Types of Procurement Notices Explained
Every type of UK public procurement notice — what it means, when it's published, and what action to take as a supplier.
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UK procurement notice types
The Procurement Act 2023 introduced several new notice types and updated requirements for existing ones. Here's every type of notice you'll encounter.
Prior Information Notice (PIN)
Sometimes called a 'pipeline notice' or 'advance notice'
Purpose
An advance warning that a contracting authority intends to run a procurement in the near future. Published before the competition begins.
When published
Typically weeks or months before the Contract Notice. Under the Procurement Act 2023, a pipeline notice must be published annually for anticipated contracts over £2 million.
Action for suppliers
Monitor PINs to get early visibility of upcoming opportunities. Use the lead time to research the buyer, prepare your bid team, and gather required documents. Some PINs also invite expressions of interest.
Published on
Find a Tender Service (FTS) for above-threshold; Contracts Finder for below-threshold.
Contract Notice
Sometimes called an 'OJEU notice' (historical term)
Purpose
The formal advertisement of a contract opportunity, inviting suppliers to respond (either with a full bid in an Open Procedure, or an expression of interest in a selection-stage procedure).
When published
At the start of the active competition, before the response deadline. Must remain live until the submission deadline has passed.
Action for suppliers
This is the notice you need to respond to. Read it carefully — it specifies the procedure, deadline, contact point, and links to procurement documents.
Published on
FTS for above-threshold contracts; Contracts Finder for contracts over £10k/£30k.
Award Notice
Sometimes called a 'contract award notice'
Purpose
Confirms which supplier won the contract, the value, the duration, and — under the Procurement Act 2023 — a summary of the evaluation. Published after the standstill period.
When published
Must be published within 30 days of contract signature on FTS; within 90 days on Contracts Finder.
Action for suppliers
Use award notices for market intelligence — who won, for how much, and for how long. Tells you when a contract is likely to retender. Also useful for benchmarking your own prices.
Published on
FTS and Contracts Finder.
Transparency Notice
New under the Procurement Act 2023
Purpose
Required when a contract is awarded without competition (a direct award). Provides transparency about why competition wasn't used.
When published
Before or immediately after the direct award is made.
Action for suppliers
Transparency notices are primarily about accountability. But monitoring them tells you where buyers are making direct awards — sometimes a signal that a market is less competitive than it appears.
Published on
FTS.
Pipeline Notice
New under the Procurement Act 2023
Purpose
Annual publication of anticipated contracts over £2 million that a contracting authority expects to procure in the coming financial year.
When published
At least annually. Buyers are expected to update or republish when material changes occur.
Action for suppliers
High-value forward intelligence. A pipeline notice lets you plan bids months ahead, identify which buyers have relevant large contracts coming, and allocate bid team resources accordingly.
Published on
FTS.
Amendment Notice
Also called a 'corrigendum'
Purpose
Notifies bidders of changes to a procurement — deadline extensions, corrections to specification errors, updates to scoring criteria, or changes to contract terms.
When published
Whenever a material change is made to an active procurement.
Action for suppliers
Subscribe to notices for active procurements you're bidding on. Missing an amendment notice can mean submitting based on outdated requirements — a costly error.
Published on
FTS and Contracts Finder.
Cancellation Notice
Purpose
Announces that a procurement has been cancelled before award. The buyer is withdrawing the competition.
When published
At any point before contract award.
Action for suppliers
If you're mid-bid, stop investing resource immediately. Cancellations are often followed by a redesigned procurement — monitor the buyer for a replacement contract notice.
Published on
FTS and Contracts Finder.
Dynamic Market Notice
New under the Procurement Act 2023
Purpose
Used to establish or update a Dynamic Market (a development of the Dynamic Purchasing System concept). Invites suppliers to apply to join the dynamic market.
When published
When establishing a new dynamic market, and periodically when opening or updating the market.
Action for suppliers
If you operate in a sector where buyers use dynamic markets (common in health, social care, and some IT categories), joining gives you access to call-off opportunities without full tender competition each time.
Published on
FTS.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a PIN and a Contract Notice?▼
Do I need to respond to a Prior Information Notice?▼
Why are Award Notices useful to suppliers?▼
What is the standstill period and how does it relate to Award Notices?▼
How do I get notified of new procurement notices?▼
RevnIQ
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