Welcome to a practical, plain-English glossary designed for UK contracting authorities and publicly funded charities. It is aligned to the Procurement Act 2023 and current guidance, so you can navigate tenders, contracts and audits with confidence. Use it as a quick reference during live procurements, to brief non-commercial colleagues, or to support training and induction. It is not legal advice, but it will point you to the right terms, concepts and process language you will encounter day to day. For answers to common questions, see our public procurement FAQs.
Quick reference: key Procurement Act 2023 notices
| Notice | What it records or enables |
| Tender Notice | Starts a competitive process and invites tenders. |
| Planned Procurement Notice | Signals likely procurements in advance. |
| Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | Invites suppliers to engage before the tender. |
| Transparency Notice | Published before a compliant direct award. |
| Contract Details Notice | Key information about the awarded contract. |
| Contract Change Notice | Published before qualifying modifications. |
| Contract Performance Notice | Publishes KPI outcomes for high-value contracts. |
| Contract Payment Notice | Quarterly payments over £30k made under a contract. |
| Payments Compliance Notice | Twice-yearly summary of 30-day payment performance. |
| Contract Termination Notice | Issued when a contract ends or is terminated early. |
| Procurement Termination Notice | Issued if a live procurement is stopped without award. |
| Dynamic Market Notices | Establishment, change or termination of a Dynamic Market. |
| Pipeline Notice | Forward look of planned procurements above set value. |
A
Aggregation
Adding together the value of related purchases to determine the correct route and threshold.
Appraisal
Assessment of a supplier’s general capability against stated criteria, distinct from tender award scoring.
Approved List
Legacy concept. Under the Act authorities cannot hold closed “approved lists” unless operated as a Dynamic Market.
Associated Person
A person an economic operator relies on to meet conditions of participation, often a key subcontractor in the first tier.
Assessment Summary
Issued to each bidder with scores and reasons. It triggers the standstill if you are using one.
Audit Trail
The documentary evidence that shows how a process and decisions were made.
Authorised Officer
Designated officer responsible for managing the contract and supplier relationship.
Award Criteria
Predefined criteria that determine award, for example quality and price weightings leading to the Most Advantageous Tender.
B
BAFO – Best and Final Offer
A final, fully priced offer responding to your ITT. Once accepted and signed, it is binding.
Benchmarking
Comparing price or performance to peers or best practice to evidence value and improvement.
Best Value
Continuous improvement in economy, efficiency and effectiveness as required of local authorities.
Bills of Quantity
Client-provided quantities that bidders price to form a lump sum in works contracts.
C
Call-off Contract
A contract awarded under a framework or Dynamic Market terms, used to meet specific needs.
Central Digital Platform
The national platform where buyers publish notices and suppliers register core information. Successor to earlier services and the source of performance data and the Debarment List.
Clarification Period
Time window for questions and answers during a live competition. Responses must be shared fairly.
Collaboration
Multiple authorities combining buying power to improve outcomes and reduce admin overhead.
Competitive Dialogue
Legacy PCR 2015 procedure used for complex solutions. Still relevant to existing contracts procured under PCR.
Competitive Flexible Procedure – CFP
New Act procedure that allows you to design a tailored set of stages such as tenders, negotiations, presentations and demonstrations. Use it when a one-stage open route is unlikely to secure the best outcome.
Competitive Tendering Procedures
Under the Act there are two core procedures: Open and Competitive Flexible. Both begin with a Tender Notice.
Concessions Contract
Consideration includes the right to exploit the works or services and the supplier carries real operating risk.
Conditions of Participation – CoP
Minimum entry criteria above threshold. These can be checked at a first stage or alongside tender evaluation using a Procurement Specific Questionnaire.
Connected Persons
Persons with significant influence or control over a supplier. May affect exclusion and due diligence checks.
Construction Industry Scheme – CIS
HMRC scheme requiring deductions on certain construction operations, offset against PAYE.
Contract Change Notice
Notice you publish before qualifying modifications to an awarded contract.
Contract Details Notice
Captures key details of the awarded contract. For high values you may publish a redacted contract.
Contract Payment Notice
Quarterly publication of payments over £30k under a contract.
Contract Performance Notice
Publishes KPI scores for large contracts and any poor performance within 30 days.
Contract Termination Notice
Published when a contract ends, including early termination.
Core Supplier Information
Standardised data suppliers lodge on the Central Digital Platform, including basic details, financial standing, connected persons and exclusion grounds.
D
Debarment List
A centrally published list maintained by a Minister after investigation. Authorities must or may exclude listed suppliers depending on the ground.
Debriefing
Constructive feedback to suppliers to support learning and improve future competition quality.
Dynamic Market
Act-compliant electronic market for commonly purchased requirements. Open to new suppliers throughout and used for above-threshold purchasing. Replaces legacy Dynamic Purchasing Systems.
E
eProcurement
Electronic methods across the purchase-to-pay and sourcing lifecycle.
Estimate
Your internal, realistic estimate of total contract value including options and VAT. Determines the route and rules.
Evaluation Criteria
The specific criteria and weightings you apply to score tenders. Document them clearly in the ITT.
Excluded Supplier
A supplier meeting a mandatory ground where circumstances are continuing or likely to recur, or already determined via debarment. Must be excluded.
