award notice is published.
Legal framework
- Section 50 - 51
- Regulations 27-30
Other guidance relevant to this area
- Central Digital Platform and Publication of information
- Direct award
- Competitive tendering procedures
- Assessing competitive tenders
- Assessment summaries
- Lots