CIAT welcomes implementation of Procurement Act 2023

CIAT welcomes the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023, which aims to streamline procurement across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Eddie Weir PCIAT, CIAT President, said: 

We are pleased that, after a great deal of work by many people across UK Industry and in parliament, and after a change of government, the Procurement Act is now coming into force.  

Effective public procurement at its best can drive both social and economic value. With our built environment badly in need of regeneration, public procurement can deliver the next generation of high-quality, sustainable and well-designed schools and hospitals, libraries and leisure centres. 

We are particularly pleased that the act goes further in facilitating SME participation, mandating simplified contract management and payment processes, and focusing on quality rather than favouring the cheapest bid.  

Importantly, the Act also makes clear that any conditions on participation must be proportionate means of ensuring that a supplier has the technical ability to perform a contract, and where these conditions include requiring a specific qualification, equivalent qualifications must also be accepted. This provides an important foundation for fair procurement of services provided by Chartered Architectural Technologists.  

There will of course be challenges as the Act is implemented. CIAT will continue to work with individual contracting bodies and government to embed fair procurement.

More information on the changes to procurement can be found on CIAT’s Procurement web pages.  

Members wishing to raise concerns regarding a specific procurement process, please contact Joanne Rowlands ([email protected]) or [email protected]. You may also wish to raise concerns about UK public procurement exercises via the Government’s Public Procurement Review Service.