This is the first of many planned communications to begin sharing what we know about the act and the training and support being offered to staff and suppliers.
These changes will go live on 24 February 2025 (delayed from October 2024), and bring a single regime that is simpler, faster, more transparent, less bureaucratic, and better meets our needs.
The new act is expected to bring a range of benefits, including:
- creating a simpler and more flexible commercial system that better meets our needs while remaining compliant with our obligations
- opening public procurement to new suppliers such as small businesses and social enterprises
- taking tougher action on underperforming suppliers and excluding suppliers who pose unacceptable risks
- embedding transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle so that the spending of taxpayers’ money can be properly scrutinised
If you work in procurement or your work touches on procurement (finance, legal, contract managers, specialist advisers and commissioners) you need to understand and keep up to date with these changes. The best place to do this is the new procurement pathway.
We are inviting you to view The Official Transforming Public Procurement Knowledge Drops for contracting authorities parts 1 to 6. The training is in the form of 6 YouTube video clips and combined should last for approximately 55 minutes.
If you have any questions, please drop an email countyprocurementcompliance.team@derbyshire.gov.uk.
The team will be taking the lead on these changes, they may not have all the answers at this stage, but will record all questions and obtain responses when they are able.