Excludable Supplier
A supplier meeting a discretionary ground where circumstances are continuing or likely to recur, or already determined via debarment. May be excluded.
Exclusion Grounds
The mandatory and discretionary grounds in the Act that authorities must consider for suppliers and connected or associated persons.
F
Find a Tender Service
The UK notice service for above-threshold tenders under PCR 2015 and the Act, within the Central Digital Platform ecosystem.
Framework Agreement
An agreement that sets terms for future call-offs when needs arise. Use direct award or further competition as allowed.
G
Goods – Supplies
Purchase or hire of goods. Above threshold these follow procurement rules.
I
Intended Sub-contractors
Sub-contractors a bidder plans to use. Authorities must check their debarment status for above-threshold awards.
Invitation to Tender – ITT
The document inviting tenders, setting rules, specification and evaluation.
L
Light Touch Regime
Services such as health, education and social care with specific, lighter rules.
Liquidated and Ascertained Damages
Pre-agreed sums deducted for specific breaches like late delivery, where enforceable.
M
Market Testing
Testing the market for capability, interest and pricing. Can support options appraisal and business cases.
Most Advantageous Tender – MAT
The outcome that brings the greatest benefit considering quality, cost and other stated factors. It replaces the narrow emphasis on price alone.
O
Open Procedure
One-stage route where all eligible bidders may submit a tender.
P
Parent Company Guarantee
A guarantee from a parent that it will fulfil a subsidiary’s obligations if the subsidiary fails.
Payment’s Compliance Notice
Publication of your performance against 30-day payment terms.
PIN – see Planned Procurement Notice
Legacy under PCR. The Act uses the Planned Procurement Notice.
Pipeline Notice
A forward look of likely procurements above a stated value across the next 18 months.
Pricing Schedules
Itemised lists bidders rate to form a price, used widely in works and services.
Procurement
End-to-end acquisition from need identification through contract end, including options and lifecycle costs.
Procurement Act 2023
Primary legislation for public procurement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, supported by Procurement Regulations 2024 and live from February 2025 for new procurements.
Procurement Specific Questionnaire – PSQ
Act-aligned questionnaire that tests conditions of participation and exclusion grounds.
Procurement Termination Notice
Published if you stop a process without award after publishing a tender or transparency notice.
Public Contracts Regulations 2015 – PCR 2015
Rules that continue to govern legacy contracts and any processes started before the Act’s commencement.
Public Procurement Threshold
The value at which the regulations apply. From 2023 VAT must be included in estimates.
Purchase Order
The formal order that confirms addresses, terms and cost for a purchase.
Q
Quality and Quality Assurance
Fitness for purpose specified or achieved, plus the systems that control and evidence it.
Quotation
A written or verbal price from a supplier. For audit you should confirm in writing.
R
Restricted Procedure
Legacy two-stage route under PCR 2015. Still relevant to existing contracts.
Risk Register
A live document listing risks, likelihood, impact and actions. Use it through sourcing and delivery.
S
Schedule of Rates
Standard rate lists used to price tasks, often uplifted or discounted by bidders.
Services
Externally provided services of any type. Above threshold they are regulated.
Service Level Agreement – SLA
The part of the contract that sets out service levels and performance measures.
Shared Services
Combining functions or technology across organisations to reduce cost and improve service.
Social Value
Positive social, environmental and economic outcomes added by what you buy.
SME
Small and medium-sized enterprise under defined headcount and financial limits.
Specification
Clear, outcome-focused description of what you need and the standards required.
Standstill Period
Minimum eight working days under the Act between issuing assessment summaries and contract signature when you choose to use standstill.
Sub-contracting
Passing part of contract performance to another supplier. Manage transparency and liability.
Supplier Diversity
Intentionally opening up spend to small and diverse businesses to strengthen markets and outcomes.
Sustainable Procurement
Using purchasing to support wider social, economic and environmental goals.
T
Tender
A bidder’s formal offer to deliver the goods, works or services.
Tender Documents
The instructions, terms, specification, pricing and response schedules you issue to bidders.
Tender Evaluation Panel
Your panel that scores tenders and documents the recommendation to award.
Tender Notice
The published notice that opens your competition under the Open or CFP routes.
Transition Period
Both regimes run side by side. Processes started under PCR 2015 continue under those rules until contract end.
Transparency Notice
Published before a lawful direct award. It increases transparency and reduces challenge risk when used correctly.
TUPE
Regulations that protect employees when services transfer. Consider in both procurement and mobilisation.
U
Unique Identifier
The supplier identifier used on the Central Digital Platform.
V
Value for Money – VfM
Right goods and services from the right source, of the right quality, at the right time and place, at the right whole-life price.
Variants
Alternative offers that meet minimum requirements but propose different technical solutions. Only allow them if you have said so in the ITT.
VAT Domestic Reverse Charge
VAT treatment for certain construction supplies. Confirm your status with suppliers before invoices are issued.
VCSE
Voluntary, community and social enterprise suppliers. The Act promotes wider access for these organisations.
Whole-Life Costing
All relevant costs and revenues across the asset or contract life, not just day-one price.
W
Works
Building, construction and engineering activities. Above threshold they are regulated procurements.
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